How this Geezer did it in the beginning
- Thread starter Paul B
- Start date
- Status
How do you use it on your dogs? Sprinkle like flea powder? Does it irritate their skin at all? We don't flea treat in the winter unless we see a problem...i'd love to not use the advantage or whatever in those scenarios...
Thats for sure. All the lumber yards even have to have signs now that says wood dust causes cancer. They should just put on everyones birth certificate "life may cause cancer..."
Anyways, I saw you said you make your own calcium supplement. What about magnesium? Do you dose anything for mag? I know I went for years without ever dosing anything for mg or alk, only occasional calcium. I didnt know better. But I had maybe 2 slow growing SPS. A couple LPS. But they all lived. But not thrive.
Paul B
Premium Member
Jay, yep, thats it. I go through them fairly fast.
After I use a gallon of calcium and alk I dose Epsom Salts for magnesium. I only do that maybe three times a year and I probably don't even have to but it is part of the recipe.
My entire dosing regimin is only a few bucks a year.
I think California gives you cancer. It's the sun there people, forget about all of that other stuff, it is not diatom powder, WD-40, spare ribs, M&Ms, Red dye #2, Laquer paint, Subaru's, or Paris Hilton, but I am not sure about her dog :crazy1:
After I use a gallon of calcium and alk I dose Epsom Salts for magnesium. I only do that maybe three times a year and I probably don't even have to but it is part of the recipe.
My entire dosing regimin is only a few bucks a year.
I think California gives you cancer. It's the sun there people, forget about all of that other stuff, it is not diatom powder, WD-40, spare ribs, M&Ms, Red dye #2, Laquer paint, Subaru's, or Paris Hilton, but I am not sure about her dog :crazy1:
Last edited:
Paul B
Premium Member
Yesterday I built a de-nitrator coil and I am cycling it now and it will take about 5 or 6 weeks to start working. I have made many of these over my life and either take them apart to use the parts for something else, give it away or just forgot what I did with it.
But I love the concept because I am not crazy about adding things to my tank to eliminate stuff. I like to get the bacteria to do that for me.
But I love the concept because I am not crazy about adding things to my tank to eliminate stuff. I like to get the bacteria to do that for me.
Keithcorals
New member
Very interesting thread 
I have had Reefs tanks for around 20 years. This thread brings back memories. My first tank had two standard output T12s(40w back then) I think both 10k. A powerhead driven under gravel filter with crushed coral and a few rocks.
This thread also reminded me that I have an old 20ish gallon with the chrome and slate bottom. It's in storage but I hope to display it in my house some day. I don't think I would put water in it but maybe use it as a display with a few plants in it. I don't know if I have them anymore but years ago they made air driven over the side filters. It's really amazing how far this hobby has come in the last 30 years. Thanks Paul for a great thread
I have had Reefs tanks for around 20 years. This thread brings back memories. My first tank had two standard output T12s(40w back then) I think both 10k. A powerhead driven under gravel filter with crushed coral and a few rocks.
This thread also reminded me that I have an old 20ish gallon with the chrome and slate bottom. It's in storage but I hope to display it in my house some day. I don't think I would put water in it but maybe use it as a display with a few plants in it. I don't know if I have them anymore but years ago they made air driven over the side filters. It's really amazing how far this hobby has come in the last 30 years. Thanks Paul for a great thread
Paul B
Premium Member
Keith, thank you for posting. I think I turned all of those HOB air driven filters into other things. Anytime I see a plastic container, I have to build something out of it.
This is one part of my workbench today. I just love plastic containers and I go to a plexiglass factory occasionally and buy the stuff by the pound.
I have my de-nitrate coil there which is running in a test tank, above that next to the blue tank that is my top off water is my DI chamber. Of course the black and yellow thing is the shrimp hatchery and the long white thing is the worm keeper.
The main part of my workbench has stuff on it still under construction and my garage workshop is for larger projects. Today that has boat parts on it.
I also keep a large assortment of parts, motors, relays, valves, switches, etc. You just have to have this stuff if you want to build things. You really don't want to run to a hardware store everythime you need something.
Everything in my house is automated and leak proof, as far as it can be.
I feel sorry for anyone who buys my house with the assortment of wires, tubes and ducts running all over the place. Everything is monitored with LEDs
(I just love those things) on my boat anytime something goes on like a bilge pump, bilge exhaust fan, fresh water pump or head pump, I have blinking, very bright LEDs on the dashboard informing me of the situation.
Under my tank and in my skimmer bucket is DIY leak or water detector switches that shut off the pumps if there is a leak.
This is why I don't sleep at night. There is a pad and pencil next to my bed to draw inventions or modifications on.
I can't turn off my mind and I don't want to :wildone:
My reef also has this horizontal algae trough but I have been re-designing
(only in my mind) to be much more efficient, nothing is stagnent and everything can always be improved, nothing is perfect but it is something I strive for.
In the second picture of my skimer you can see my boiler thermometer. The big round thing. The copper probe is in my tank sealed in an acrylic tube.
The 3rd picture is my evaporative chiller, That plexiglass box used to be my Wet Dry filter many years ago.I just cut it down a little for the chiller.
To the left of the chiller is the float switch from a commercial air conditioning unit on the roof of a Bldg, in Manhattan.
This has always been going on from my first tank. I am a DIYer at heart and I would never just buy something like a skimmer, it just could not happen.
Then you are at the mercy of some engineer, usually in some other country and they have no idea of your particular criteria. Besides that, they have to build the thing cost effective, I can build it myself, much cheaper while using much better materials.
This is one part of my workbench today. I just love plastic containers and I go to a plexiglass factory occasionally and buy the stuff by the pound.
I have my de-nitrate coil there which is running in a test tank, above that next to the blue tank that is my top off water is my DI chamber. Of course the black and yellow thing is the shrimp hatchery and the long white thing is the worm keeper.
The main part of my workbench has stuff on it still under construction and my garage workshop is for larger projects. Today that has boat parts on it.
I also keep a large assortment of parts, motors, relays, valves, switches, etc. You just have to have this stuff if you want to build things. You really don't want to run to a hardware store everythime you need something.
Everything in my house is automated and leak proof, as far as it can be.
I feel sorry for anyone who buys my house with the assortment of wires, tubes and ducts running all over the place. Everything is monitored with LEDs
(I just love those things) on my boat anytime something goes on like a bilge pump, bilge exhaust fan, fresh water pump or head pump, I have blinking, very bright LEDs on the dashboard informing me of the situation.
Under my tank and in my skimmer bucket is DIY leak or water detector switches that shut off the pumps if there is a leak.
This is why I don't sleep at night. There is a pad and pencil next to my bed to draw inventions or modifications on.
I can't turn off my mind and I don't want to :wildone:
My reef also has this horizontal algae trough but I have been re-designing
(only in my mind) to be much more efficient, nothing is stagnent and everything can always be improved, nothing is perfect but it is something I strive for.
In the second picture of my skimer you can see my boiler thermometer. The big round thing. The copper probe is in my tank sealed in an acrylic tube.
The 3rd picture is my evaporative chiller, That plexiglass box used to be my Wet Dry filter many years ago.I just cut it down a little for the chiller.
To the left of the chiller is the float switch from a commercial air conditioning unit on the roof of a Bldg, in Manhattan.
This has always been going on from my first tank. I am a DIYer at heart and I would never just buy something like a skimmer, it just could not happen.
Then you are at the mercy of some engineer, usually in some other country and they have no idea of your particular criteria. Besides that, they have to build the thing cost effective, I can build it myself, much cheaper while using much better materials.
Last edited:
Paul B
Premium Member
I can make a flat screen TV out of a coconut but these new fangled computers are killing me. I want to see gears and motors (this thing just froze on me for about a minute and I had to wait for it to work)
(no, I don't want an Apple)
I started a thread if anyone knows how to fix this thing here
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2178034
(no, I don't want an Apple)
I started a thread if anyone knows how to fix this thing here
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2178034
srusso
Active member
wow... I thought I was the only one
- Status
