What happens when IT guys do landscaping

Gotta love the effort.

Lola, L-O-L-A, Lola!

Miss Lee and Music Man's new addition to the family...a miniature, long-haired dachshund named Lola. It just doesn't get any cuter than this.

The last week has been like this

Here's the scene:

I'm sitting on the couch, trying like hell to get some work done. Master J is flitting from one area to the next playing.

Mirth (to myself): Okay, they want to offer $150,000 on this property in Sur...

Master J (also to himself): AHHHHHHH! (Commander Cody goes flying) Retreat! Retreat! Retreat!!!!!

Mirth: Holy crap Dude, settle it.

Master J: Sorry.

Mirth (back to myself): Now where was I? Let's see, that property is a bank owned and they're looking for highest and best by...

Master J (running through room with light saber): Pew! Pew! Pew! Swooooosh! AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!

Mirth: Not reacting, not reacting...

Master J rushes back in, does a beautifully executed tuck and roll coming up fighting and dodging his imaginary opponent.

Mirth: Okay, you're going to have to take that elsewhere, I'm trying to work here.

Master J: Sure thing Mom! (He fights his way out of the room)

Mirth: Okay, I need an As-Is Addendum and a...what the hell?

Master J is now making siren noises at the other end of the house. They are amazingly accurate and exceedingly loud.

Mirth (to myself): This is why I can't do anything. I don't have ADD, I have insanity running through the house. (To Master J) Is there any way you could settle down and play quietly down there? Maybe close the door or something?

Master J: Sure Mom! I'll just close the door.

Mirth: Thanks!

Master J slams the door and commences his epic battle in his room. It is not noticeably quieter and he is now flinging himself into things in his room.

Mirth: Only four more days until school starts. I can make it four more days (twitch, twitch). Really, it's so close that I can cetai...

Master J (bursting into the room): Hey Mom! Mom! Izzy chewed off Captain Rex's legs! Bad Izzy! You shouldn't chew off his legs.

Mirth: Just pretend he was caught by mines.

Master J: What's that supposed to mean?

Mirth: That means you left Captain Rex on the floor and the dog decided he was "Mine". Don't leave your toys lying around.

Master J: Well that's not fair. She shouldn't eat my toys.

Mirth: Which part of "I'm working" are you not getting?

Master J: Oh yeah, sorry! (Captain Rex goes flying) AAAAHHHHHH! I'm hit! I'm not going to make it! AAAAHHHH!

Only four more days, only four more days...

Almost there...

So I've got both tanks set up and running. I had a broken part on one of my older filters that I had to replace before it could run properly but it's all good now. I still haven't moved everyone to where they'll eventually end up but that's only because I'm trying to give the newly added cichlids a chance to grow before I move my big boy over. As it is, I didn't even get a chance to get a picture of my N.brichardi as my female N.venustus decimated both of them before twenty four hours had passed.

When I started this project I only had one cichlid left from my original batch after Mister C's great "Whoops! I didn't know fish needed air!" debacle of 2010 and that was my female N. venustus "Vinny" (I didn't know she was a she when I got her.) Last year I added my P. polleni "Frank" and I've been watching him grow ever since. My plan all along was to have both of them in the 125 gallon tank and I knew I had plenty of room to add some new ones.

So two days ago I acquired three electric yellows and a blue ahli from one shop and two random peacocks and the above mentioned ill fated brichardi from another. Today I picked up an absolutely gorgeous male venustus. He and Vinny are hanging out pretty closely so far. As for the peacocks, well I've never had peacocks before and I just think they're a beautiful fish. We'll see how they do.

Currently my new seventy five gallon tank is holding my five clown loaches, one huge-ass sucker fish and Frank. Once I've moved the sucker fish and Frank, it will become my tropical tank. I haven't decided exactly what fish I'm putting in it but I'll figure that out as I go. Also, it still has no substrate because that's sitting in my trunk from when I bought it three days ago. Because I'm really on top of things that way.

And finally, I'm still waiting for my live plants to arrive. I ordered a bunch from an online place that has really good reviews. I'll let you know what I think when they arrive. I didn't order enough to completely fill both tanks, just enough to give live plants a shot. I figured I would mix in my plastic and silk plants to fill things out and if the real ones took off I would eventually remove the fake ones. And if I kill everything, it won't be so obvious.

Frank





Someone likes the new, young fish...

Moving right along

So some time back in June, I managed to con Mister C into letting me get another fish tank. I promised I would finish painting the family room in a timely manner and then get the tank. Not long after that, I went out "Just to price out new tanks" and ended up with a new one later that afternoon. Because that's how it works around here.

It sat, wrapped in cardboard and plastic, for a few weeks before we went on vacation. The family room didn't get painted before we went on vacation. When we got back from vacation I finally got around to painting the ceilings in the family room & kitchen and swore I would get right to painting the walls. But between taking Master J to swim lessons every day, running around getting him registered for school and a sudden influx of real estate work, that didn't happen either.

Two days ago I finally started painting the family room. I managed to wash the baseboards and tape off the whole room and even painted one wall.

Yesterday I painted the other two walls in the room, as well as one wall in the kitchen. When I was done, I got my fish tank set exactly where I wanted it and filled it almost full to make sure I didn't have any leaks. As of this morning, I didn't.

Today, I tried to set up my brand new filter in the cabinet under my brand new tank. It didn't fit. It was too tall. What the hell? How can they sell an aquarium stand that won't hold the filter for the fish tank? So I improvised. I emptied the water out of the tank, giving my trees some extra rations this week. Then I moved it another two inches away from the wall so the filter could sit behind it. It worked like a charm.

Feeling rather pleased with the solution of my problem, I went about getting the filter set up in the tank and getting it going. I've had this type of filter on my original tank for about eight years now and I know they can be a bit cranky to start the first time (or any time you take it apart and reassemble it for that matter.) After pitching several fits and cursing loudly, I still couldn't get it going. Until, it finally, sort of, started sucking water. But it just couldn't seem to get going very well. I felt the hoses to make sure water was flowing in both intake and output. The intake definitely had flow, the hose with the output didn't though. I followed it up from the bottom towards the top of the tank, and that is when I noticed that the stupid hose had a leak. After calling around to several stores that either don't carry the hose or have it for too much money, I realize I'm going to have to call the company directly and hopefully they'll just ship me a new one. Which means I have to wait at least a few more days before I can get my tank going. And that doesn't make me feel all peaceful and happy like an aquarium should.