NC12: diary of an L.A. tank

[Felicia]

Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Gena!

 

P.S. - Thanks for the quote, Joel

[JoelRHale]

No problem!

[gena]

Thank you, Felicia!!!!!!! That M&R is delish!

 

I'm having an amaretto and orange juice cocktail right now...I forget the official name. It's soooo yummy!!!!! My legs are numb

 

Anyways....we had a great day today at the zoo. Koalas are still my favorite. D wouldn't buy me the stuffed koala they had at the gift shop (it WAS a little pricey ). That's ok....I'm on the hunt for the one I had as a kid.

 

Oh nice... have fun! I haven't been there since the kids were super little...

If you ever want to go...just let me know. I have a membership plus guest passes. It would be free

[surgicalsense]

Thank you, Felicia!!!!!!! That M&R is delish!

 

I'm having an amaretto and orange juice cocktail right now...I forget the official name. It's soooo yummy!!!!! My legs are numb

 

Anyways....we had a great day today at the zoo. Koalas are still my favorite. D wouldn't buy me the stuffed koala they had at the gift shop (it WAS a little pricey ). That's ok....I'm on the hunt for the one I had as a kid.

 

 

If you ever want to go...just let me know. I have a membership plus guest passes. It would be free

 

Oh absolutely, thank you... that would be so much fun. Was it opened today? We should aim for early spring, when it is no so hot and the animals should be out.

[gena]

Yep...they were open and very busy. The tiger momma had babies too...so cute. All the animals were out and about. The giraffes were especially awesome today. They were getting so close to us.

 

I still feel so sorry for the elephants. They looked sad to me. I know they have a big new exhibit...but I think they would be best served out in the wild. Zoos are good for educating and conservation though...I'm kinda of torn on the whole thing.

 

Spring sounds great! It can get a bit X-rated during the spring though

[JoelRHale]

When I was little we had a season pass to the New Orleans zoo. I used to be obsessed with reptiles so my mom would gladly take me in the 100 degree 100% humidity days to the zoo so she could sit on the nice benches in the air conditioned reptile house while I ran around looking at the snakes then running back to her to tell her what I saw. good memories.

[gena]

When I was little we had a season pass to the New Orleans zoo. I used to be obsessed with reptiles so my mom would gladly take me in the 100 degree 100% humidity days to the zoo so she could sit on the nice benches in the air conditioned reptile house while I ran around looking at the snakes then running back to her to tell her what I saw. good memories.

Awe...that's sweet!!!! Our zoo is building a brand new reptile exhibit. That's my son's favorite thing too. He was very happy to see that the exhibit looks almost done!!!! Hopefully by spring!!!!

[metrokat]

He had a stroke....that's why his face was like that I'm sure there's botox in there as well.

 

He had several strokes but that was why his speech was slurry. I thought when you have a stroke, the face is frozen crooked, like one side of your lips droop. I could be wrong. His face looked perfectly aligned, and botox frozen. His speech was certainly affected. At the end of it all, was nice to see him, bottle tan and all.

[Spirofucci]

Hey! Love the new FW pico! I'm sure you know already, but make sure the "roots" of that anubia are not planted in the substrate. You can AC glue them to a rock or a piece of wood. Another great plant to start off with is java fern. They don't like their roots in the sustrate either.

 

I have a 10 gal planted fw that I totally neglect and a 65 african tank with some beat up plants. Both have anubias and java ferns. I'll try and get some pics for ya.

 

I think Dick Clark looks great considering he is over 150 years old.

[gena]

He had several strokes but that was why his speech was slurry. I thought when you have a stroke, the face is frozen crooked, like one side of your lips droop. I could be wrong. His face looked perfectly aligned, and botox frozen. His speech was certainly affected. At the end of it all, was nice to see him, bottle tan and all.

I guess I didn't get a good look at his face. If it wasn't crooked, he probably had plastic surgery to correct the droopy affects of the stroke. It was just bad all around.

 

Hey! Love the new FW pico! I'm sure you know already, but make sure the "roots" of that anubia are not planted in the substrate. You can AC glue them to a rock or a piece of wood. Another great plant to start off with is java fern. They don't like their roots in the sustrate either.

 

I have a 10 gal planted fw that I totally neglect and a 65 african tank with some beat up plants. Both have anubias and java ferns. I'll try and get some pics for ya.

 

I think Dick Clark looks great considering he is over 150 years old.

Thank you, Mark!!!! I actually didn't know about the roots of the anubia. But...the LFS guy had placed it in an already cured piece of wood for me. He didn't mention anything about the roots..so thanks for that info. The roots are all contained within the wood. He did say they would start growing on the wood.

 

I'll look into java fern as well. Next week the LFS is supposed to get a bunch of plants in. I can't wait!

 

My son actually had the NERVE to say he liked my FW pico better than my reef

 

It is a pretty cool little tank

[Felicia]

My son actually had the NERVE to say he liked my FW pico better than my reef

 

Gotta love that you've spent some tiny fraction of money/effort on it compared to the reef tank and he goes and says he likes it better

 

I think it looks awesome, but I LOVE your reef tank so I have to disagree with him.

[surgicalsense]

He probably had the medications given to him within the 3 hour open window before it is to late. The trombogenics, this will either correct the effects or lessen the effect of a CVA. Plastic surgery would not correct the effects of a stroke, just tighten the skin around his face. CVA's are caused by a clot in the brain... that is why the side of the brain that becomes effected also effects the side of the body too. Physical therapy and medications can usually relieve some of that also. Again depending on the seriousness of the CVA and advasive treatment given at that time, then aftercare....

 

 

150yrs old.

 

... both of your tanks are awesome, he is just saying that because it is new.

[gena]

Thanks you guys. I can't wait to see some fish swimming in there too

 

Danielle...at first I was like...wth are you talking about. Then I figured it out when you said stroke

 

We went for a nice hike today. Just stayed in Burbank (stough canyon). I love it up there. There's hardly any noise...so peaceful. We even saw a stealth bomber...I'm assuming that was for the Rose Bowl.

 

Here's some pictures:

You can see the ocean, top left glowing above the mountains.

 

Downtown LA in the distance

 

 

And since it's the new year....my first picture of the tank this year

 

FTS 1-2-12

[Felicia]

Beautiful as always

 

That looks like a nice hike. Btw, what are your fish plans for the new planted pico?

[gena]

Thank you

 

Just 3 guppies. 1 male and 2 females. Should turn into many more

[Felicia]

Sounds good! When are you going to add them?

[gena]

I'm hoping to get the rest of my plants next week. Then I'll add the fish. I want to get the plants in place before I put the guppies in. I figure less stress for them. The plants are my main focus. The guppies are just the extra pretties

[FlCandy]

Lacey Java fern is really pretty, and has wavy edges. I had that, dwarf anubia and I can't remember what else growing in there.

 

I ended up having to trim and re plant alot of pieces as they outgrew they locations. Made it easy to fill the tank.

 

Beautiful pictures, I love country. I can't wait until February when we go to North Carolina for 4 days.

[Felicia]

Sounds like you've got a good plan. Its amazing how much faster it is to set up freshwater than it is to set up a reef tank. Make sure you post some pictures once you get the rest of the plants

[gena]

I will definitely post pictures. I'm as excited about this tank as I am the reef You are so right, Felicia. Setting up FW is soooo easy. I almost forgot how to do it

 

I hope I have to do lots of trimming with this pico...that would mean success!!!! I'll look into the java fern you mentioned.

[Spirofucci]

New FTS = fantastic!

 

Here's a pic of my totally neglected 10 gal. Seriously, its in my sons room and he never touches it, nor do I, Sad really:

 

[gena]

Thank you, Mark!!!! Love the FW. You really do nothing with it? No water changes, or fertilizing or anything? What bulb is running in there?

 

P.S....I'm glad you are around more again!!!!!

[FlCandy]

You know, I noticed my plants looked happier when I did no water changes. They like phosphates and there is that in food and fish poop. I would just suck the nasty poo out that I saw and pour water back in. Less then a gallon or so at a time. Every time I did my cories would spawn and then I would have baby fish.

 

Look into the Rubberlips pleco. They stay small and wont eat the plants and eat the algae like little lawnmowers. Besides he is so cute!

 

Here is some info

Pleco

Better site

 

Says they get to 5" but mine never got over 3" in the year I had him. Loved his little bully self (only to the catfish). And he will eat raw peas! SO cute.

 

I love guppies though, their so cute.

[JoelRHale]

I had a 20" pleco in the mbuna tank they are so cool!

[Felicia]

I've always had a pleco in my FW tanks. They're my absolute favorite. You should definitely consider getting one of the smaller species. Clown plecos and bristle nose plecos also stay small.