Ten things that affirm I am a true reefkeeper

[Len]

Here are ten things I've discovered about myself that consistently affirm I am a bona fide reefkeeper. These aren't necessarily humorous but they're all true

1. My right arm has a better tan then the rest of my body.

2. Women I find at LFS are just a bit hotter for the mere fact that they are at a LFS.

3. Amongst my friends, I am the only one who knows corals are animals .... and the only one who cares.

4. I often avoid eating meals that require the use of my hands for fear of possibility of contaminating my water 12 hours later.

5. The only hard-cover books I've bought in the past decade are all reef related.

6. I have an uncanny sixth sense when it comes to detecting when a LFS is nearby, even in foreign neighborhoods (no joke!).

7. There are seafoods I won't eat because I know too much about their lifestyles (sea cucumber comes immediately to mind).

8. The Fedex driver says I'm the only one he knows who pays to have rocks express mailed.

9. I don't know how to say goodbye to someone in Germany, yet I know how to to ask for lime water.

10. A $125 light bulb does not seem expensive to me anymore.

I invite you to add your own reefkeeper truisms 8)

 

[Anonymous]

When you give directions to your house you tell the person to look for the glow

You house smells like the beach

The pantry contains several pounds of pickeling lime, but you do not make pickles

You know how to take macro shots through glass

 

[ChaoticReefer]

Here's a few.

Police chopper circles your house few times a year to check you out.

UPS delivery man calls you "Boss" even thou you two know each others 1st name by heart.

 

[Anonymous]

I am the only one that doesnt find it strange when I am seen splashing around in rockpools with a net and a bucket like a 5 year old.

I avoid the topic of how much $$ my tank/ hardware/ livestock/ upkeep has/is costing me because even I cant believe it sometimes, friends and family would just not understand.

I am in bi-weekly contact with my LFS to check on progress with livestock shipments and kit ordered.

I spend more time a week on my tank than I spent on maintaining my swimming pool in a year.

 

[blackcloudmedia]

lol I love it. I go to the Supermarket and buy top quality, never frozen, perfect smelling not too shabby, seafood....and after the lady inquires as to what Im making, I tell her its fish food.

The police sit outside my house and peer into my window wondering what the "lights" are for.

The LFS owner perks up when you walk into his store, cause its you.

Your friends know you as the nerd....just cause you know the proper flow for a montipora capricornis and just cause you know when your brain coral is telling you its hungry.

 

[blackcloudmedia]

Oh yea, and when I go fishing and all the other fishermen are staring at me wondering what Im excited about, so they walk over and see me with "green crap and those things that sting you"

 

[pcardone]

you take your test kit with you to the beach
water jugs take up 1/2 your freezer, garage
local utility has you on their x-mas card list
the ups man knows my cell phone #
so does my LFS
the local fish and game know you by your first nameyou
make up words in danish so you can feed in on their websites

 

[Anonymous]

You look at _EVERYTHING_ and wonder how you can use it for your tank.

You take jobs because they're in atlanta, and so is the georgia aquarium.

Random people call you at 11pm saying "I got your number from so-and-so. I'm having a problem with one of my fish."


B

 

[Old Man Of The Sea]

Some possible additions:

11. I not see that the maintenance and care for my tanks are a tiring job, but rather part of the enjoyment of having it.

12. People are always looking for answers from me, due to my aquarium lives stock success.

13. People are always flattering you of your tanks, although their no idea of anything about it.

14. (I have an uncanny sixth sense when it comes to detecting when a LFS is nearby, even in foreign neighborhoods) Forget about the sixth sense thing, I could smell them :roll:

15. (A $125 light bulb does not seem expensive to me anymore) To pay $500 to $1,500 for one specimen I not bat a eye about it as I once did years ago.

Len, I have just about all the pictures for that article thing, that the only part that moves slowly is the typing part. My grandchildren however are keeping me busy a lot and still as I the determination to do this as those reef tanks I have been planning for so long, I will get this done. Only, I not know how long this will take for there be much to document.

Buddy

 

[Anonymous]

With Len's premission: (thanks)



You know you're a reefer when:

you have bags of ice melter.













And live in alabama.

 

[Anonymous]

You look at _EVERYTHING_ and wonder how you can use it for your tank.

SCORE!

Dri-dek brand matting. It comes in black. I stick it underneath stands, and under sumps inside stands. Under everything that might let water pool beneath it during a spill. If there is a spill, you towel it up and grab a hair dryer rather than let it soak into your flooring.

SCORE!

http://www.reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=93710

Kydex brand thermoplastic. Makes a great in tank background.

SCORE!

Metal strainer for rinsing mysids. I use a brine shrimp net to do the same with Cyclop-eeze.

Found all of this at a restaurant supply store. :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

You have boxes and boxes of spare parts that you cant part with because you 'might need it one day'. When you finally throw one small fitting away, you immediately find a critical use for it.

There is more food for your tank in your cold box than there is for you.

You look for deals on back up pumps for your back up pump.

 

[blackcloudmedia]

And best of all???? You look at your tank and think.....





I could go bigger......



Then presume to do a budget and map out the plumbing and wiring diagrams and then.................



you do bigger.

 

[Anonymous]

You always have to be 'improving' your plumbing, and forget that last 10 times you did it, you made something leak that took you all day to fix.

Your hands are covered with superglue, and you don't care.

 

[trido]

You always have to be 'improving' your plumbing, and forget that last 10 times you did it, you made something leak that took you all day to fix.

LOL. I can really relate to this one. There has to be a better way!!!

You have your couch facing the Tank instead of the TV.

 

[Old Man Of The Sea]

You always have to be 'improving' your plumbing, and forget that last 10 times you did it, you made something leak that took you all day to fix.

LOL. I can really relate to this one. There has to be a better way!!!

You have your couch facing the Tank instead of the TV.

trido, its funny that you should mention that, for my two reef tanks when are ready to stock, are right in front of my massage chair that also provides heat and has a holding on the arm of the chair for a can of beer or glass of wine

 

[mr_X]

dbl post

 

[mr_X]

You have your couch facing the Tank instead of the TV.

i haven't turned my tv on in months. :wink:

 

[stubbsz]

You always have to be 'improving' your plumbing, and forget that last 10 times you did it, you made something leak that took you all day to fix.

LOL. I can really relate to this one. There has to be a better way!!!

You have your couch facing the Tank instead of the TV.

Or your couch faces the TV but all you can see is reflections of your tank while you try and watch your shows.

 

[bleedingthought]

You live in Atlanta and haven't had time to go back to the Georgia Aquarium because you're constantly working on your tank. :wink: