Well a few months back, I had a horrible accident at work when I struck in face from a strut mount that shot out of the spring compressor at full force. It completely shattered my nose, broke both my lower orbitals (lower part of my eye socket) and gave me a hole in the skull of my forehead right at the left brow, the plates under my eyes that hold them up were also fractured....
Now I know this all sounds very horrific and it was the worst experience of my life hands down but 9 hours of surgery later (just to fix the bones in my face) and still need plastic surgery for the scaring I'm doing well and making a full recovery....
Except for money... I was a full time mechanic getting basically renting a bay at tire shop with my labor, any work that came in for the shop which wasn't much... About 20 hours of work per week, since they were a tire shop, I would work on those cars to pay the rent of the bay and in turn I can bring in all the customers I want and all the profit on them which really was a sweet deal... Except when this disaster struck, now I was on the books for 20 hours at minimum wage just in case something like this ever happened I would be covered and thank god I was, all the med bills are being taken care of... But my comp checks are only $220 per week.. Now I do DJ as side gig but its not great.. But I'm getting by, its not like I'm gonna be thrown on the street or even close..
So with all this extra time on my hands, I decided to take up a hobby A SALTWATER REEF/FISH TANK
... Little did I know how expensive it was going to be.. it took me 3 months and every extra dollar I had for buying little by little and everything is mostly used from here or ebay and I JUST started cycling my tank a few days ago...
Now when I posted a few pics on a forum of my DIY hood with T5HO fixture I got such good responses from it I thought I should offer my services on here... I'm very handy with all aspects of craftsmanship from plumbing, to resealing tanks as I did on my used 2006 90g tank with original silicone I figured now was time to do it rather than after filling up for the first time realizing it leaked, to making a sump to building a stand/canopy, to wiring, or anything else you can think of... I most likely can do it and have the tools to do so...
So I offer you this, You tell me what you want made/done and I'll make a list of supplies we would need to get, I'll even go to home depot with you and help gather the things needed.. You buy supplies and just pay me for labor which I wont charge much and will be fair.. Just some extra cash to help fund my tank Hell I'll even take some nice established corals/colonies or a few frags we can work something out..
I'm just not ready to go back to the shop nor do I have have the urge to, hell that was a life changing experience and really do fear going under a car again. So until I'm ready, able and wanting to do so, I can get by and would love to help a fellow reefer that would like to help a fellow reefer as me helping you with your tank is helping me with mine weather it be cash or corals
Heres some pics of my work
My DIY canopy with light fixture before wood filler and paint
My DIY 30 gallon sump the silicone is sloppy but I didn't care (ITS A SUMP!)
A real silicone reseal job...
My plumbing work with reverse durso to minimize noise and bubbles, and ball valve to control flow to refugium
and thats all I got for now, hope you all like it!
Now this is not a pitty me story, pls don't feel sorry for me.. I'm doing fine, just looking to add to my tank the best ways I can and help a fellow reefer in return... So pass it around to anyone in the north jersey, NYC, nothing north of Middletown NY, or south of central jersey looking for help and I'll be there!
Now I know this all sounds very horrific and it was the worst experience of my life hands down but 9 hours of surgery later (just to fix the bones in my face) and still need plastic surgery for the scaring I'm doing well and making a full recovery....
Except for money... I was a full time mechanic getting basically renting a bay at tire shop with my labor, any work that came in for the shop which wasn't much... About 20 hours of work per week, since they were a tire shop, I would work on those cars to pay the rent of the bay and in turn I can bring in all the customers I want and all the profit on them which really was a sweet deal... Except when this disaster struck, now I was on the books for 20 hours at minimum wage just in case something like this ever happened I would be covered and thank god I was, all the med bills are being taken care of... But my comp checks are only $220 per week.. Now I do DJ as side gig but its not great.. But I'm getting by, its not like I'm gonna be thrown on the street or even close..
So with all this extra time on my hands, I decided to take up a hobby A SALTWATER REEF/FISH TANK
... Little did I know how expensive it was going to be.. it took me 3 months and every extra dollar I had for buying little by little and everything is mostly used from here or ebay and I JUST started cycling my tank a few days ago...Now when I posted a few pics on a forum of my DIY hood with T5HO fixture I got such good responses from it I thought I should offer my services on here... I'm very handy with all aspects of craftsmanship from plumbing, to resealing tanks as I did on my used 2006 90g tank with original silicone I figured now was time to do it rather than after filling up for the first time realizing it leaked, to making a sump to building a stand/canopy, to wiring, or anything else you can think of... I most likely can do it and have the tools to do so...
So I offer you this, You tell me what you want made/done and I'll make a list of supplies we would need to get, I'll even go to home depot with you and help gather the things needed.. You buy supplies and just pay me for labor which I wont charge much and will be fair.. Just some extra cash to help fund my tank Hell I'll even take some nice established corals/colonies or a few frags we can work something out..
I'm just not ready to go back to the shop nor do I have have the urge to, hell that was a life changing experience and really do fear going under a car again. So until I'm ready, able and wanting to do so, I can get by and would love to help a fellow reefer that would like to help a fellow reefer as me helping you with your tank is helping me with mine weather it be cash or corals
Heres some pics of my work
My DIY canopy with light fixture before wood filler and paint
My DIY 30 gallon sump the silicone is sloppy but I didn't care (ITS A SUMP!)
A real silicone reseal job...
My plumbing work with reverse durso to minimize noise and bubbles, and ball valve to control flow to refugium
and thats all I got for now, hope you all like it!
Now this is not a pitty me story, pls don't feel sorry for me.. I'm doing fine, just looking to add to my tank the best ways I can and help a fellow reefer in return... So pass it around to anyone in the north jersey, NYC, nothing north of Middletown NY, or south of central jersey looking for help and I'll be there!
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