Advice on implementing my idea

[clipclop]

I mentioned in my recent introduction thread that I discovered my 55 gallon tank is busted. I've been shopping for a new one. Boy, does it twist my shorts to pay good money to replace something I already have. Anyhow, it occurred to me that my house already has a perfectly good and almost indestructible bathtub. Why not keep fish there instead of dropping hard earned cash on a new tank?

One obvious problem is that I won't be able to get a good view of the fish, as I will be looking down on them from above. I think I could work around this problem by keeping flounder. I know some of them live in estuary environments, so I could probably work manage the tub as a brackish water environment instead of a full saltwater setup. Does anyone know how long it would take me to adapt a saltwater flounder to brackish conditions? I also know that flounder are good at camouflaging themselves against the background. Would I be able to get the flounder to adopt daisy patterns if I stuck daisy shaped decals to the bottom of my tub?

The more serious problem is that my spouse is unreasonably adverse to letting me turn the household bathtub into a fish habitat. The comment was something to the effect of, "It's freakin' February. No I am NOT going to rinse myself off outside with the garden hose." Understand, I didn't actually expect my poor spouse to stand outside wet and naked in the middle of the winter. Rather, I was expecting to postpone the baths until June or so, when it would actually be pleasant to rinse off outside under a refreshing spray of cool water. I've tried explaining to my spouse that daily baths are unnecessary and unhealthy, especially in winter, but the argument just isn't flying. How do I get my point across?

[ScottFish]

Bravo for posting in this long-lost section. You gain a point. Also, I like your story; you're a great story teller. You get another point. But, alas, you lose numerous points for including a number in the first sentence; a clear violation. I woulld tell you your score, but that would be a violation.

[Crazygar]

I noticed a few Tenet violations;

1) We do not use units of measurements. Globs, heaps, lots of are acceptable
2) We shop and plop.

You satisfied Tenet 3.
3) Anything can hold fish. You gain a point for not bathing

Front loading Machine Machines also make excellent vessels for holding Tiger Barbs, Tangs, Corals and Guppies. Feeding can be done via the dispensing slots. Though I just prefer to open the container and throw it in. Fish seem happier

Gary

[clipclop]

Ah, the numbers thing. I forgot about that! Now I've got more questions. Back when I was still posting regularly, Dutchman wrote in one of his posts that one of his current occupations is thinking back on his sins & mistakes, and whether he did them properly, as he hates half hearted screw-ups. Being as he is older and wiser than I, or at least older and therefore a proven survivor, I wish to emulate his contemplations. It occurs to me that my current tenet violation is really a half hearted screw-up, and I need more information to do it properly.

First, are enumerated lists permitted? This is very confusing, as an enumerated list clearly has numbers, yet Gary enumerated his list.

Second, is twotone12valve allowed to post in this forum at all? Or is his mere presence a violation, along with someone like Loudon Wainwright III or Queen Elizabeth II (should either of them develop an interest in aquariums?)

But back to my original questions. The front loading washer idea is interesting. However, my washing machine is a top loader. I'd still have a hard time seeing the fish. As the whole point of this exercise is to save money, I'm not going to buy a new front loader just to put fish in it.

I may have found a solution to the problem of keeping water conditions suitable for a flounder. My local fish store doesn't stock flounder, but it does have freshwater stingrays. Very handsome fish, and quite suitable for my water conditions. I'd happily keep a ray instead of a flounder.

However, I'm still faced with the problem of a balky spouse. I presented my stingray idea and added an extra selling feature. We could simply move the ray into the kitchen sink when anyone wants to use the tub. Then we could move the ray back when the bath is over. My water conditions are fine for a ray right out of the tap, unlike a flounder, so we wouldn't have to deal with recreating the mineral profile of the water. Just scoop and plop. Unfortunately, my spouse is dead set against the idea of a stingray. Something about one of us ending up dead like Steve Irwin. I insist that spouse, in addition to bathing too frequently, also watches too much television. Irwin's nemesis was wild stingray, and it was being teased with a camera. I'm sure our pet ray would be much more placid, especially if it came to associate excursions to the sink with special kitchen treats like brisling sardines in Dijon sauce. Spouse remains adamant. How do I get traction with this idea?

[Crazygar]

I merely presented the Tenets numerically as an example of the rules. In essence, since you kindly so put it, I violated the rule as well and must now wear the Hair-Net of shame.

Anyone can post, your presence here is not a Tenet violation unless you have numercial characters in your name.

Have you considered the dryer. Would make an excellent holding container. Through in some baking soda and a whole ton of Brypopsis and put it on HIGH.

Gary

[lou zello]

how about a old console TV with all the TV parts taken out,some cheap glass panels siliconed in,and the top put on hinges for feeding and cleaning.you could find one in want ads or a consignment shop.

[clipclop]

This is an idea, Lou. We could use our existing TV. As I said, I believe my spouse watches too much TV and gets scared by the fear mongering journalism. I wouldn't mind putting the TV out of commission.

[Crazygar]

Why gut a perfectly good TV? Just fill it with water and shop and plop?

Gary

[ScottFish]

It is a flat screen TV; best stock with flounders.

[Crazygar]

You can stuff at least Octopi in there as well. Can't forget the Octopi. Some Tiger Barbs... make it a biotope.

Gary

[clipclop]

It looks like I'm going to have to follow Lou's plan instead of Gary's. I looked over the old TV and saw it had this big glass thing in the middle which could probably hold the same amount of water as a beer cooler. Only trouble is, unlike a beer cooler, it didn't have an opening on the top. It's hard to insert fish and water with no opening. I figured it would be easy enough to make an opening with the glass cutter I ordered from an infomercial I watched one night when I had insomnia. After a lot of scraping and drilling I finally got a hole bored in the glass. The darned thing then exploded!! It was like a bomb went off in my garage!

Luckily I was wearing glasses, my winter jacket, my winter hat, and my winter gloves. Other than a few cuts on my chin I didn't suffer any injuries. Everything else was covered. I'm glad we have this TV out of the den. Imagine if it had blown up in the living room while everyone was gathered round watching! People could have been really badly hurt. I'd sue the place that sold it to me, but I got it from some guy who had a booth in New York. I haven't seen his booth on the edge of the street on either of my latest trips to New York. He must be out of business. Serves him right if he's going to sell dangerous TV's to the public.

[Crazygar]

I pretty much use anything. Explosives work the best... and entertaining.

Gary

[lou zello]

gary,if i'm not mistaken from your photo on another post you have NO hair to put in the net!!!!!!!but if you do wear it make sure you sit in the sun for a few hours that way when you take the net off it will leave lines and you will look like you do have hair;for a day or two anyway!!!!!!!!!

[Crazygar]

I apply B&BS to the head every day to give it that wonderful shine. Hair today, gone tomorrow.

Gary

[freshfish]

Clipclop is completely correct- enumerated lists are strictly prohibited.

Gary has been sentenced to death multiple times in this forum for his INNUMERABLE (ha!) flagrant violations of the B&BS tenents, but he keeps flirting with the electic eels so they won't excecute him.

Clipclop, we need pictures of your ideas. Pictures are worth OODLES of words!