Hello, Geezer coming back to this forum. Paul B

[Paul B]

I went to my shoulder surgeon today. I have a guest pass and my own seat there being I was there so many times. They stamp my hand when I go.

He took an X Ray and all the nonsense so they can bill my insurance company. I didn't have a cookie because that would bring up the price.

The X Ray looks like a good hardware store because I already had 4 surgeries on that shoulder. The toggle bolts are not even rusty yet.
He said my shoulder kind of looks like craters on the moon but the rotator cuff looks worse and can't be fixed without a miracle or maybe coral glue.
It was just repaired too many times which is what happens to Real Men who had a Real job and actually worked really hard and didn't spend years in front of a fish tank painting white ich parasites black on a black molly so you can't see them.

He filled me with cortisone and Lanicaine so I should be good until maybe this Tuesday. If my arm falls off he will order an MRI and replace the shoulder with an aluminum one. My other shoulder got jealous.

 

[Paul B]

Yesterday I ordered my wife an electric mobility chair. Hopefully it will be easier for her when we visit our Grand Kids in Manhattan or take a trip somewhere.

 

[Dustin07]

If my arm falls off he will order an MRI and replace the shoulder with an aluminum one. My other shoulder got jealous.

maybe you can get a robotic arm off one of those new AI Tesla robots

 

[Paul B]

Today barring any unforeseeable problems, I am going to Calverton National Cemetary to place American Flags on the graves of Veterans.
I have been doing this for a number of years now and find it gratifying.

This was last year with a Veteran Friend of mine.

 

[Paul B]

Today is Memorial Day. I know we are all going to bar be cue and be with friends, but lets remember why we can do those things and remember our fallen brothers.

I teach my Grand Kids and I hope some of it sinks in.

 

[Paul B]

Interesting beach walk this morning. I came across this dead sea lion. It seems to be about a thousand pounds. I think it had ich

Also three jetties that I have never seen before even though I walk there every morning

And these Alien Artifacts

 

[Paul B]

Weird day. After I found that sea lion, I rescued this very large horseshoe crab that got stranded up side down on the beach. Then while driving to the dentist I ran over this yellow bird. He didn't go under the tires, just under the car. I made a U Turn, picked her up and carried her to the side of the road near the bushes.

We don't have parakeets or canaries here so I am not sure what it is but I think it was a baby because she couldn't yet fly and I saw two more of them flying overhead so maybe they were her parents.

 

[Paul B]

So, 15 days ago, I ordered a motorized chair for my wife from Amazon. It was supposed to get here in 3 days. So, after 5 days, I started tracking it. It started off in Tennessee. Then it went to California. Keep in mind I live on the eastern end of Long Island, so California is kind of the wrong direction.

I called UPS and they "guaranteed" me if would be here tomorrow.

The tracking app said the package is being held because of "my" directions to the carrier. Like I would even know how to do that, do they think I called the truck driver while he was golfing in California to tell him that I had nothing to do so I ordered a $2,500.00 power chair so he can take as long as he likes. And sample some Napa Valley wine while he is there.

I called UPS again and again they guaranteed me it would be here tomorrow. I asked if I could cancel it because I don't even think they sent the thing. No! You can't cancel because it will he there tomorrow.

Then the item arrived in New Jersey and stayed there for a few days; perhaps the driver was snorkeling.


I called them to ask if I could pick up the thing in the next town where it seems to be living. No! You can't do that!


Then it went to Montauk, Long Island, which is closer, but it passed me by about 75 miles. After a couple of days, it is in a warehouse in Farmingville, which is only a few miles from my home. Every day, I tracked it, and it was still "held" due to my directions to the carrier. I called UPS, and before they said anything, I said: Whatever you do, don't guarantee me it will be here tomorrow, because that is getting old, and I know you are lying and I will have to crawl through the phone and strangle you. (I called them on a landline phone. Google it)

I called UPS again today and spoke with a Lady who actually spoke a language I could understand. She said UPS will definitely call me back in less than an hour. That was 3 hours ago, so I can guarantee the thing won't be here today or even this month.

I would order a different brand chair, but then I fear I will have to make double the calls to find even one of the things. I'm not happy.

 

[Paul B]

So far, the thing seems to perform pretty well. It's a little longer than I would have liked, so it is hard to fit into my Jeep Renegade, even folded up, but it fits in my Jeep Compass better.

 

[Paul B]

My hair algae issue is still going away but it is taking a few months. This Long Island Sound algae is pretty tough and you can't even get it off the rocks with a wire brush. I tried.

However, it is abating slowly, unfortunately, so are my soft corals, because I have limited feeding, no water changes, and no dosing, which I hardly do anyway. The extreme algae have sucked all the nutrients out of the water, and corals hate that.

After it is all gone I may throw some rusty nails in there for the iron.

I lost a few torch corals just because they got covered by algae, so I "may" replace those. I still have quite a few.

All my fish look great, and many are still spawning.

I stopped collecting water from Long Island Sound and may go to the oceanside of the Island the next time I collect.

Due to my wife's medical issues, I have very little time for my tank but it is fine. I know that soon I may have to give up the tank but that may take a couple of years. I hope so anyway. It all depends on her MS Progression.

 

[Paul B]

Today I am going to Calverton National Cemetery to remove all the American Flags we put on the graves last week. All 275,000 of them.

 

[Paul B]

I did my beautiful walk on the beach this morning to watch the sunrise.

About half way through the walk I see this small plastic container on the sand just past the surf mark. I noticed "things" swimming in it so I looked close at it and couldn't figure out what these creatures are. I didn't have my reading glasses on so I couldn't identify them but there are about 7 creatures about as large as adult bring shrimp.

I haven't been able to find any amphipods yet this year so I am hoping they are amphipods. I will look at them

through my microscope later today. Whatever they are, I will throw them in my tank, unless of course they turn out to be Godzilla Larvae because I would need a larger tank for them.

 

[Dustin07]

I stopped collecting water from Long Island Sound and may go to the oceanside of the Island the next time I collect.

this is such an interesting idea to me. do you literally just scoop up water and add it to your tank as a water change?

 

[Paul B]

Yes thats basically what I do. Where do you think your fish come from? Certainly not fake water.

 

[Dustin07]

Yes thats basically what I do. Where do you think your fish come from? Certainly not fake water.

they make them at the fish store factory!

its really an intriguing idea. the funny thing is I don't have much concern about pathogen introduction, I like your approach with a lot of ideas on immunity etc. I think my main concerns/questions would be since I'm pulling from a cold water environment, surely there will be some kill off of microorganism when introduced to a warm water system. ? but at the very least, now that you've piqued my interest I think I'm going to have to get a gallon or three to bring home and test, I'd at least love to see the test results for things like calcium, mag, etc compared to the reef tank.

the other concern I'd have honestly and ironically since we eat fish from our local salt, is the pollution... at least that is one thing that the reef tank has less exposure to (oil runoff, tires, etc)

 

[Paul B]

Dustin IMO the main reason there are so many posts on these forums is that so many people fall into the trap that aquarium fish need to be kept clean and sterile. The oceans are filthy, full of algae, cyano, oil, gas and Coppertone sun tan lotion. But we have to remember that Oil, gas and Coppertone float so we won't hardly get any in our tanks. And the fact that we can eat the fish from these waters and they are not dead, the water is fine. Forget the pollution unless you are collecting near a river or sewer.

As far as hitchhikers, in 50+ years I have never had a hitchhiker that I didn't see right away even though that is an extremely rare occurrence.

Look at these pictures I took somewhere while diving. I don't remember. It is all "mulm" or dead and dying algae. Fish love it.







There is a spotted moray eel in the center.


This one I know was the Florida Keys as they are mangrove roots.


Does anything look clean?
If all you see are Xs, click on them and maybe you can see something.

 

[Paul B]

Today I had to rush my wife to the Pain Mgt Doctor due to that Trigeminal Neuralgia. (the suicide pain)

Our Grand Daughter is coming tomorrow with her friend to spend a few days and my wife can't function with that pain in her face. She got 3 shots in her face which hopefully will calm it down until she is able to get this radio frequency treatment that may work for a few months to a year.

That is the plan anyway.

My poor fish don't get fed every day but I mess with them whenever I can.

 

[griss]

Today I had to rush my wife to the Pain Mgt Doctor due to that Trigeminal Neuralgia. (the suicide pain)

Our Grand Daughter is coming tomorrow with her friend to spend a few days and my wife can't function with that pain in her face. She got 3 shots in her face which hopefully will calm it down until she is able to get this radio frequency treatment that may work for a few months to a year.

That is the plan anyway.

My poor fish don't get fed every day but I mess with them whenever I can.

Sorry to hear about your wife's pain, Paul. Hopefully the shots will give her some relief.

 

[Paul B]

My early beach walk was uneventful except I rescued this horseshoe crab. He, like so many of them was up side down on the sand but still alive and I don't think he was doing the macarena so I put him back in the water.

I'm not sure who was chained to this rock, but the bristle worms must have finished him off last night because he is gone now.

And, I found some live asphalt. I have some of this in my tank. Great stuff.

 

[Paul B]

This guy is very hard to get a picture of. In the years I have had him, I took this just now, but I think he is mad at me for taking it. Maybe he is Pennsylvania Dutch.

I know they are ich magnets, but They don't know that.

These guys are much easier and usually sit long enough to pose.

None of my tangs have ever seen nori and there isn't a spot on either of them.
None of them like any of the algae I have growing now.