47 year old tank

[Origami]

Looks good, Paul!

Sent from my SM-N976V using Tapatalk

[paul b]

Thanks Tom

 

 

[paul b]

Good Morning.  On my walk in the cold and dark this morning I was thinking about passwords.

I hate anything with passwords because they never work for old people and are just made for Millennials or pre schoolers.  My Grand Daughter who is 10 has no problems.

 

And has anyone noticed that they have to keep getting more complicated and longer.  For instance.  Lets say my password for something was "duh".  Simple and it worked great.

 

Then my bank, AOL account, Google, Amazon or one of my Geezer apps tells me my password is to short.  So I made it "duhh".

After a few weeks they say it needs to have at least one number in it.  OK  "duhh1".   Now it needs at least one capital letter.

OK  "Duhh1".  A little while later it needs to have at least eight characters.  So I change it to "Duhh1234".  Of course I have to write this all down because I barely remembered the original "duh".

 

This was fine for a year or so but now it needs to also have at least one symbol.  Ok "Duhh1234&".  Now no one will steal that.  But it still isn't good enough.  In 2021 they told me it also has to have at least one "Native American letter".  Now the Native Americans didn't have a written language so after you type in Duhh1234&" you have to say out loud a Native American word.  Something like Kemosabe, which meant friend to the Lone Ranger.

If you are under 60, Google him.

 

So for a few months I type in "Duhh1234& and yell out the word Kemosabe".   Now in 2023 it still isn't safe enough and I had to add two Egyption Hieroglyphs and the Latin word for Platypus.

 

Yesterday I get an E mail from my bank saying my password has been compromised. :oops:

[Origami]

Has it been compromised, or was it C0m%r0m153d?  A little password humor there. ;-)

 

[paul b]

No, it wasn't compromised.  I think it was the yelling of the Native American words that saved me.  

 

 

[paul b]

This month my tank made it (barely) to 52 years old.   A couple of weeks ago I removed everything from my tank except the gravel for a good cleaning of this invasive sponge that was covering everything.  I also changed 100% of the NSW and used ASW just because my source of NSW is loaded with silicates and fueling the sponge.  Eventually, if the sponge is 100% gone I will change back to NSW which I will first remove the silicates.  It was a huge job.  

 

 

 

My tank after the thorough cleaning is coming along nicely.  The rocks that were to covered in sponge I had to bleach and now they are covered in short hair algae which is normal.  Many of them still have pieces of dead sponge on them that are really covered in algae as I assume it is a good fertilizer.  

 

There is a growth of algae growing on the back glass which I want and I didn't scrape it to clean when I removed the rock.

 

The corals are starting to open up fully and the fish seem happy and many of them are spawning.  I even think my hectors gobies are spawning.

 

 

I have 4 of them and may get a couple more today.  They are like eight bucks and very colorful so whats not to like.  They are very small so don't hardly have any carbon footprint and you don't even have to feed them because they are pickers on algae and mulm.  

 

Since I gave away my big Koran angelfish I have more room to add quite a few small, interesting creatures which I prefer.

 

Even this guy has found a home near the front of the tank so I can enjoy him 

 

 

I have 3 filefish so I am not sure if I can put in crabs and shrimp.  I did add 4 small hermit crabs but haven't seen them so they may have been on their menu. 

 

I would like to try more coral not that I don't have all those sponge toxins so if I see something nice today, I will pick it up as I am going to a lfs.

 

This was last week after I put all the stuff back.  Much of the rock I had to wire brush and keep outside in the cold and dark for a week to eliminate the sponge.

 

 

 

Edited March 8, 2023 by paul b

[Origami]

That was a lot of work, Paul. But the tank is looking great.

[paul b]

Thanks Tom.  After that picture the tank grew algae like a produce stand, which I am kind of happy about.  That algae grew due to all the organics and dead sponge I eradicated in my cleaning.  The algae will remove everything and now although it is long, it is turning white and dying.  I suck it out with my diatom filter almost every day. 

 

When it is all gone, I will inspect for any pieces of sponge I may have missed and if I find any, remove it.

 

You can see some of the algae under these guys but it got much longer. 

 

 

 

[Origami]

Algae is nature's nutrient vacuum, cleaning your water. But you've been saying that for years. ;-)

 

[paul b]

I love algae.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

[paul b]

Yesterday My Nam Buddy and me placed flags on the graves of Patriots in Calverton National Cemetery.

 

[paul b]

The news crew came here yesterday todo a story about a Christmas Card a little girl sent me in Viet Nam in 1970. They even got my fish tank in. I am waiting for Martin Scorsese to call me about the mini series.

Now it's on every 10 minutes all day so I am getting tired of looking at myself. 

53 years later: Rediscovered 'thank you' card prompts meeting between Vietnam vet, pen pal

 

 

[AlanM]

Man, that is awesome Paul.  Showing the family the video.  

[paul b]

Thanks Alan.  Now it is on every 15 minutes all day and probably tomorrow.  

[Gatortailale]

Really neat. Incredible story and cool how she found you online. Thanks for your service; and sharing. Glad you are part of this community.

[YHSublime]

🫡 cool story!

[Salty Rambler]

What a surreal full circle moment!

[paul b]

So yesterday we took the Lady and her sister around because they have never been on Long Island and she wanted to see the "Famous" Hamptons.

WE took them to a winery were we are members. There was a party going on so the place was crowded.
As we walked in, most of the people recognized us from the TV appearance and all came over thanking me for my service and telling us what a nice story it is. I didn't know any of these people.

Then a few minutes later, a guy came to our table and gave me a $30.00 bottle of wine saying his Dad was a Vietnam Vet.

Then I took them to a farm stand here because she likes horseradish and they grow and produce it there.

The woman who owns it saw us get out of the car and ran out to hug me.

Long Island is about 150 miles long, there are about 7 million people and we only have one local news station so most people here see it and it loops about every 15 minutes for like 2 days.

This morning everyone I ever knew in my life is calling to ask me if I knew I was on TV. It was a lot of fun.
The reporter and camera Lady took a lot of video of my fish and steam punk stuff and all the innovations I built in my man cave. She said there is to much going on here and they may have to come back and do another story.

This is Kathleen who wrote me the Christmas card in Nam in 1970.

And in the winery
 

[paul b]

I had to do something I always say not to do and it is something you would do. I ordered a small can of sinking pellets. :oops:

 

These 3 Waspfish are getting very picky and only want to eat at night. They think they live in an all night diner, but they don't. Many times they won't eat during the day .

 

 

At night, before the lights go out, I will "shoot" some pellets into their caves in the hope they will eat at night. I really hate dry foods but I don't think my smaller ones are getting enough food in the day and with all the crabs and bristle worms I have, I need to supplement them.

 

Many times I can't even find the smaller ones.

 

[paul b]

My reef reached 53 years old this week.  In a couple of months the VA invited me on the "Freedom Flight" with a bunch of other Veterans.  They will fly us to DC to spend the day, with lunch and dinner then fly us back.  

 

[Gatortailale]

Dang, your reef is almost as old as me. I hit the speed limit sign this summer. Hopefully someday I can make another trip to Long Island and visit in person. Went to see Joe’s aquarium last October.

[greengalaxy]

22 hours ago, Gatortailale said:

Dang, your reef is almost as old as me. I hit the speed limit sign this summer. Hopefully someday I can make another trip to Long Island and visit in person. Went to see Joe’s aquarium last October.

It’s more than double mine😭 but nonetheless looks amazing and mind blowing to see a tank that old!

[paul b]

Even I am amazed it is still running.  I always said that if it lasts for 50 years, I will call it a success.  It reached 53 this month so if it reaches another 50 years, it will be super successful.   I can't wait. 

[PupChow]

On 2/18/2024 at 7:13 AM, paul b said:

The news crew came here yesterday todo a story about a Christmas Card a little girl sent me in Viet Nam in 1970. They even got my fish tank in. I am waiting for Martin Scorsese to call me about the mini series.

Now it's on every 10 minutes all day so I am getting tired of looking at myself. 

53 years later: Rediscovered 'thank you' card prompts meeting between Vietnam vet, pen pal

 

 

 

 

This is wonderful!  Thank you for your service and a glimpse into your life & the 53 yo aquarium!

[Gatortailale]

About time for a Fall 2024 update. Hope things and you are well, Paul.