Paul B's thread

[Paul B]

I just read in this month "Discover" magazine an article about to much copper in a person's blood. It causes a rare disease called "Wilsons disease". I never heard of it until today and have absolutely no idea if copper has the same effect on fish. But in Humans, it adversely affects our brain and causes us to have weird symptoms akin to a drug user.

The one person in the article stopped shaving or washing and his girlfriend broke up with him because of his nasty attitude.
Besides his attitude and appearance, it affects your muscles.

One symptom in "Humans" is a ring around the iris in your eyes. As I said. I have no idea how it affects fish but it's interesting.

Definition & Facts​

Wilson disease is a genetic disorder that prevents the body from removing extra copper, causing copper to build up in the liver, brain, eyes, and other organs. Without treatment, high copper levels can cause life-threatening organ damage.

 

[Paul B]

So a little while ago I was in my Man Cave which is on street level. I was putzing with my fish and I heard a loud Knock, Knock, Knock on my door.
Then I hear a Lady screem, HELP, Help, I need HELP. So of course I run to the door thinking maybe Godzilla was attacking her or she found varicose veins and I see the lady who we know all disturbed and excited looking.

She said I need help, but it's not an emergency. Like, if it's not an emergency why is she screaming HELP!?... (Godzilla was nowhere in sight)

Her car was around the corner and she had a flat. She called an auto repair company who showed up and changed her tire, but her spare, a doughnut tire also had a flat. So of course, call Paul. She said "I helped her friend last week".

I fill my compressor with air and drag it there. (In a week I am going in for a spine ablation and can barely almost stand up, and I got a new shoulder about 8 weeks ago and it doesn't really work yet)

But being I like helping people I get the compressor there and try to fill the tire. Of course it doesn't fill because it is so flat that the rubber came away from the bead of the tire so air won't stay in.

I go back home to get my hydraulic jack which is not made out of Styrofoam and quite heavy so I can jack up the car.
I try to put in air again but the bead is still off the tire so air still wouldn't go in. I removed her tire and trecked back home again to get a strap clamp. Sometimes a strap clamp is needed to set a tire. You put it around the treads of the tire and tighten it up so the tire flattens and goes against the bead so air will stay in.

I filled the tire, put it back on the car and dragged my jack and compressor back home. Now I really can't stand up and am walking like a blue legged hermit crab with rickets.

 

[Chlorinated]

So a little while ago I was in my Man Cave which is on street level. I was putzing with my fish and I heard a loud Knock, Knock, Knock on my door.
Then I hear a Lady screem, HELP, Help, I need HELP. So of course I run to the door thinking maybe Godzilla was attacking her or she found varicose veins and I see the lady who we know all disturbed and excited looking.

She said I need help, but it's not an emergency. Like, if it's not an emergency why is she screaming HELP!?... (Godzilla was nowhere in sight)

Her car was around the corner and she had a flat. She called an auto repair company who showed up and changed her tire, but her spare, a doughnut tire also had a flat. So of course, call Paul. She said "I helped her friend last week".

I fill my compressor with air and drag it there. (In a week I am going in for a spine ablation and can barely almost stand up, and I got a new shoulder about 8 weeks ago and it doesn't really work yet)

But being I like helping people I get the compressor there and try to fill the tire. Of course it doesn't fill because it is so flat that the rubber came away from the bead of the tire so air won't stay in.

I go back home to get my hydraulic jack which is not made out of Styrofoam and quite heavy so I can jack up the car.
I try to put in air again but the bead is still off the tire so air still wouldn't go in. I removed her tire and trecked back home again to get a strap clamp. Sometimes a strap clamp is needed to set a tire. You put it around the treads of the tire and tighten it up so the tire flattens and goes against the bead so air will stay in.

I filled the tire, put it back on the car and dragged my jack and compressor back home. Now I really can't stand up and am walking like a blue legged hermit crab with rickets.

You're a great person for going so above and beyond for someone you don't know. Good on you!

 

[Paul B]

I don't know about great. It just seems that I am the only one here that knows how to do anything. Fixing things, even easy things like a tire is kind of above what many people can do these days. I am not sure why but I am always glad to help.

I had to take my wife to one of her Doctors and for some reason they are all near my favorite, and cheap LFS. I picked up a few clown gobies. A yellow, a green and a blue. I love those guys and they immediately wanted to mate as soon as they hit the water. He raised his prices, now they are $11.00 Still cheap.

These are older ones I already had but I got the same type of fish. I don't know how many of these little guys I have, maybe a dozen as they don't really take up any room and they are so dam cute.





I don't have a picture of the blue one.

 

[Cpage101]

My morning walks are getting darker and darker. I walk down this quiet forest lined street long before sunrise every day that I don't walk on the beach.

This is about 20 minutes into my walk when it got light enough to take a picture

View attachment 198660

still love reading all your posts and btw I feed my fish. most would die if i told my No3 or PO4 levels and would not probably believe me

some of my fish are in fact spawning pretty regularly

Glad you are doing well sorry about the aches and pains. Mine are just starting

 

[Paul B]

I think the pains start after 50. At 60 they get worse but you don't remember how you felt in your 50s so you don't care. In your 70s, if you have a part that doesn't hurt, it's because that part is dead.

 

[Paul B]

Algae, Algae, Algae. I have a produce stand in my tank. The fish love it but I am not crazy about it.
After I eradicated the invasive sponge and horrendous dino's, that left me with a Humongous algae farm. There may be lemon trees growing behind my rocks.

No, I don't add silly chemicals or offer up tea leaves to the moon although I haven't tied that. I know, and the fish know that algae is a good thing. The corals are not crazy about it if it covers them but besides that, they appreciate how clean the water will become when it leaves.

At that time, the tank will be as healthy as it can be as the algae will remove everything I don't want in my water.
This probably came about from my NSW behind my home as it was filled with nitrates.

As the algae is starting to die I have to suck it out every couple of days with a diatom (or any canister filter) or it will rot and again become algae.

I remove so much algae each time I do this that I clog my sink.
(old picture with very little algae)

 

[Paul B]

This morning we went to I Hop for my free Veteran breakfast. It's a little more than I can eat. I ate a little of it here before I took the picture.

They give you all that if you are a Veteran weather you want it or not.

Thanks to all people who served and welcome home.

Still fits...Kind of.

 

[mrjantzen]

Awesome, thanks for your service!

 

[garyl]

Paul, thanks for your service and this blog. I love the posts.

Did you ever happen to meet Albert Thiele in your aquarium experience?

 

[Paul B]

I never met him but I spoke to him once and we corresponded occasionally. Nice, soft spoken guy.

 

[garyl]

When I was in the Air Force in Germany during the 90's I met him once also.

I ended up buying many of his books and following much of his advice.

Interesting and very opiniated man.

 

[Paul B]

Not as opinionated as me.

 

[Paul B]

It's a beautiful, foggy morning. As I walk I can just barely make out a large deer walking across the street. She didn't notice me at first.

I kept walking and now the fog is getting thicker. She sees me but doesn't move. She probably doesn't know that I have excellent vision. I have 20/20-"AL" vision. That means my sight is so good that after a couple of cups of coffee, I can see through aluminum. (under an inch thick with no paint on it)

As I neared her she didn't move. As a matter of fact I think she started walking towards me. I was unarmed and normally walk softly but carry a big stick.

I kept getting closer but she was getting bolder and she started snorting at me. Either that, or she had asthma.

I stopped because I didn't know if she wanted to take me home to mate or feed me to her kids.

I like blonds but she was to wild for me so I started waving my arms and stomping my feet.

All of a sudden a Jeep whizzes past me doing about 70mph which scared both me and the deer who turned and ran. I ran the other way.

 

[Paul B]

I just went to my favorite LFS because one of my wife's doctors is near there. He had a lot of fish but nothing I wanted so I just got another Hectors gobi. I have a bunch of them but for 8 bucks I felt I had to buy something.



I wanted more of these because they are so cool, but he didn't have any. I probably have 5 or 6 of them but those small fish don't account for anything and being they are so small and secretive, you need a lot to see any of them.



I have no idea how many fish I have but I am sure I have way to many but most of them are very small.

 

[Paul B]

These guys are spawning

 

[Paul B]

I had to go into the hospital today for a spine ablation where they burn nerves around your disks in your back using radio frequency.

On my way home (my wife had to drive) one of my neighbors called to say they ordered dinner for us and it will be delivered.
Then another neighbor is bringing us soup. Another neighbor is also bringing us dinner so I am not sure what we will be having.
But we have the very best and thoughtful neighbors. I can't thank them enough. I love these people

 

[Paul B]

I don't miss the days when I removed most of my rock to eliminate the sponge. Much of it I put outside in the freezing temperature and it killed it. :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

Then of course I was inundated with dino"s and now algae. The good news is that it is dying and turning white with not much help from me except sucking much of the dead algae out with my diatom filter.

Of course I had to remove the corals and keep them nice and wet and warm

 

[BiGGiePauls33]

I had to go into the hospital today for a spine ablation where they burn nerves around your disks in your back using radio frequency.

On my way home (my wife had to drive) one of my neighbors called to say they ordered dinner for us and it will be delivered.
Then another neighbor is bringing us soup. Another neighbor is also bringing us dinner so I am not sure what we will be having.
But we have the very best and thoughtful neighbors. I can't thank them enough. I love these people

Sorry to hear about the RFA, good luck with it, my spine surgeon at New England Baptist in Boston told me that the nerve endings will grow back roughly 8-12 months later. Hope it works well for you and glad to hear that your neighbors are loving and caring.

 

[Paul B]

Yeah Paul. I feel them growing back already. Next time I am going to let them implant a Mojano Wand in there with the push button sticking out.