What are you doing today?

[WhistlingBadger61 17]

Well, my Bob Ross costume was a huge hit with the fourth and fifth graders yesterday, which gives me some hope for the upcoming generation. Then I helped direct the band (and played baritone horn with them when the main director was handy) at the football game, which our team won despite an outrageously terrible call the handed the other team a touchdown. I think it made our guys really mad. It sure made the band play louder. I'm super proud of our band kids this year. They have worked their tails off in marching band, and they are a force to be reckoned with.

Today was a good day: Woke up at 5:30; spent most of the day setting up the 30 gallon as a West African stream bank, soon to be populated with anubias, bolbitus, kribensis (exact variety to be determined) and killifish (also to be determined, but I'm leaning toward A. bivittatum). Got the rockwork in and quite a lot of juniper branches simulating tree roots growing into the water. It will be interesting to see if those stay in place when I fill up the tank.

Juniper wood is notorious for taking FOREVER to get waterlogged and sink. I moved a rock in my hillstream tank the other day and a juniper branch floated to the surface...after being submerged for three years. If it weren't so crooked, it would make amazing boats. Anyway, hopefully the silicone will hold. I'll let you know.

After a nap, I went over to the park with the Badgerling to grab a few more river rocks and catch some scuds. There's a little pool over there, probably about two feet square, that is full of them. Big ones, too, up to about 3/4". I bet there are a few hundred of them in that tiny pool, super active. We caught maybe 20 or 30 and brought them home; I put them in the hillstream tank. At least one of them immediately got torn apart and eaten by the padamya barbs. But most of them made it to the substrate; I saw one grazing on biofilm. Hopefully they'll last long enough to provide some ongoing nourishment and entertainment for the fishies.

Around 6 p.m. the trick-or-treaters started showing up and it was pretty steady. We ran out of candy about an hour ago, turned off the porch light, and no one has knocked since then. I'm staying up for another hour or so to make sure that no gouls or goblins are misbehaving themselves on the grounds of Badger Manor. But I'm not worried --most of my students like me.

 

[GaryE27 25]

I went over to feed my friend's cat yesterday, on a standard street of bungalows. It was not long before sundown and both the neighbours were out, fussing over their Hallowe'en decorations and setting up for the trick or treaters. I think it's great that the holiday creates such a buzz when the entire thing is trying to make an evening fun for kids you might not even know. People who may not be rich spend money on pleasing on other people, and just... give stuff away.

We miss out on the fun. Across the road and behind our place are cemeteries, and we have a long dark driveway up to our house. It's a little too Hallowe'en for kids to come up here.

Today, the clocks have changed but my body clock hasn't, so I'm up at 4:25 in the morning. I got some kind of virus that gave me a fever and chills yesterday so I went to bed early, and it seems to be largely gone. I'm on the well rested side. Happy November, everyone.

 

[Jennet46 104]

I took my grandson out trick or treating and managed to find 3 houses near my grandson's school where people answered the door, and I had to drive to them. We used to have one full street in Wollaston (a village in Stourbridge) that did their houses up brilliantly and people used to drive over 50 miles to walk up and down it. They had to stop around 2010/2015 I think due to the cost of electricity and buying new items to display.

Our clocks went back last weekend, so we are up to date with bed times and school times now.

 

[Back in the fold20 5]

Ah ! Glorious standard time . I like it and I may just stay with it in the spring . Noon is when the sun is directly overhead no matter what the powers that be say .

 

[MattW66 182]

I'm at the final stages of my 1960s toolbox restoration after a couple of holdbacks. Surprisingly, the 1950s Master workshop restoration wasn't as problematic. Replacing the old rivets was a main issue for me, but I'm very happy with the Chicago screws I was recommended. Now I'm watching my struggling Bianconeri take on a well-drilled Napoli

 

[jaylach66 182]

A Content Management System . That sounds important and makes me feel like a big shot being a part of it . Of course , having said that , it should be obvious that I don’t know what that is .
I’ve heard occasional rumblings about the cost of running this and I think The Great TFF Forum should have a yearly fundraiser like PBS does . I would be severely bummed if TFF went off the air .

When I had my computer help forums... actually the founder was still in charge... we did yearly raffle. We DID have an advantage as in several of the staff were MS MVPs with contacts. Many companies, such as Eset and Techsmith (Node32 security and Snagit capture software) were happy donate free licensees to the cause. I think that case was easier than doing it here as there was no charge to enter and all member that wished were included as it was more of a thank you to the site members and we didn't actually need the money. Done here it would be to actually raise money which would mean that members would need to enter at a cost to be eligible to win anything.

The problem boils down to this site being quite international. It would be hard to get donated items to offer in a raffle except, possibly, a site sponsor. Even with that there would be the issue of shipping. What if a site sponsor offered a tank setup? What if the sponsor company was based in the U.S.A and the winner was in the UK? Shipping costs would likely kill most of the benefit.

Now a pure donation drive could be possible but the site still needs to give something back to be affective. Also this is already being partially done with the $12.00/year membership thing. There are two ways to go in this direction that I initially see. One possibility would be to offer extended support by keeping the $12.00/year thing but offer multiple support packages such as raising the yearly thing to $15.00 and 2 years for $28.00 going up to as many years as decided by the staff.

One may think that raising the 1-year support would cause some to drop out but very few would likely do so. If you went with the 2-year membership perks it would actually only be a $2.00/year increase. Fish keeping is not a cheap hobby and I doubt that many would be bothered by a $2.00/year increase. LOL! People just love to get two at a lower cost than getting one at full price.

When I had my computer business I researched on-line marketing fairly deep. One thing I found is that over 60% of on-line buyers will actually pay more for an item that offers free shipping even if the cost on the item with a shipping fee may actually be lower. The discount on the multi-year support packages here would be a very similar situation.

 

[Back in the fold20 5]

Can’t seem to muster any enthusiasm for running or riding . The time change always disorients me and the rain kept me in for a couple days but it’s also nice to kick back and take a breather .
Today it’s sunny and nice and days like that are good for fish chores because the room is lit up bright . My eyes aren’t what they once was and bright light makes it easier to see .
One really nice thing about the switch back to standard time is the mornings seem longer and I seem to have more time to do things . The afternoon flies by though and once the sun sets then I’m almost ready for the rack .
So , today I’ll play with my fish and call it good .

 

[GaryE27 25]

I picked up a manly cold that set me back 3 days - suddenly, I have a lot to do, but not a pile of energy to do it with. I'm across the continent from @Back in the fold but I too need to settle back for a couple of well timed rainy days and get my batteries recharged. The ancient Celtic New Year of November 1 was sensible, given how suddenly the climate changes here about now. All of a sudden, most of the leaves are stripped from the trees, and with the rain soaked woods and the grey sky and sea, there's no pretending winter isn't rolling in. The snow is coming soon.

I don't mind that, as ominous as it can sound. The first snowflake is the first sign we're coming around to summer again.

Yup, keep saying that.

For some non new year's reason, my usual punkish musical listening has veered over to Irish folk - old bands and artists, new bands and artists - there's an enormous wealth of traditional music to be listened to. A lot of these anonymous, forgotten sonwriters were very skilled wordsmiths.

 

[gwand65 182]

Since providing my tanks with live BBS 3 days a week two tanks have the beginnings of a hydra infestation. I will try to nip it in the proverbial bud with hydrogen peroxide. I read this can occur if one is offering too many live BBS. Is this fact? What sayest thou?

 

[Tomsfish24 24]

I only have had hydra in swordtails tanks.
They did recieve live BBS but so did the other 75 tanks.
I killed it quick and easy with one dose of fenbendazole [ pancur].

1 gram/1packet gets mixed with 200ml water.
That is the solution.
Then you install 20 ml of the solution per 10g tank volume.

 

[GaryE27 25]

Hydra... the ones here are a minor annoyance, but one of the larger species I had in the past loved its freshly hatched artemia. They bred like memes on it. It's the perfect hydra food. Artemia and rainbow fry. Nothing they loved more.

 

[Boundava3 2]

Makes sense as its a food source that's high in nutrients.

 

[Back in the fold20 5]

@gwand ! Take any and all extreme measures and eradicate those Hydra with extreme prejudice ! I had a bad Hydra outbreak and it was not good . That stuff that @Tomsfish recommends is supposed to work good . Don’t fool around with half measures . You have nice fish and you should want those Hydra - GONE GONE GONE !

 

[WhistlingBadger61 17]

I heard the only solution to a hydra infestation involved a sharp blade and a blazing torch.

 

[Essjay66 181]

I had a GP appointment yesterday and she sent me for an X-ray either at the walk-in clinic at the hospital or make an appointment at the new diagnostic centre nearer than the hospital. My husband said go to the hospital so we went this morning. The hospital allows 20 minutes free parking and it took just 17 minutes to walk to the department, have the X-ray then back to the pay machine at the main entrance. I do like it when we manage to park there for free