47 year old tank

[BowieReefer84]

My father in law timed his retirement with his double knee replacement, and is now back out walking 18 holes of golf. I know he had those needles a few times, and said they last less and less the more you get them. If this is your third go goodluck getting a month of relief!

 

Both knees?

[paul b]

I know.  I just need time to get new knees.  Maybe in the winter.  I want those Home Depot pressure ones so I can go through metal detectors and they are guaranteed for 25 years.   

[BowieReefer84]

When you go in for voluntary procedures like knee replacements you get your own room with the good TV and the extra hot nurses... haha

[paul b]

It is in my insurance contract to have retired Supermodel nurses for the surgery.  If the surgery doesn't come out good, who cares!  

Edited April 27, 2018 by paul b

[paul b]

So I fired my elevator contractor because he was a Jiboni and I don't think he knew an elevator from a lighted refugium.
I hired a new one yesterday and will see how that goes.
I also called a builder today because I need a licensed carpenter to build a shaft inside the original shaft which is much too big.

I really hate this because I have never hired anyone in my life except on my job. Everyone seems like Jibonies to me as this stuff is so simple I could build this shaft in a few days if they would let me.  But of course you need to be licensed, insured and good looking.
It takes 6 weeks to get the prints which I could draw myself in a couple of hours.  The elevator car takes over 3 months to build, another thing that probably takes 6 hours.  Everything is a big deal.  How do people live that have to hire people for everything?  I would blow my brains out after I blew their brains out.   Like OMG just do something! even if it's wrong, thats better than nothing.  :confused:

[paul b]

I just remembered this story, but I am sure I posted it on here somewhere so if you read it go and watch Oprah give houses to homeless cats with Alzheimer disease.

I had a guy on the job who we called Speedy. This was the remodel of the New York City Playboy Club (where I would have worked for free but they insisted on paying me)

I never saw someone as incompetent as Speedy. I don't know how he got dressed in the morning.
For instance. I told him to install the little grills on the stairs in the night club so the light shines on the steps. Night clubs are purposely dark so you just want to light up the step. He installed all them up side down. He said you couldn't see the light if they shined on the steps. I told him: You don't want to see the light, just the step.

Then around the perimeter there was cove lighting at the ceiling with a little flood light every 6". There were hundreds of them. We had to install these metal plates that were 6" X 6" in between every light. Simple because there was a screw sticking out for each one and all he had to do was put a nut on each one.
We turned the lights on and I said Wow, he really did it good. Then the steel plates, which would give you a nice gash if it hit you started to fall down.

I looked and they were all taped up with electrical tape so when the lights heated the tape, they all fell down. He said he couldn't get the nut on.

I had him install a baffle over the lights on the bar. He slipped and pulled the entire fixture down and broke it.

Going to lunch as we walked down the stairs I told him to straighten the switch plate. (we didn't want him come to lunch with us)
He hit the plate with a pliers and broke the plate and switch.

I told him to gather all the tools and put them in the gang box (big tool box) on the sidewalk and wait for the truck to pick them up.

I went outside (on Fifth Ave, and 59th st Manhattan) and thousands of dollars worth of tools were scattered all over the sidewalk and the box was locked. No sign of Speedy.

So I knew we couldn't get him to do the simplest thing so I had him sit in a chair in the middle of the showroom and I took two dead wires out of the ceiling and told him to sit there and don't move. Just keep putting these wires together every second and I am going on the roof to test for them.

After a few hours i forgot about Speedy and was going home. I came to the place where he was, and he was still sitting there putting those two wires together.

My Union had us keep him working no matter what because he was some important guys son and he needed a couple of weeks working to get his card and no one else could take him because he was too stupid. Then they wanted to make him an office worker probably throwing out the garbage but I doubt he could do that as he was under qualified.
Paul b is online now Report Post

[paul b]

I just cleaned my algae scrubber and I noticed in my UG filter manifold that one tube was clogged wit tube worms.  I made a hook on some wire and lifted some out then I had to chop the rest of them up to restore movement.  In doing that a tube that feeds the left UG plate came apart.  It is right in the middle of the tank behind the reef structure so it will have to remain disconnected until I move in just over a month.
The fish will just have to get over it.

[paul b]

I never hired anyone in my life for anything and can't stand the fact that I now have to hire someone to build my elevator shaft in my new home for the handicapped elevator for my wife.
I can do this with no problem for about a grand but you have to be licensed and insured for that town.
I am getting bids but it breaks my heart to do this.
I built my second floor installed my solar panels and wired and plumbed the house.  I have been doing this all my life and it's easy but I am not allowed to do it there until I own the place.

Next week i am having surgery on my right hand and I won't be able to use it for a month so moving everything in my tank is going to be fun using only my left hand.  I wanted to build some rock but i don't think I can do it in a few days although I may try.

[paul b]

I just got my undergravel filter and I am all Goo Goo over it.  OK not really.  It is extremely cheaply made compared to my old one and I hope my rocks don't crush the thing.  It is one step above that plastic packaging that roast chicken comes in.  It also has some very thin tubes that I will throw out and put in real tubes, not Sissy, Girly Man tubing.  Then I have to bend them near the gravel and bring them up into a manifold that I will start designing now as my old one has seen better days although it works well.  I am not sure if I will plumb my algae scrubber into it like I have now or make it so my algae scrubber feeds my skimmer and that feeds the UG filter.  I have not thought about it yet. 
Right now there is a 5' trough that sits near the back of my tank where the skimmer dumps on to, then it goes back into the tank, but if I could eliminate one pump, that would make it a little simpler as I decided not to add a sump.  I may in the future, but I don't have time for Girly frivialities yet. 

My algae scrubber flows into a PVC pipe then down into the UG filter manifold.
I realize all you Noobs don't do it this way, (or have any Idea what I am talking about) but I like to be different.

[DAP]

Paul, 

Can you see underneath your undergravel filter plate, if you look from under the tank with a flash light?

[paul b]

I can only see worm trails in the detritus.  I used to be able to see under there, maybe 20 years ago.  

I wish I still could, I am curious what is growing there.  I am moving soon so I will lift it and find out. 

[paul b]

We have a closing date of the 21st of this month but I will still live here for a few weeks and pay rent. This may work out very well because if my house ever gets finished I will be able to move my fish there while I still live here. Thats the new plan. I wanted to build a large rock to support my reef on but I am having hand surgery Monday so I won't be able to use it or wave to anyone for a couple of weeks.
One more thing, I may keep my nitrates up high as my gorgonians, sponges, fish and most of the rest of my corals including three SPS corals are thriving fantastically. They are practically growing out of the tank. I am interested to see what else will live so nice with 160 nitrates.

 

I am tired of talking to myself, is this thing on?  Thank God for you two.  

[paul b]

The new place is just about finished but it will take a few weeks to inspect it, I am guessing we will move the second week in June.
My boat just got out to the new marina today and should be in the water Monday.  I will go out there (using my good left hand) and clean the thing and possibly take a ride to check out the Peconic which I only boated on once.

My Daughter sent me this old picture of when my friends and me used to fix old cars and sell them.  This Simca we got for $10.00 but I forgot what we sold it for.  This was about 1966.

I am the good looking one with the hair on the roof.

[Origami]

Great picture. I once bought a used car for $20. Mid-60s vintage, I believe. Wouldn't start and had been sitting on this lady's property for awhile and she just wanted it gone. Found that a low voltage line on the coil was disconnected. Connected it and got the car running. Burning oil, it smoked something awful. Put a little thinner in each cylinder to help free up the rings and an hour later, she ran much cleaner. Sold the car a week later for a couple hundred. Nice margin for a high schooler back then.

 

Cars seemed simpler back then.

 

 

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[paul b]

Cars were much simpler back then.  So far I have never hired anyone to fix anything on my car unless it was warranted work.  My first GMC truck I had the engine went at 12,000 miles.  Then it was 12 month or 12,000 mile warranty.  A connecting rod broke.  They wouldn't give me anything so i found a wrecked truck with a new engine and changed it myself.

I think my first car was a 1960 Chevy Impala that I got for 8 bucks.

 

The thing didn't run.  I discovered it was just the carburetor so I got a rebuild kit for another 8 bucks and the thing ran great.  I got I think $175.00 for it and it only took an hour or two to fix.

 

Then I found an Audi that I got for free because the piston rod came through the side of the engine which was a slant 6.  I replaced the rod and bearings, siliconed and bolted a plate on the hole in the side of the engine and got a lot of money for that one.  I kept buying cars and selling them for  few years. 

 

Money is easy and I always made money.  Money is all over the place and if you are a little smarter or craftier than the next guy, and less lazy it is simple to get.  Especially now when many people are out of work and can't afford to pay a contractor to do some needed work like a burst pipe, electrical work or build a deck out of bricks.  You can rent a small bulldozer to remove 8" of soil and put in a deck.  I have done that a few times including my own house and you can do it for a quarter of what a contractor will charge.  People love to save money.  Of course you have to do good work, otherwise you may as well watch TV and collect unemployment. 

 

In my life as a construction electrician Foreman I always made the most money when it was slow and my union put me on furlough.  If I was never out of work, I couldn't afford to buy my house or boat. 

[madweazl]

Cars were much simpler back then.  So far I have never hired anyone to fix anything on my car unless it was warranted work.  My first GMC truck I had the engine went at 12,000 miles.  Then it was 12 month or 12,000 mile warranty.  A connecting rod broke.  They wouldn't give me anything so i found a wrecked truck with a new engine and changed it myself.

I think my first car was a 1960 Chevy Impala that I got for 8 bucks.

 

The thing didn't run.  I discovered it was just the carburetor so I got a rebuild kit for another 8 bucks and the thing ran great.  I got I think $175.00 for it and it only took an hour or two to fix.

 

Then I found an Audi that I got for free because the piston rod came through the side of the engine which was a slant 6.  I replaced the rod and bearings, siliconed and bolted a plate on the hole in the side of the engine and got a lot of money for that one.  I kept buying cars and selling them for  few years. 

 

Money is easy and I always made money.  Money is all over the place and if you are a little smarter or craftier than the next guy, and less lazy it is simple to get.  Especially now when many people are out of work and can't afford to pay a contractor to do some needed work like a burst pipe, electrical work or build a deck out of bricks.  You can rent a small bulldozer to remove 8" of soil and put in a deck.  I have done that a few times including my own house and you can do it for a quarter of what a contractor will charge.  People love to save money.  Of course you have to do good work, otherwise you may as well watch TV and collect unemployment. 

 

In my life as a construction electrician Foreman I always made the most money when it was slow and my union put me on furlough.  If I was never out of work, I couldn't afford to buy my house or boat. 

 

LOL! So dirty but if it worked, good on ya. It looks like our move of the tank went well; there havent been any issues yet (knock on wood) and hope the same holds true for yours. It was a massive pain in the butt and I questioned why I even did it multiple times but am glad I did in the end. 

[paul b]

I am hoping so.  

[paul b]

I put some new rocks together today but couldn't finish the thing.  It should be almost 3' long and will support my entire reef structure, or 3' of it anyway.  I couldn't build the entire thing the way I wanted so i am just putting some large rocks together with stainless steel screws, epoxy and cement.  I know a lot of people are afraid of stainless steel but those people are Sissy Snowflake Girly Men or maybe Ladies or little girls.    I love stainless steel and wish I could get all my rocks made out of the stuff.
I will have to try to finish it using only my left hand but I didn't figure out yet how I will drill the rocks with my feet or my left hand.  I won't be able to use my right hand for 3 weeks but I need to get the thing done so I can soak it for a week or two before I move.  I really want to get this thing done but I can't see how that will happen.  Maybe i will just rubber band all the rocks together.

I am trying to get all the use out of my hand now before they operate so i am sitting near my window waving at all the people walking by.

[paul b]

Being I will only
Have my left hand
to type, i will only
be able to type
on the left side of the page 

[Origami]

Being I will only

Have my left hand

to type, i will only

be able to type

on the left side of the page 

But

soon you 

will be feeling

much better, I hope.

Maybe you'll even have 

a really good looking Physical

Therapist - supermodel? - who will

encourage you to type across more of the 

page as part of your journey back to full health!

 

[paul b]

OK Surgery over.  All seems well and I can use one finger on my right hand because he put in a nerve block.  But he put it in one hour and 59 minutes ago and it only lasts 2 hours so i may not be able to finish.  The nurses were Fantas.........

Uh UH, it is wearing off.  OUCH %$#&(@##$^ OUCH Thats all Folks. :

[paul b]

Instead of going to physical therapy I decided to ask the Supermodel therapist to come over here to put the rock structure together for me.  Hopefully my insurance will cover that.  I am still waiting for her reply. 

 

Besides, Physical Therapy is for Snowflakes.

 

Hand surgery is really Sissy Girly Man surgery and I am almost embarassed that I had it.  Man surgery is when they tear off your hand and send it out for repairs. 
Grand Marnier and a pain pill works wonders 

[paul b]

The Dr. told me I can't lift anything heavier than a tea cup for 3 weeks due to the stitches going across my palm. But I don't drink tea so I assume that doesn't apply to me.   I tried to do some work on the rock structure I am building for the new tank and I mixed the cement with my left hand but had some trouble putting the cement on the rocks.. The rocks are heavy and to try to put them in position to be cemented is not easy with my right hand all bandaged up.   I pre drilled the rocks and epoxied in stainless steel threaded rods before the surgery so I need to put cement on the parts that touch, then push the rocks together and smear more cement on. But this thing weighs about 10lbs now and I can't seem to get them to stay in position because I need to lift the entire thing, both parts and put bricks under it for support until the cement dries.

My foot doesn't quite reach up to the top of my garage workbench and I tasted the cement and it doesn't taste to good so I can't use my tongue.  

[paul b]

So far I have this.  Built it out of 8 smaller rocks held together with stainless steel threaded rod, epoxy and cement.  The right end I built with my left hand and knee.

[Origami]

I like it. It's coming along nicely.