I have a good camera, a Canon 70D. I have a couple good lenses, the 18-55mm that comes with it, a efs 18-135mm is and a 50mm. I figure I should be able to get terrific pics with this, but so far I they're not. They don't seem quite in focus (I'm using manual focus) and I can't fill the frame with the subject. Any tips? TIA!
samedi 1 avril 2017
So you're going to attempt your first drip acclimation?
Attention fellow noobs: learn from my mistakes. I decided I'd try and be a Real Aquarium Enthusiast and drip acclimate the two banded shrimp I just got. I mean, how hard can it be?
First off, they shouldn't call it a drip tube. They should call it a get everything near your tank including yourself wet device. I got 6 or 7 feet of tube and tried to follow the general instructions I found on the internet: immerse the tube, get it full of water, plug one end, lower said end into the bucket and release. Sounds easy, right? Well, I immersed the tube and nothing happened. So I tried to maneuver the tube so all the air in it was replaced by water which sloshed a bunch of water into my overflow and over the sides, as well as all up my shirtsleeves, but didn't actually get any water in the tube.
So I said to myself "I'll very carefully suck water through the hose and stop when the water gets near my face so as to be carefully sure of carefully not getting any water in my mouth." Right. Apparently water moving through a clear tube not only covers 6 feet of tube in one second, it is entirely invisible as it does so. I was so suprised at the mouthful of water (tastes just like the ocean!) that I spat it into the tank about a half-second before I wondered, "is it ok to spit water into my tank? Will my mouth funk crash my tank?" This was followed another half-second later with "We're going to find out!"
So now I'm wet, salty-mouthed, concerned about having crudded up my tank, yet absolutely no closer to getting my drip line going. Did I mention that I'm a college graduate?
I decide the only way this is going to happen is if I really submerge the tube, slowly moving it in an arc to allow all the air. This works, after sloshing another dozen gallons out of my tank. I plug one end with my finger and lower it into the bucket. Any experienced folks want to predict what happened next? That's right, the unsecured end exited the tank and emptied itself all over me, the floor, the front of the tank... it was like that tube held a gallon of water!
Now I'm starting to get frustrated. How can this be so dang hard? I fill the tube again, and place a small testing kit on the edge of my tank to hold the tube in place. Fortunately, at this point a tiny amount of learning is occurring and I decide against that. No reason to dunk my testing kit. Then a brainwave hits me: hold it with my glass cleaning magnet. This was the first of exactly two effective things I did. It worked awesome.
I put the end into the bucket and water is just pouring out of the tube. Several gallons a minute, it seems like. Crap. It's supposed to be a drip! Happily, I had read that all you have to do is tie a knot in it to control the flow. What I hadn't read was how hard it is to tie a knot in a wet, slippery plastic tube out of which is pouring. Note to self: tie the knot first next time.
I get the knot tied, put it in the bucket, and it's not doing anything. I tighten the knot and the flow remains unstemmed. I repeat this a couple times before, out of frustration, I grab the end and yank on it, completely constricting the tube. It works like a charm! Boom, two things done right. Wish I'd known ahead of time the knot had to be pretty much completely tight. I know it now!
So in the end, I got the shrimp drip acclimated and the mess cleaned up. I am grateful no one was home to witness my knuckleheadery, but I wanted to share my experience so that my fellow noobs might look cooler and stay dryer than I did. Cheers!
First off, they shouldn't call it a drip tube. They should call it a get everything near your tank including yourself wet device. I got 6 or 7 feet of tube and tried to follow the general instructions I found on the internet: immerse the tube, get it full of water, plug one end, lower said end into the bucket and release. Sounds easy, right? Well, I immersed the tube and nothing happened. So I tried to maneuver the tube so all the air in it was replaced by water which sloshed a bunch of water into my overflow and over the sides, as well as all up my shirtsleeves, but didn't actually get any water in the tube.
So I said to myself "I'll very carefully suck water through the hose and stop when the water gets near my face so as to be carefully sure of carefully not getting any water in my mouth." Right. Apparently water moving through a clear tube not only covers 6 feet of tube in one second, it is entirely invisible as it does so. I was so suprised at the mouthful of water (tastes just like the ocean!) that I spat it into the tank about a half-second before I wondered, "is it ok to spit water into my tank? Will my mouth funk crash my tank?" This was followed another half-second later with "We're going to find out!"
So now I'm wet, salty-mouthed, concerned about having crudded up my tank, yet absolutely no closer to getting my drip line going. Did I mention that I'm a college graduate?
I decide the only way this is going to happen is if I really submerge the tube, slowly moving it in an arc to allow all the air. This works, after sloshing another dozen gallons out of my tank. I plug one end with my finger and lower it into the bucket. Any experienced folks want to predict what happened next? That's right, the unsecured end exited the tank and emptied itself all over me, the floor, the front of the tank... it was like that tube held a gallon of water!
Now I'm starting to get frustrated. How can this be so dang hard? I fill the tube again, and place a small testing kit on the edge of my tank to hold the tube in place. Fortunately, at this point a tiny amount of learning is occurring and I decide against that. No reason to dunk my testing kit. Then a brainwave hits me: hold it with my glass cleaning magnet. This was the first of exactly two effective things I did. It worked awesome.
I put the end into the bucket and water is just pouring out of the tube. Several gallons a minute, it seems like. Crap. It's supposed to be a drip! Happily, I had read that all you have to do is tie a knot in it to control the flow. What I hadn't read was how hard it is to tie a knot in a wet, slippery plastic tube out of which is pouring. Note to self: tie the knot first next time.
I get the knot tied, put it in the bucket, and it's not doing anything. I tighten the knot and the flow remains unstemmed. I repeat this a couple times before, out of frustration, I grab the end and yank on it, completely constricting the tube. It works like a charm! Boom, two things done right. Wish I'd known ahead of time the knot had to be pretty much completely tight. I know it now!
So in the end, I got the shrimp drip acclimated and the mess cleaned up. I am grateful no one was home to witness my knuckleheadery, but I wanted to share my experience so that my fellow noobs might look cooler and stay dryer than I did. Cheers!
Mushrooms bought grown on grate
Any suggestions on how to remove these mushrooms from a plastic grate they grew on. There's 11 total. Unfortunately we got it attached to it. Hoping they could be transferred. Any thoughts or ideas?
Swissguard Basslet okay for my tank?
Hey guys, trying to add a new fish. So I currently have a 90 gallon, lots of LR. I have the following fish
Blue Assessor
Tanaka Pygmy Wrasse
Scissortail Dartfish
Bi-color chromis
Pink Skunk Clownfish
Tomini Tang
Question is are these guys A Reef Safe, and 2, will he be okay with my other Blue Assessor...I read thru some old forum post that he would, and 3 I read there secerative and listed on LA as semi aggressive. Basically what I'm saying is I'm a tad concerned he would cause issues with my Tanaka Pygmy wrasse...the wrasse has been in the tank about 10 months now and is a happy boy. I just am wondering how there behaviors are...sounds like the wrasse and it would maybe be sharing the same type of real estate passing in and out of the rock work and being cryptic. Sharing one another's space a lot...
Blue Assessor
Tanaka Pygmy Wrasse
Scissortail Dartfish
Bi-color chromis
Pink Skunk Clownfish
Tomini Tang
Question is are these guys A Reef Safe, and 2, will he be okay with my other Blue Assessor...I read thru some old forum post that he would, and 3 I read there secerative and listed on LA as semi aggressive. Basically what I'm saying is I'm a tad concerned he would cause issues with my Tanaka Pygmy wrasse...the wrasse has been in the tank about 10 months now and is a happy boy. I just am wondering how there behaviors are...sounds like the wrasse and it would maybe be sharing the same type of real estate passing in and out of the rock work and being cryptic. Sharing one another's space a lot...
Feather duster
Our feather duster seems to have relocated. His old tube appears empty and he attached to a different spot. I read online they can shed there feathers and to remove them from the tank. Is this him shedding his feathers or did he just move? I don't want to throw out a perfectly good feather duster but I don't want him to hurt my tank if it's just waste. Attaching pic. ThNks Guys for any advice!
Hello reef tank community
Hello. Just joined the forum. Had salt water tanks in the 60's and 70's. Limited success and A LOT OF WORK. Have more free time now and I am trying again. Just set up a Reel Reef 425. Cycling now with 2 black mollies. Starting as a fowlr,but plan on adding coral if all goes well.
Saturday....REALLY!
Good morning my TRT Friends, and.....HAPPY SATURDAY! Assorted Pop-Tarts to go with our coffee and pink milk, but watch the floor full of kids as you tip-toe to the kitchen. Had a sleepless over, and heard 5:30 mentioned as the last giggle of the night. APRIL FOOLS DAY huh? I'll see Y'All tomorrow....gonna go hide for now.:rolleyes: All the best to all....SERIOUSLY!
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