For the first time in my daughter's life (she is 3 years old now), she taught me something I did not know.
She kept on saying the word "Miscreants" and I kept on telling her I know no such word - that she must have misheard it (she claims she heard it whilst watching Ice Age 2). Well, much to my surprise when my wife just showed me there is indeed such a word - it means "a person who behaves badly or in a way that breaks the law".
I guess this is the start of a great new kind of relationship... Next time I better listen and learn!
We went to Namibia during the last week of April, and something terrible happened. I have filled the 480g to the max with RO/DI prepared saltwater, in order to have the live rock complete the curing process while we were away.
Well, two days after we left I got a phone call from my security firm - telling me my power has tripped. So I sent some people over to have a look - and there it was. 480g of saltwater on my living room floor - flooding everything. The tank cracked its double 10mm base lengthwise - a 2.7m long crack. It took a couple of minutes for all the water to leak out.
When I got back Exotic picked up the tank to fix it. They replaced the broken base with 3 x 10mm panels. Extra bracing was added to the square tubing stand, and the metal is both thicker and bigger. Hopefully this time it will hold that water. I am expecting it to be delivered early next week.
Needless to day, I am ecstatic. My 480g tank arrived today. The sumps and equipment are still outstanding, but at least the hard work of bringing that tank to its current location is over (and fortunately Steven and his team at Exotic Aquariums did all the physical work).
Once again I believe I am the first person in South Africa to own these fine products:
Eat your heart out! South Africa's importers should only begin receiving stock in a couple months' time.
I have two brilliant little books on Marine Invertebrates and Marine Fish - one by Shimek, the other by Scott W. Michael. Now usually advise is something you take with a grain of salt since in the reef hobby, the only two certainties are
"The faster you go the worse things will get"
and