How this Geezer did it in the beginning

[steamer51]

Thanks for sharing the new pictures of your granddaughter. She is amazing but that is to be expected from the genes of her grandparents and parents.

 

[Paul B]

Thank you, she is a cutie, but now she is into plumbing

 

[rogermccray]

Looks much better than my plumber! And since she doesn't have to bend over to get under the sink there is no danger of plumber's crack.

 

[Paul B]

That is true, her diapers will prevent that now anyway.

 

[Paul B]

Today I went to my marina (well I don't own it but you know what I mean) to stock the boat for the big weekend and while I was down there I did some collecting, or I tried to collect. I got a few maingy grass shrimp and "one" amphipod, yes, 1.
Usually a swipe of the net yields dozens of grass shrimp and a bunch of amphipods but the water is still freezing so it needs a little time. I also collected some scurvy looking stuff for bacteria.
That is the way I started the tank, and what keeps it running (I think)
I know people are afraid of adding stuff from the sea, there is a name I have for those people, "Sissies".
All of your animals came from the sea except for a couple of snooty tank raised clownfish who think who they are, but everything else came from the sea. I have been to some of the places where our animals come from and sewage treatment facilities have yet to reach most of those places if you know what I mean.

I posted this on another site and many people were shocked and agassed, asking if I am afraid of bacteria, paracites, diseases, Justin Beaber etc.
It is amazing how many people perceive this stuff. If you keep your fish healthy and in breeding condition you could throw anthrax in there and nothing will happen. Well, maybe that is an exageration.
People are afraid of everything, even Paris Hiltons miniscule, Sissy dog.
My fish are enjoying chasing those grass shrimp and I am sure they will jump out.
The cat will get them (If I had a cat that is)

 

[saf1]

That is why our family can't own a boat. I like to sail but admit I don't know how. My wife loves to water ski. My children like to relax and just go. 3 different boat styles None of us fish but I'd love to use a sail boat or larger ocean boat to sleep in while diving in Monterey

On my bucket list is to sail from San Francisco to Hawaii.

 

[Paul B]

Your wife would have a hard time water skiing in back of a sail boat. :dance:
I don't remember what it is like to live without a boat. My entire summer is partying on the boat. We sometimes have 14 boats tied together just for partying. Of course I am the weird one that collects pods from the anchor line, but I digress.:idea:

 

[reeftanknewbie]

Paul,

I am a little behind on your thread but I love it...like a bedtime story for me....your granddaughter is cute and I can use her plumbing skills if you and her are ever in pa.....lmao...I hope this thread never ends as I love the stories and history of the hobby. And no your not weird...I would be collecting pods too if I had a boat......

 

[londonloco]

Again, a breathe of fresh air Paul.....

 

[Paul B]

Reeftanknewbi, thank you. I have a few of these threads going and I forget what I post where so I repeat. But my wife tells me I do that all the time anyway.

Thank you also londonloco

 

[reeftanknewbie]

Paul,

thats a great pic. would love to come out sometime and go boating. Last time I was on a boat was during my military service we went fishing for swordfish. Only caught a hangover.

 

[Paul B]

You should have come by today, I am going out to check out an engine problem on my boat. I also may do a little collecting.

 

[reeftanknewbie]

You should have come by today, I am going out to check out an engine problem on my boat. I also may do a little collecting.

sounds fun....living in Pa I am land locked. I miss living near the ocean.....

 

[Paul B]

....living in Pa I am land locked

I heard that some people don't live near the ocean. How do you do that?

You have to move right away:smokin:

 

[reeftanknewbie]

I heard that some people don't live near the ocean. How do you do that?

You have to move right away:smokin:

I agree. I lived in Cali for awhile while serving in the USAF. Loved boarding on Xmas morning...now I see the ocean only when I stare at my tank....which is often as my wife can verify. You my friend have a ocean and boat...I would never be home

 

[randalljames]

Wow, took me two days but I finished it, what an amazing read. Fairly new to the hobby, about 7 months, but I feel I have an unfair advantage to most reefers. I've worked on fishing boats since I was 15 and have spent the majority of my time on this planet on the ocean. I had a couple buddies with tanks and i decided to start one up. The current vessel I am on spends its time between 9 and 30 miles offshore everyday weather depending. When I began my tank I pondered about using NSW, but everyone I consulted it with advised against it. Well, I didn't listen and all of my water is from 30 miles offshore of North Florida. All of my live rock is also from the ocean, anywhere from 100ft of water out to 200, we would have some caught in our anchor on a fairly consistent basis. I always assumed that with a tank the goal was to recreate the ocean so it made sense to me, and since I had the available resources, about 70 percent of my tank is from the Atlantic. Yes I'm aware I could've been in big dookie if I was ever caught bringing LR back, but I didn't really care. I love the ocean and I wanted a "real deal" tank. The funny thing is I've had more growth from my corals in 7 months than any of my buddies have had with tanks setup for years. I wonder why that is? I also feed my tank fresh oysters, and roe from a fish called a vermillion snapper (they spawn 24/7 365). I have so much more I want to say but don't want to ramble too much. BTW Paul, I am 22, have my 100 ton masters liscense, and yes, build things/work with my hands more than the majority of the adults I know. There is hope for the younger generation...

 

[Paul B]

Randalljames, Thank you for posting. I also started my tank with Atlantic water but much closer to shore. I do almost all of my boating in the Long Island Sound but I also have a 100 ton Masters License and I collected all my own rock as I have been diving since the 60s, so we have something in common.
I am glad you started your first post here, nice to meet you.
Here is a video of what I collected and threw in my tank today.

 

[randalljames]

Look like some interesting critters. Below I will try and post some tht came from the Atlantic as well. If I can figure it out.
I believe this is a horse clam? Covered in what I think is moon coral. It came from 120 feet.

This is a hidden cup coral on a piece of LR from the same area
http://m364.photobucket.com/albumvi...C-1365-000002847662BA67.jpg.html?o=1&newest=1

And another piece of moon coral I believe from about 100ft

Not sure if my method of posting pics will work but oh we'll I decided to give it a whirl

 

[randalljames]

How this Geezer did it in the beginning

What all do you have in there?
Here are some pics of local coral from about 120 feet.

 

[Paul B]

That's cool, we get a similar coral here in New York. But it is a white soft coral.