~o~
Sunday 13th 46F/8C [8.20] Heavy overcast and wet. Rain expected for most of the day.
Up at 7.40 after another night of weird dreams. Still 66F/19C in the room. Just comfortable when properly dressed. The [rainproof] trailer full of logs needs to come into the greenhouse. It might be best to wait for dry weather. No immediate plans for today.
11.30 51F/10.6C. Brightening up. The afternoon rain has been cancelled. Returned from a ride into the village. 12km. I visited three flea markets before grocery shopping. It was rather cool for the thinnest GripGrab gloves. I am aiming for a Sunday dinner tonight.
13.00 I have exchanged 1/3 of the aquarium water. Being careful to match the temperature to within a few tenths of 1ºC or less. I use a submersible pump and 12m of 15mm hose to remove the water first. Then move the pump to the bathroom. To send clean water back to the tank. This saves and lot of time and effort. While avoiding carrying buckets full of water back and forth. With the risk of tripping and spillage during so many journeys.
Fish produce growth inhibiting hormones as well as waste. So water exchanges promote growth and healthy fish. Constant filtration is an important part of the water cleaning process. Goldfish can reach 30cm or 12" given enough room. Many aquarists consider the goldfish as only suitable for ponds. Given a large enough tank and good water hygiene it is possible to keep goldfish healthy in indoor fish tanks.
Overstocking is a serious problem as it increases waste and should be carefully avoided. Yet goldfish are shoaling fish and prefer company. I decided on keeping only two fish in a decent sized tank. 100x50x50cm or about 250 liters. The extra width and depth over the usual 30cm tank dimensions gives the fish much more room to move about. While the increased volume, for the given length, helps to dilute waste between water changes. Purists demand 200x60x60cm but that requires a great deal more room and expense.
My fish are very active and seem happy together. They have doubled in size since I set up the secondhand tank. They provide me with company and something to talk to. Albeit one sided and usually [amusingly] derogatory. Without the far more serous business of keeping warm blooded pets like cats and dogs. Which I would hate to leave unattended. Fish can mange without food for a couple of weeks. Goldfish require no added heat. So are not a great financial burden once their future home is set up.
I feel the need for another short ride. To avoid dozing over yet more hours of YouTube.
16.15 52F/11C. Returning from a pleasant ride along empty lanes. Which I haven't ridden or driven in years. For a total of 39 kilometers today. Battery down to 13% remaining charge. The sharp autumn sunlight added to the beauty of the landscape. Right out to the horizon.
18.00 There was a light shower as I dragged two wheely bins along the drive. For emptying tomorrow morning.
Dinner was mince, with peas, Brussels sprouts, boiled potatoes and gravy.
~o~
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