New Years' Eve.

Note To Self: The movie "Eulogy", bearing a title that perhaps should have cheered me, bothers me to all hell.

More updates follow through the night.

Arguments...

...Suck.

I thought that hell was over.  But I think I'm catching the residual backlash of what I have created.  A monster so poignantly resentful it will rear its head even at the slightest hint of an opposition.  A defense so tightly coiled it bars common sense and dignity, throws them to the winds in favor of barbs and taunts and, Dis forbid, the lowest blow -- You haven't changed at all.

I'm shivering, and crying.  I really thought I'd gotten over this shit.  And it's all my fucking fault...

FISH BLOG #1, Day 27 (Since 9/2/1o): Intro & Test Results

I purchased my first fish tank somewhere around the end of November, beginning of December.  It looked like this:

That was a standard Aqueon 14 gallon tank kit, filled with black gravel and a couple of decorations and plants.

And now the tank looks like this.  It is, obviously, a larger (And better) 46 gallon Marineland Bowfront, with a Marineland Penguin 200 model Filter (And a heater, of course).  Note to self, it loads "C"-Sized filter cartridges. I personally love the dragon, and the aeration it provides to the tank.  Maybe I should buy another one for the other side?  I'll think about it.

As of right now, I believe two plants have died (or...  More like are in the process of dying).  The Wisteria plants and the Amazon Sword didn't do well at all (This is perhaps because I didn't inherit my grandfather's green thumb), so they're going to have to be replaced.  Mr. Java Fern and Mr. Bamboo Stalk are just fine though, if a little hairy (I'm hoping that whatever algae eaters I get actually eat hair algae...  It's not very pretty to look at and I seem to be growing quite a bit of it.)  Pictures to follow.

As of 9/9/1o, the Ammonia (At well over 8 PPM on said date) in the tank has been slowly deteriorating, replaced slowly with Nitrite and Nitrate levels.  The most recent test shows:

We're sitting on:

pH: 7.8 (Bad)
Ammonia: .25 PPM (Though, I added more Ammonia to further feed the bacteria that I'm sure is starving within the tank without fish waste, so more pictures to follow)
Nitrite: 0 PPM (WOOP WOOP)
Nitrate: 5 PPM

This is good.  Except for the pH, I'm really quite sure that I should be able to add fish to the tank whenever I want (Provided I get the money and add a couple more plants for coverage and less stress).  I confess, I haven't really been keeping up with Nitrite/Nitrate tests as well as I should (I couldn't afford those tests at the time and was running on crappy Mardel test strips, which aren't very accurate at all), but it's been about a month.  I'll run more tests throughout the week and if the pH stabilizes itself, I'll be happy.  If not...  I'm going to have to figure out how to fix that.

12:10 AM: Have retaken the Ammonia test and readjusted the pH test accordingly.  The new results, after adding around 3/4tsp of Ammonia:

pH: 8.2 (BAAAAAD.  But, I've learned that it's mostly an imbalance of Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide levels.  Easily fixed, being as the pH is very high mostly because my tank is being heavily aerated)
Ammonia: 4 PPM (Now the fun begins.  I'll test the whole thing over tomorrow night and see how much has changed!)
Nitrite: 0 PPM (WOOP WOOP)
Nitrate: 5 PPM

Small updates, during this crucial time (Cycling) will follow, and I'll have (hopefully) large weekly updates scheduled every Friday.  Hope you guys enjoy this blog...  I'm going to have an adventure writing it.

PRESENTS!~

YES, my dears.  I have PRESENTS.  The first up is...

The TomTom EASE.  I'm gonna have fun with this.  No more fishing around on my iPhone just to be able to see where I'm going?  I'll take that.

The Amazon Kindle is a nice addition to my steadily-growing collection of electronics.  It works just as well as anyone would expect it to (And damn, did I expect it to).  I've already got seven books downloaded.  And yes, I know they cost me money.  Speaking of which --

 I got money!  W00t.  $145 (The extra $25 came around later) sat in my pocket for a total of four hours before it was ruthlessly distributed to Amazon and M-Edge, the (Seemingly) leading provider of eReader covers and sleeves.  I dropped $40 for a decent-looking Abraxas-themed cover (=P), which I will be putting to some SERIOUS use.



"PRESENTS!" is a work in progress.  TBC with other presents which I haven't had the time to photograph. >>;;.

Christmas Time!

This season appears to be very promising.  Pictures of my presents will, of course, come to follow.  In the meantime, a reminder to myself:

DAN GOT:
-Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (Collector's Edition) (Loved it)
-Engraved Dog Tags (Not so much.)

THE STERRETTS GOT:
-A digital picture frame. (Seemed to like it)

JON & JENI GOT:
-Cookbook
-iPad Case

JONJON GOT:
-iPod Touch (4th Gen) Case

CRYSTAL GOT:
-A Hair Straightener (WTF)

MOM GOT:
-A robe
-Slippers

PAPA GOT:
-A Wooden Puzzle
-A Hat

SO FAR, I'VE GOTTEN:

x1 Bracelet (From Dan <3)
x1 Pair of Earrings (Also from Dan <3)
x1 Shirt (From the Sterretts)