A Splash of Color

[biggles]

Sorry for not being around lately but mom's heart went out of whack again despite the operation a year ago so i've been spending time back and forth between here and her home 300kms away - finally got her shocked back into gear on Tuesday and she's all better. I on the other hand am stuffed and the reef hasn't had stable anything for over a week so the acros are generally speaking - sh$tty with me.
Three frags RTN'd and all the coralline on the glass bleached and the stuff on the black overflow wall is dying and falling off in small sheets. I checked everything and the water is NSW parameters on everything we test for including Potassium.
I stopped dosing anything when i first left so it's not too much bloody zinc.........

No idea what is up with the coralline algae suddenly crashing but there's nothing obvious that i can see wrong. Acros look ok, not growing much but that's nothing new

Sorry to every one who PM'd me after i finally replied to your first PM's and now i've done it again. :deadhorse1: I will answer all the PM's tomorrow unless i don't...........

I stopped exercising about 20 years ago, i have a fast metabolism and have always been skinny so i look upon those who need to jog or carry out any form of exercise etc as genetically inferior, not as far back as the ice affected Canadian population but headed for extinction down the same icy jogging track.

I was just chatting to Dave via text as i write this, he wanted to let me know that Sasha was dropping in a couple of fresh cut frags for me - i met Sasha last visit. Anyway i said i was coming over on the weekend and did he have anything nice in since i'm rescaping the left side of the display.

Next weekend will have nice shipment but not this weekend.
Got some nice stag today but all gone.
There is a hand sized echi though.

Hold the echi for me please i like echi's a lot

Do you need more or just want

I have 5 different echi's so yes i need more so i have 6 !

I'll put a hold on it for you.
Oh there's a nice tennis ball sized pinkish milli colony with yellow tips.
I think it will go a nice metallic red with apricot tips.
It's nice.

Hold the milli for me too please mate.

It's yummy.

Hold anything you think is 'yummy' for me please Dave..........


- considering how often i comment on how beautiful a particular acro branch is and Dave will just shrug and say ' it's okay, nothing special ' i think the use of the word yummy by Dave indicates a possible stunner.

Speaking of new friends, when i first started going to Dave's a few years back i asked him to never let on to anyone that i was 'biggles' when i was at the shop. It's not because i'm up myself, i've had experiences before where shop owners have become upset when customers start trying to buy frags off me in front of them - a tad rude don't you think. Like most of us i have some one off color variant stunners, more luck than skill aquiring them so i know it might happen again - and i would flip out if it was done in front of Dave :mad2: plus i never sell frags, only give away or swap

So anyway, while i was at the shop last time with Dom i was looking at the acros and asked Dave if i could pick one up. A guy on the other side of the tank asks me why i picked that particular piece out................ hmmmm i thought......... i explained and then introduced myself as Andrew and shook hands.

' yeah i know, biggles right ? '

' how did you know i was biggles Sasha ? '

' Dave told me but said not to let on i knew '

' DAVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVE !!!!!!! '

' Exactly how many people know i'm biggles but are not letting on ? '

' Not that many.... only a few really ' - followed by the Dave ( you can't yell at a smiling man ) smile.........

I met Josh soon after............ he knew i was biggles too........... bloody Dave is reef wikileaks

 

[tripdad]

Glad to hear your mom is doing better, that is good news. On another note...my son and his mom have been visiting your beautiful country this week. They tell me the GBR is gorgeous in person and the people are great. Can't wait to see what Dave put aside for you.

 

[Acronic]

Is that you?....Andrew... Snowden

 

[Usernam Invalid]

Bloody brilliant next you will be telling us the Canadians hacked your email server [emoji57]

 

[martinphillip03]

Andrew, glad your mums doing better. Hoping your tank recovers also. Can't wait to hear the latest Dave story when you go to pick up all those corals?
Also I had a theory about why your corals aren't growing. Think Dave is selling you Bonsai Corals. That explains all.

Marty

 

[biggles]

Glad to hear your mom is doing better, that is good news. On another note...my son and his mom have been visiting your beautiful country this week. They tell me the GBR is gorgeous in person and the people are great. Can't wait to see what Dave put aside for you.

Thanks Scott, sounds like they're having a good time up north mate

Dave sent me pics of what he put aside.

Is that you?....Andrew... Snowden

I have returned Kevin...... echi number 6

Bloody brilliant next you will be telling us the Canadians hacked your email server

Nothing would surprise me mate :wildone:

Andrew, glad your mums doing better. Hoping your tank recovers also. Can't wait to hear the latest Dave story when you go to pick up all those corals?
Also I had a theory about why your corals aren't growing. Think Dave is selling you Bonsai Corals. That explains all.

Marty

Thanks Marty, i won't be able to just walk in and buy the acros.......... it's never that simple as you know mate. It's either Dave's fault or Christian is collecting dwarf acros........:hammer:

 

[Pife]

Glad your mother is doing better. Hope your tank follows suit and shapes up and stabilizes.

Now those corals you posted look real nice I don't think you have room for them though do you?

 

[biggles]

I already have the spots picked for the first two and the third one is a much redder color variant of the blue tipped prostrata at the top of the page - no brainer.........

Don't forget there's a 2 x 2.5 ft tank below with a Radium and T5's over it........ i have lots of room and lots of places to hide stuff..........

 

[tripdad]

That peach milli is cool! Man you get some nice stuff from Dave and Christian.

 

[markalot]

Hopefully your mom is fully on the mend this time!

 

[biggles]

That peach milli is cool! Man you get some nice stuff from Dave and Christian.

It's a very pretty little intact colony Scott, growing on the end of a 1" wide rock finger. It will deepen in color once it settles in. I get the BEST stuff from Dave and Christian mate, i ended up buying those three and two more when i went to Deer Park today

Hopefully your mom is fully on the mend this time!

Thanks Mark, she had an op to stop her heart racing because it no longer goes back into rhythm unless shocked. The fact it happened means the op didn't work unfortunately. She can try again but she was scared the first time and is already saying she just wants to go back on 'the drugs' .
Anyway it's not a life threatening thing when it happens, she just can't get around when her heart is going 140 - 150 for days at a time as she's exhausted 24/7. Her heart specialist was on holidays this time so it took another couple of days to organize another guy to shock her, it'll take her a couple of weeks now to recover from everything so it really stuffs her around.


Went to see Dave today, i took back BJ my white tailed tang because he has been going through ich outbreaks over and over for months and i don't want him suffering in my display. He's fine and happily sitting in a Q tank out the back of Dave's shop being treated now.
The last time i saw one for sale at Dave's it was $700- so it's not a cheap fish in Aus. I don't spend anywhere near that much on anything for the display - ever ! I saw one on here a year ago and asked Dave to look into one for me.

' I have a white tail coming for you '

' awesome Dave, how much is it '

' Not sure, around $150- '

Dave was out when i visited to pick him up and Mark told me Dave said he would rather have frags instead of the $150- so i paid nothing - zero - zip - zilch.
Next visit i saw two white tail tangs in a tank - $650- each. Dave then informs me that he knows i won't pay lots for fish and since he knew i really wanted the fish he decided to lie about the $500- cost price to him after shipping.............. that's the other reason i wanted to return BJ, i can't pay that much for him and i won't let Dave do that for me - it's been eating at me for months.........

When i walked into the shop with the bucket holding the boomerang tang i said to Dave's mom Deb

' I never paid a cent for this fish Deb so Dave can't give me anything in credit ok, it's a six or seven hundred dollar fish '

' Nothing he does surprises me Andrew, he's an idiot with money but i love him '

' So do i Deb ' and then we both smiled

' I told Deb the fish was free Dave ! '

Dave frowned and gave me his sad version of a withering look......not the most intimidating gesture..... imagine a labrador puppy angry


That was my nice reef deed for 2017, i have one such moment each year which makes up for all the other things i do that aren't nice at all. :thumbsup:

One hour later............

' DAVE ! - you're out of 2ft actinic plus and lagoon blues, you only had one of each on the wall rack '

Nice biggles would have come home with these.........

But nice biggles wasn't looking for 2ft T5's........... a search behind the counter where Dave hides stuff revealed a pair of 2ft actinic plus bulbs with a sticky note stating they were on hold for a customer - what a joke.

' What about these Dave '

' Actually i think Mark sold him those but he didn't know i had them behind here and got two more off the wall display instead. Pretty sure he's already got them. '

' Pretty sure will do Dave, i'm taking them ! '

None of you want to be stranded on a desert island with old biggles........ at least not when the food runs out........ :smokin:

 

[Acronic]

Your as cold as ice man

 

[martinphillip03]

I bet if you were at Doms house, you would drink his last beer!
Man, you know you really upset off Dastardly Dave. You know he is not going to let you get away with returning a fish with no compensation. I can't wait to see the retribution Dave is going to rain down on you. This will be fun.

Marty

 

[Joche]

Next visit i saw two white tail tangs in a tank - $650- each. Dave then informs me that he knows i won't pay lots for fish and since he knew i really wanted the fish he decided to lie about the $500- cost price to him after shipping.............. that's the other reason i wanted to return BJ, i can't pay that much for him and i won't let Dave do that for me - it's been eating at me for months.........

LOL, it's like I'm reading a fairy tale! It's normally the other way around here, where the store owner wants 4-5 times more than the real value of the fish or coral.

 

[biggles]

Your as cold as ice man

Cold as ice is what they put on real estate signs in Canada mate.......

I am doing my best to provide optimum lighting conditions for the acros in my care Kevin. These are living creatures (except when in my garden bed) and i take the responsibility seriously. I can't worry about ridiculous moral issues at these times.........

You pause to think - acros die.........:reading:

I bet if you were at Doms house, you would drink his last beer!
Man, you know you really upset off Dastardly Dave. You know he is not going to let you get away with returning a fish with no compensation. I can't wait to see the retribution Dave is going to rain down on you. This will be fun.

Marty

Here you go Marty, his name is Tato after poor Potatohead who was murdered by the stinking wrasses...... i hate wrasses......:hammer:

I've been hand feeding him pellets all day

LOL, it's like I'm reading a fairy tale! It's normally the other way around here, where the store owner wants 4-5 times more than the real value of the fish or coral.

Dave is too nice at times mate. When i was at the shop he showed me a text from Christian showing a weather map with a big storm swirly whirly thing over the Qld ocean where Christian collects.

' Christian can't get out due to the massive storm system hitting atm '

' All i see are some clouds Dave, he spends all day wet so how the hell does a bit of rain stop him diving. Tell him to stop being a wuss and go collect me some cool acros. '

' It's a lot worse than a bit of rain according to Christian '

' Give me the bloody phone Dave, i'm gonna tell your GBR weatherman what i think of his diving forecast ! '

' Uh no, i don't think that would be a good idea '

Despite repeated requests to hand his phone over so i could sort out this down tools rubbish from Christian over a rain shower, Dave refused to let me give Chris a few pointers on what does and doesn't stop him collecting for me.

Way too nice at times......:mad2:

 

[Rsmreef]

:dance:Lol , bloody great that means I'll have to wait even longer to get the next shipment.
Andrew use your own bloodly phone. And tell Christian he won't suffer much it's the guys on the boat waiting for him to come back up that will suffer.
Nice echi Andrew six now ,I'm at three now but two are ity bity frags so some growing to do .. And one is a nice Gbr colony .:dance:
:beer:

 

[Joche]

Dave is too nice at times mate. When i was at the shop he showed me a text from Christian showing a weather map with a big storm swirly whirly thing over the Qld ocean where Christian collects.

' Christian can't get out due to the massive storm system hitting atm '

' All i see are some clouds Dave, he spends all day wet so how the hell does a bit of rain stop him diving. Tell him to stop being a wuss and go collect me some cool acros. '

' It's a lot worse than a bit of rain according to Christian '

' Give me the bloody phone Dave, i'm gonna tell your GBR weatherman what i think of his diving forecast ! '

' Uh no, i don't think that would be a good idea '

Despite repeated requests to hand his phone over so i could sort out this down tools rubbish from Christian over a rain shower, Dave refused to let me give Chris a few pointers on what does and doesn't stop him collecting for me.

Way too nice at times......:mad2:

I swear your stories brighten my day Andrew, and then the acro pics....:inlove:!

 

[martinphillip03]

I miss Potatohead. Hopefully Tato won't be as much of a problem.

Marty

Here you go Marty, his name is Tato after poor Potatohead who was murdered by the stinking wrasses...... i hate wrasses......:hammer:

I've been hand feeding him pellets all day

Dave is too nice at times mate.

 

[reefmutt]

Wow.. it's crazy how much can go down when you miss a week on these boards!
Sorry to hear about your mom, Andrew. What about one of those defibrillators they have in gyms and civic centers now? Maybe a neighbor could be trained to shock her instead of having to wait for a specialist.. not knowing the potential complexities of her condition, this may be a stupid idea... but I'm Canadian so I always put out my stupid ideas.
It's a tough time when your parents start needing the care they gave you, all those years... Although, in your case it's possible she tossed you out the back window when you were 5.. but you turned out half ok.
Ive been thinking about adding a cleaner shrimp to my reef.. any downsides to having one in an sps tank?
When my alk dropped a few months ago and then I kept it low for about a month, all of my corraline died and peeled off in sheets, just like yours. It wasn't until I started pushing my ca reactor to raise and maintain a higher kh that it began to grow again..
Andrew, your stories are colourful and nuanced enough to get a real feel for Dave, his mom and their shop..
But what really makes them so damn funny is when I imagine everybody wearing some sort of strange jogging helmet for fear of getting into a fistfight.

 

[biggles]

Lol , bloody great that means I'll have to wait even longer to get the next shipment.
Andrew use your own bloodly phone. And tell Christian he won't suffer much it's the guys on the boat waiting for him to come back up that will suffer.
Nice echi Andrew six now ,I'm at three now but two are ity bity frags so some growing to do .. And one is a nice Gbr colony .
:beer:

It's a joke that people all over the world will now be checking the Qld weather map regularly to see if any cool acros might be arriving in the next couple of weeks.............. obviously if you see the slightest chance of precipitation anywhere near the GBR you can bet you ain't gonna see diddly squat.....

I'm thinking we run one of those crowd funding things to raise enough money to buy Christian (world's only diving Aquagenic urticaria sufferer ) a big beach umbrella to stick over the boat so he won't get battered by rain drops PRIOR to getting into water that has man eating sharks in it..........

' Sharks........ sharks don't bother me at all, but rain ! I nearly lost an arm to a man eating rain drop a few years back. '

Doesn't make sense does it mate............

Glad to hear you have a few different echis spread around Franz, all of mine are very obviously different in regards to pigments, do you see the same mate ?

I swear your stories brighten my day Andrew, and then the acro pics....:inlove:!

Thanks Joche

I miss Potatohead. Hopefully Tato won't be as much of a problem.

Marty

Thanks Marty, he was weird but in a cool way. Tato will likely be just as weird after being with me for a few months.......

Wow.. it's crazy how much can go down when you miss a week on these boards!
Sorry to hear about your mom, Andrew. What about one of those defibrillators they have in gyms and civic centers now? Maybe a neighbor could be trained to shock her instead of having to wait for a specialist.. not knowing the potential complexities of her condition, this may be a stupid idea... but I'm Canadian so I always put out my stupid ideas.
It's a tough time when your parents start needing the care they gave you, all those years... Although, in your case it's possible she tossed you out the back window when you were 5.. but you turned out half ok.
Ive been thinking about adding a cleaner shrimp to my reef.. any downsides to having one in an sps tank?
When my alk dropped a few months ago and then I kept it low for about a month, all of my corraline died and peeled off in sheets, just like yours. It wasn't until I started pushing my ca reactor to raise and maintain a higher kh that it began to grow again..
Andrew, your stories are colourful and nuanced enough to get a real feel for Dave, his mom and their shop..
But what really makes them so damn funny is when I imagine everybody wearing some sort of strange jogging helmet for fear of getting into a fistfight.

Hey Matt, mom has an emergency button on a necklace and a nurse from the retirement community full time care facility rings her if she presses it. If she doesn't answer, the nurse calls an ambulance while another nurse drives to mom's place with the front door key they keep on hand. She carries all full emergency resus bag.

A few months before mom and dad actually used the word 'cancer' i became aware that dad had it and had been keeping it on the down low. He mentioned what he called ' sun spots ' in a convo and how the specialist his doctor sent him too wanted to ' have a dig into a few of them to see what they were ' ( biopsy ).
I asked him to ask for the exact name of what the sun spots were, the medical term. A week later, ' they're carsa somethings '.

' Do you need to go into hospital, what is happening now '

' No i only have to go into the day care once a week to have my head zapped '

' Do you mean radiation therapy, is that what he wants to try '

' That's it, some sort of radio wave thing. '

In the following 12 months my dad had enough solar panels installed so that mom wouldn't get electricity bills, had double insulation installed in the roof and fixed everything that creaked or dripped in the house. He removed his vegi patch and planted low maintenance shrubs everywhere and just got everything spick and span, like he was going to sell it. I watched him bullet proofing mom's future as much as he could including a new car update.
I knew what he was doing, he knew i knew, but it wasn't ever spoken about other than as a ' oh i put some of those solar things on the roof to pay for some of the power ' - mom has received a cheque from her power provider every year since as she makes a bloody profit.
My niece is a registered nurse and lives 5 mins walk from mom, she drops in along with my sister every day to see how she's going or if she needs anything. My niece bought her a new washing machine a few weeks back when hers blew up - ' we nearly had a fight in the store when she insisted she was paying for it ' - mom is old school proud
A while back i paid for a replacement steering rack repair on her car, i paid the guy over the phone before she picked it up and that night she demanded i give her my bank account number lol. In the end she let it go and asked how the little prawny thing was going - mom found Potatohead fascinating when she visited
My older brother always pays to fly her out for visits and also forces money on her lol. As a son he's great but as a brother he was a D minus....... afraid of his own shadow and not at all adventurous. He did shoot me in the back once with a fireworks shooting stick, it got stuck in my shirt and i ended up with 2nd degree burns on my arm and side - only time he ever had a real go tbh.

I have a very feint scar on my side to this day but that's about the only thing i have to remind me i have an older brother. He on the other hand is still claustrophobic and afraid of heights which will always remind him he had a younger brother............. a younger brother who didn't like getting shot in the back in a cowardly betrayal of brotherly trust. :fun2:
He and his wife visited Melbourne where i live last year and he asked where they should go to sight see.

' Eureka tower skydeck with the glass floor over nothing 88 floors up is cool, you can catch the city circle train that runs right under the city as it's only a few minutes walk away. '

' Very funny Andy, seriously though, where should we go ? ' - D minus.......

No idea why i told you all that but basically - mom is very well cared for

Oh, get this. Someone sent me a text after reading about a couple of actinic plus bulbs mentioned on here.