How this Geezer did it in the beginning

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Jon if you started when I did you must also be a Geezer like me, welcome here.
I also used a regular incandescent bulb and carbon from fresh water days.
My original tank was changed when I moved in 1979 to this larger 100 gallon tank. I just transfered evwerything from the old tank to this one, I didn't move that far so it was easy.
 
Paul B said:
Jon if you started when I did you must also be a Geezer like me, welcome here.
I also used a regular incandescent bulb and carbon from fresh water days.
My original tank was changed when I moved in 1979 to this larger 100 gallon tank. I just transfered evwerything from the old tank to this one, I didn't move that far so it was easy.
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Hmmm I guess it counts in your 40 yrs bragging rights:fun2:

I hope you have the original substrate and rock. That would really cover your claims. Lol

This little icon is good for you:deadhorse1:
 
This thread has been a better read than some books I've read on reef keeping. It's also been a bit of a history lesson. Well worth the price of admission.
 
I hope you have the original substrate and rock. That would really cover your claims. Lol
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It is all in there someplace.

I just posted this on another thread but I will also put it here although I think Ialready mentioned al of this.

The hobby started in the US in 1971, In New York at least, I don't know what the rest of the country was doing but Aquarium Stock Company which was a huge store near the Trade Center in Manhattan had blue devils then. Of course I bought the first ones.
There was absolutely no equipment built for salt water, nothing. Not even salt. No copper, medications, or anything else. Lights were aluminum and were mostly incandescent bulbs, soon after flourescents were available but they were still made for fresh water. You had to turn them on with a stick because the salt creep would allow the current to pass through the frame and thus, you.
Powerheads were also aluminum and not submersible. Not on purpose anyway, so imagine having an aluminum device of 110 volt electrical equipment 1/2" from the surface of your salt water aquarium. Remember GFCI's were not invented for 15 or so more years. Shocks were a way of life, maybe thats why I became an electrician, I was so used to it. To do any work on the tank or God forbid, put a net in there, everything had to be un plugged.
Before powerheads we used airpumps and they were all piston operated. The piston was made of leather, real hi tech, and it had to be oiled every few days. The oil would make it's way into the tank and make a nice oil slick and it smelled. Those pumps would overheat and the paint would melt off of them, if you were lucky, you didn't burn your house down. I always installed a fan on the motor shaft which allowed it to run a little cooler. They were noisy and had to be placed away from people or the noise would drive you crazy.
Heaters were also not submersible and hung on the side of the tank. Salt creep would eventually also cause them to shock you.
UG filters was all there was, there was no other choice, and HOB filters were also the thing of the day and we filled them with nylon floss.
With all the issues with equipment it is a wonder we had any time to feed the fish. We fed them fresh water Tetra Min as that was about all there was.
By the way, fish food in the fiftees was made out of dried ants and turtle food was dried beatles. I know because I have had a fish tank every day of my life from about 1952 or so.
You have no idea how easy all of this is now compared to the dark ages.
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So...anyone have any ideas on how to remove a rose bubble tip anenome that recently split on its own accord? I guess I can say I'm a grand parent since this is my son's tank - lol. :lolspin:

But seriously, I have no idea if I even want to try it but I sure would like that little guy in my tank downstairs. I have been worried the last couple of days because the guy hasn't been out. Yesterday I was cleaning one of his power heads when I "thought" I noticed two buldges in its home area. I wasn't sure so figured the clown was pushing it. This morning I went to go check on it and found 2...and the clowns trying to figure out which home is which I guess.

Maybe I'll just leave it where it is and not worry about it. It is one large piece of rock with a few others on the side sitting on it. Zoa's are starting to grown to the back of the tank so it seems like it would be a mess. And I really have no idea how to move them anyway and I'd hate to damage the new fella. Heck, not even sure why I posted here other than I know you have years of experience :)

The anemone on the top is the original. Fully spread is pushing 9 to 10 inches. The one on the bottom with the clown is the new arrival.
 
So...anyone have any ideas on how to remove a rose bubble tip anenome that recently split on its own accord?
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There is no good way to do that that I know. They move where they want to move and besides trying to pry them up with a fingernail, I know of no other way.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year Paul.

From one ole geezer to another...
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Thanks Old Geezer, same to you.
GretaandSanta.jpg
 
thanks for all of the great stories and history.
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The only problem is that I forgot the stories I already posted and I don't want anyone to think I repeat myself............
Don't want anyone to think I repeat myself. Don't want any..................


I am waiting to go somewhere now but I got a few minutes. I know you guys, like myself used to collect fish when you were young. Well I still do it but you know what I mean. I remember fishing as a young kid in a lake where I used to live in NY. It was a man made lake but there were fish in there. In those days I could go there at 6 years old by myself at night and no one would think anything about it, now, even as an adult I won't go there even in the day time, but whatever. I remember being in awe whenever I would go there with a net and I would collect tiny bullhead catfish to bring home and put in my pond (bucket) Some would croak but the rest would get big and I would bring them back to the lake.
That is the same lake where when I got my first communion (or Conformation, I forget) I was in a rowboat (I am sure I mentioned this) and my friends called me from shore to come closer. I went closer and they threw cherry bombs at me and one landed under the boat. It blew a big hole in the bottom and we sunk. I had my suit on and good shoes so I was in big trouble. The lake wasn't very deep so I made my way to shore.
Anyway this was about catfish. I love fish like catfish because they are not the typical fish looking fish. Even today I go for the wierder fish and do not have any tangs or angelfish as I find them to boreing. I like flounders, eels, puffers, triggers, mandarins, long nose anything, lionfish etc. I would love a flashlight fish but they are $125.00.
I also like shrimpfish but not very easy to get and clingfish which I have had a few times but also very hard to keep for a long time.
I do have this shrimp/gobi combination and anything that does un-fishlike behavour I find facinating. The shrimp digs this big hole that they both live in but it keeps collapsing so he keeps digging. I have a dozen or so hermit crabs and some of them are tiny. Yesterday the shrimp was busy digging and a hermit crab fell into the hole. The crab kept pushing him up to the rim of the hole but as soon as the shrimp went back down,the crab would again fall in. I don't know how many times he did this as I got tired watching him but you would think the shrimp would just say "Oh forget about it" and just come out the back entrance. The gobi was oblivious to all of what was happening under his tale. The tank is dark now except for the blue lights and I don't see the shrimp or gobi but I can tell he was busy digging all night because he piled up gravel so high that he almost completely covered the baby brine feeder and his hole is caved in. I am sure when the lights come fully on, he will dig himself and the gobi out.
Facinating, I love this stuff.

IMG_2380.jpg
 
This thread needs to come back to life. Better than any book I have ever read. If you do decide to write a book, I would purchase it in a heart beat.
 
If you do decide to write a book, I would purchase it in a heart beat.
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A couple of years ago I built 2 or 3 of these things for my tank. Then everyone wanted them so I went and ordered a case of the rubber squeeze things and a bunch of acrylic tubing and built about fifty of them for about $250.00 then I tried to "sell" them for what it cost me to make them with absolutely no profit or labor costs. I sold about 10 of them and had the rest laying around for over a year, I gave most of them away.
(no, you can't buy one) Then every year for the last five years or so I invited people on these forums (who lived relatively near me) to come collecting on my boat. Every year at least ten people said they were coming. One year a few people came, but the last few years everyone cancelled out the day of the trip so I went by myself, like I usually do. It is not a problem, but thats why i don't write a book. Who needs 2000 books laying around that I wrote? I actually started a book when I started the tank but it is a little outdated and I still have it. I have such a bad memory that I could write a book, then in a couple of weeks I could read it "and" learn from it because I would have forgotten what I wrote. :uhoh3:

I was on the train once about 15 or so years ago (maybe 20) I was reading this article in FAMMA magazine (I am sure I told this in this thread someplace)
The author's tank sounded exactly like my tank, RUGF and all. When I finished reading it, I saw my name and realized I wrote it and submitted it a year before.:sad2:

 
Some things happened since I started this wierd thread.

This brine shrimp got a little older, 10 months now. She is in her bathing suit in swim class. I have to prime her for collecting.


Yes, she is very cute.


I added a few odd fish such as this dragon pipefish.



And this possum wrasse..



I don't like tangs and angels as I have had many of them and find them boreing, but that is just me.

I have been raising and growing white worms in addition to the blackworms. I feed these worms Cheerios and Matzos, (although I can't tell if any of them are Jewish) I put fish oil on their food and this gives me a way to get fish oil into my fish.
All my paired fish are spawning including the mandarins, cardinals and fireclowns.



My copperband laid an egg.



And I have been playing with FTS's

 
Paul B said:
Some things happened since I started this wierd thread.

This brine shrimp got a little older, 10 months now. She is in her bathing suit in swim class. I have to prime her for collecting.


Yes, she is very cute.


I added a few odd fish such as this dragon pipefish.



And this possum wrasse..



I don't like tangs and angels as I have had many of them and find them boreing, but that is just me.

I have been raising and growing white worms in addition to the blackworms. I feed these worms Cheerios and Matzos, (although I can't tell if any of them are Jewish) I put fish oil on their food and this gives me a way to get fish oil into my fish.
All my paired fish are spawning including the mandarins, cardinals and fireclowns.



My copperband laid an egg.



And I have been playing with FTS's

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Pair of gobies with their shrimp.

 
Very cute grandchild.
Have a 120 gal tank that is very well skimmed, running clearfx and rowaphs and big UV skimmer.back and sump open to a very busy and hot kitchen area.
Have 6000 gph of flow. Breaking out in a comb bropsis and diatom algae.
Have top open to lllow elimination of heat.
Tank is running between 84 and 86.
What's your thoughts Paul. The general consensus with my support team is that is too hot for the leather corals and I should add a chiller.
 
The general consensus with my support team is that is too hot for the leather corals and I should add a chiller.
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The general consensus is wrong. My tank never runs that cool and in the summer it goes about 88-89 and it has hit 90. I don't have bropsis or diatoms and my leathers are doing just fine.

I never used Clearfx or Rowaphs but it seems the tanks that rely on these things have the most problems. That is my uneducated guess.

Of course cooler would be better but I can't see it causing any of those things.
Why do you use Rowaphs and Clearfx? (whatever that is)
 
Paul B said:
The general consensus is wrong. My tank never runs that cool and in the summer it goes about 88-89 and it has hit 90. I don't have bropsis or diatoms and my leathers are doing just fine.

I never used Clearfx or Rowaphs but it seems the tanks that rely on these things have the most problems. That is my uneducated guess.

Of course cooler would be better but I can't see it causing any of those things.
Why do you use Rowaphs and Clearfx? (whatever that is)
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They remove phosphates and organics
I believe cooking oils etc are entering the tank via uncovered top. If I put lids back on I remove the major cooling I have

Catch 22 with chemical removers. They work at bring down phosphates but then cause diffusion of it from the rocks depending on the history of the rocks.

In this case the owner used tap water for a year.phosphates in our area water are high.

Maybe I should replace the rock with new base rock. Have a lot of the key largo stuff on hand.
 
They remove phosphates and organics
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I know they do. I am not sure if phosphates could get into the tank from cooking oils from a kitchen. I would imagine it is possible but I think the tap water may be worse than the smell from the kitchen.
I also would not replace the rock. I never had to replace my rock and I used tap water for about 12 years. Whatever you feel is in the rock should eventually be removed by your Rowaphs shouldn't it? Don't you also use carbon on tanks?
I gave up using everything except my skimmer and have no problems.
 
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