How this Geezer did it in the beginning

[coralsurfer]

*speachless*

 

[aandfsoccr04]

Spent the last week or 2 reading through this thread. Really enjoyed everything you've said so far. At the ripe age of 23, I like to think that we are not the dumbest generation because of all the modern technology but maybe one of the smartest since we know how to use it and are expected to do more in the workplace faster, better, cheaper, and with less.

It's very refreshing to hear how things were early on especially in a hobby you love so dearly. I spend a lot of time talking with my grandparents who often remind me of times when they had to turn the dial on the telephone, ride the bus or walk to work, listen to the radio for entertainment before TVs were invented, and watch movies at the theatres without previews but instead had propaganda haha.

a free bump to the top and until the next update,

-Your biggest fan :beer:

 

[Paul B]

I spend a lot of time talking with my grandparents who often remind me of times when they had to turn the dial on the telephone, ride the bus or walk to work, listen to the radio for entertainment before TVs were invented, and watch movies at the theatres without previews but instead had propaganda haha.

My Grandparents were born in about 1880. To call someone, they stuck their head out the window and yelled, in Italian, probably shook their fist also.
The phones we used as a kid also had straight cords, no little coils. TV was invented the year before I was born and it was a small screen in black and white.
There were no automatic transmissions or air conditioning so of course there was no complaining that it was hot. It was always to hot or to cold.
Ice coolers like you bring to the beach were insulated with horse hair, no styrofoam. On rare occasions when my dad would bring us to a beach, he would take a 5' long slab of ice from his fish market and tie it to the front bumper of his 1947 Pontiac. He coated the ice with saw dust for "insulation" Bumpers were chrome, very heavy and stuck out far from the car because they were built to. well. bump other cars. When we got to the beach, he would chop up the ice and put it in the horse hair cooler. That kept the ice from melting about as long it would take to melt if you just laid it on the beach sand.
Horse hair insulates a cooler about as well as it insulates a horse.

I once brought an old Uncle of mine to a LFS to buy a copper band butterfly. He also had a fish market. He asked me how much that little fish cost and I told him $25.00.
He started screaming at the guy telling him he was robbing me because he sold fish much bigger than that for 25 cents a pound.

We also had a milk man who would deliver milk to a little box on your front porch. Milk then only stayed fresh about 3 days then it would go bad. It came in glass bottles like everything else. There were no plastic containers.
You had to shake the milk before you drank it because all the cream was on top and you wanted to drink it from the bottle because the cream was the best part. But then, if you didn't shake it first, the rest of it tasted like skim milk (which we also didn't have)

As I said before, I always had everything I needed to have fun because if I needed a bicycle, I went to a lot, found parts and built one.
We also had downhill racers that we made from a soapbox and some skates.
All you needed was a hammar and nails. Money was not needed and we didn't have any anyway.
The New York Worlds Fair here in NY opened in about 1964 when I was in Jr, High School. It was about 5 miles from my house and it was very expensive to get in. We would take up positions near the 8' fence about fifty feet from each other then climb the fence together. The guards would chase one of us but they never caught any of us. Once inside the gates, most things were free. Some of the restaurants had tables of sauercraut, pickels, relish and onions to put on hot dogs and hamburgers. We would make a plate of sauercraut, pickels, relish and onions for lunch.
Food was also expensive but we got around that obstacle. We were always creative and the Fair was the place to be for the almost 3 years it was open.

 

[Paul B]

At the ripe age of 23, I like to think that we are not the dumbest generation because of all the modern technology but maybe one of the smartest since we know how to use it and are expected to do more in the workplace faster, better,

I don't think your generation is the "dumbest". Your the smartest generation. I also think you are at a severe disadvantage because I feel that your generation "needs" technology and would have a very hard time getting along on your own faculties if you had to exist without technology.
We will most likely always have technology, or at least I thought so. Then I get drafted and was sent to a jungle for a year. I had a rifle, a mackete and thats about it. But in that situation, with that material, I built a washing machine from a rusty bicycle that I found. (I had a lot of experience building things from bicycle parts) We of course had no electricity or running water. Also no roof or walls, just mud.
I also had bamboo that I cut with my machette and built some cool looking veranda's for shade. We moved every few days so I had to continousely build things.
When a helocopter would crash, which was an every day occurance, I would fly out there and strip off parts to build things for my guys to use. I would take the minigun and battery. Radio, switches and any thing else that looked like I could use it. I was creative and I learned to be creative by growing up with no money, just lots and junk.
They even gave me an award for Creativity in a combat envirnment. I think they made that up, but I got it.
This was all in a clearing in a jungle, far from any roads or villages. I never went to any rear areas or any place that would resemble civilization.
But I was lucky to have learned how to built stuff from nothing.

This was on the Cambodian border up in the mountains, far from anything on a small LZ.
Whenever we stopped for a few days, I searched for things to build something from. We had bamboo here. The rubber "roof" I "borrowed" from the Air Force when I had to go and pick up something near a temporary air strip.
The bamboo also served as a blast wall. When the enemy would shoot RPGs at us, the thing would blow up at the bamboo and I had a bunker built from sand bags a few feet inside. Most of the blast would happen at the bamboo and save me from the full force of the blast.

 

[MeTaLMaN1375]

At the ripe age of 23, I like to think that we are not the dumbest generation because of all the modern technology

Yeah I dont think anyone was saying the dumbest because this is the smartest (technology wise) generation of any time. I think what is being said is its the laziest and babied generation of any time, but then again generations after generations where complaining about the new generation since the invention of the wheel, and fire. "Oh look how he pulls his wagon on round things everything is so easy for him" "Oh look he keeps his cave warm with that hot orange light now so spoiled". lol any ways you catch my drift.

 

[MeTaLMaN1375]

Oh and please that post was in no way to take a poke at the older generation because its true this generation is far lazier and way to coddled just saying that each generation improves on convenience and the last generation points it out.

 

[Paul B]

its true this generation is far lazier and way to coddled just saying that each generation improves on convenience and the last generation points it out.

I agree with that. I am sure I am lazier than my Dad was and I could never work 7 days a week with never taking a vacation like he did. I also don't want to, but they were brought up like that, I had it a little easier.

 

[Johanv]

Just read all of it, very fasting stuff, and thanks for your service!

 

[Neptunes World]

Were getting smarter and dumber at the same time if that makes sense. Were really the same, its just a shift in direction. Definitely shifting in the lazy direction though.

 

[Paul B]

Definitely shifting in the lazy direction though.

Yes we are, in more ways than one. Now it seems that everyone retires on a disability. I know that not everyone has a bad back from work when we retire but almost everyone I know from cops to acountants has a medical disability and I also know there is nothing wrong with any of these people. I worked commercial construction in Manhattan for 40 years and I need knees and of course my back hurts. I just had a second shoulder operation because from wear and tear everything tore. I didn't go out on a disability because I think it is dishonest. I know my dad would not have done it either.
If you work hard and live long enough, you are supposed to have things wear out and have pains. It is called getting old, parts wear out and they are supposed to.
I consider myself an honest person and I taught my daughter to be honest.
I never wanted anything for nothing, I never even bought a lottery ticket because I think it's stupid.
Anyway, what was this thread about?
Oh yeah Geezers. I know I am getting old because any doctors I go to are younger then my Daughter, the President is younger then me by alot. Presidents used to be old.
I just got home from a wake. A close friend of mine's sister died. I remember I went to this friends house, who is a girl, well now a woman. Anyway I went to take her to the beach when I was 18 and she was outside crying. Her brother ODed and she found him dead in the house. That was so many years ago, I barely remember but talking to her brought back so many memories that I forgot about.
Times were so different then but we really did have good times. We had to hang out because there was no computers, (or reef tanks) but I did have a fresh water tank. 14 of them. Got to love breeding those Betta's.
I used to get so excited watching them blow the eggs into the nest. Then when I bred tilipia it was so cool to see the babies all swim into their mouth.
And the angelfish how they would lay their eggs on a slanted piece of slate.
I guess a lot of things excite me and I still get excited when I see my fish laying eggs.
One of my favortie fish was a lungfish. He didn't do much but just the fact that they could live like 7 years dried up in a mud ball amazes me. What do they think about when they are dried up? Do they get bored?
Just cool stuff to wonder about.:wave:

 

[spieszak]

Hey Paul...what was the pre cursor to mag-floats?

 

[Paul B]

Hey Paul...what was the pre cursor to mag-floats?

I don't know, I don't even know what the question means? Educate me

 

[SushiGirl]

Well, there were razorbades on sticks & little scrubbie things on sticks that were white on one side & green on the other. What I had in 2000 before a mag float was a really heavy magnet with scrubby pad on the inside half & felt on the outside half, but instead of floating the 2 sides were attached by a string that liked to break a lot. I still have it somewhere.

 

[Paul B]

I have the razor blade on a stick, but that stick is too flimsy and you have to bring the handle away from the glass to get the proper angle. I can't use it because my corals are growing with in 2 or 3" from the front glass.
I also have the mag cleaner but the abrasive is not tough enough to get the coraline off the glass so a few days ago I designed a magnet cleaner that has a razor blade on it. It works beautifully and I don't have to stick my hands in the tank andmore with a blade to clean this tough stuff off the glass. The blade pulls right off so I don't have to let it rust in the tank. I love the thing.

 

[spieszak]

Well, there were razorbades on sticks & little scrubbie things on sticks that were white on one side & green on the other. What I had in 2000 before a mag float was a really heavy magnet with scrubby pad on the inside half & felt on the outside half, but instead of floating the 2 sides were attached by a string that liked to break a lot. I still have it somewhere.

^ this...with all the cool things you've built yourself, i figured you have some cool version of something to clean glass without having to get your hands wet, probably long before someone mass produced them..

 

[Paul B]

When I was a kid of about 5 or 6 I used to spend the summers at my cousin's house in New Rochelle. She was much older them me and worked in a country club on a muddy beach on the Long Island Sound. I would spend all day walking around in the mud collecting interesting stuff. At low tide I would make a pool and collect snails, crabs, eels, shrimp, baby flounders and bluefish, horse shoe crabs, pipefish, amphipods sea squirts and whatever else I found interesting which was everything.
I even found a mother anglerfish with her babies. There was a nice fresh water pool there but I just wanted to hang out in the mud with my friends.
When the tide came back in, everything would go back to their business and I would head for the pool. I miss those days but I still frequent muddy tide pools every week in the summer and many times just anchor my boat and wade ashore to a pool.
I am retired so not many people can come along during the week. On the wekends the boat is full of friends partying.

 

[markaren]

... but I just wanted to hang out in the mud with my friends.

Paul...were the friends you were referring too the water critters. i think that is pretty "cool "(insert other hip words...I am dated)

 

[Paul B]

were the friends you were referring too the water critters

Yes they were. I don't remember anyone else there my age and I always liked spending time with my "friends".

i think that is pretty "cool "(insert other hip words...I am dated)

How about "Snazzy"?

 

[SNAKEMANVET]

Great stuff Paul,my first saltwater tank was in 1977 I was 12 years old.My dad got me started with a 37 gallon tank.Things have really changed since then.

 

[Ohmsford]

Great thread Paul, just read the whole thing. I am 46 and can appreciate all of the nostalgia that has been dredged up. Aside from the fish keeping aspect, the posts resonate with me as I have always questioned what happened to the Renaissance Man. It seems alive through you, however American society has lost this focus. As technology has grown at such a fast pace, it is becoming increasingly difficult to be self-sufficient. I speak from experience, remembering as a kid, not having a lot of money or things to do in the summer. I would gather whatever building materials I could to make "projects". Some were go-carts, tennis ball shooters (using model airplane fluid), club houses, improvised doing the house landscaping. I used what tools were available, and drooled over having an electric drill or circular saw. I made the best out my situation, and I still feel connected to my creative thinking and ingenuity today.

Today's youth are too narrow-minded in their life-knowledge base. My kids have not scratched the surface of the things I got my hands dirty on when I was their age.

Getting back to the tank, I have been in this hobby since the late 70's and have seen products come and go. I am a Mechanical Engineer and find it a natural extension to use several test kits for testing water parameters. I battled pH, Alkalinity, and calcium, and could never get the purple coralline algae to grow, or control nuisance algae. I got laid off from my job in 2010, and stopped buying test kit reagents and trying to micro-manage the water. I had a lot of pickling lime (kalkwasser) in my stock, so I decided to dose it as a water top off. I can say now that the LPS tell me when to do a water change, and the mushrooms and coralline have really taken off. KISS, keep it simple stupid, was coined for a reason. Of course I have a lot of experience to draw upon if a problem arises, but I hardly do water changes and the tank is thriving. I have not idea what the pH, nitrates, Ca, Mg, Po levels are since I have not tested for well over a year. I am curious but have no desire to test because I am afraid what I might fins and start messing around again.

I completely agree that the tank does need an occasional infusion of new pods and bacteria. The mail order stuff is extremely expensive and is too small of a quantity to be useful. If NSW is not an option, I would suggest to others to get really good live rock, the kind that is shipped from the FL Gulf.

Keep up your good work, and thanks for your service to the country.