#(for algae cleaning purposes)

[nyctibiius]

more of the betta swamp!!

[gladiatorcunt]

- UNDEAD UNEARTHED !!

you’re too sweet for me

cw: 18+ mdni, goth reader, reader is lowkey mean but not really on purpose, mentions of reader wearing makeup & a skirt, dubcon due to alcohol use and taking advantage of a vulnerable person, ambiguous intentions/ending, reader has a pussy, friends!pope & reader, one line of vomit kink & puppy reader talk, unprotected sex on the beach, feet kink, mentions of animal hunting & implied bone collecting, arguable intox (?) kink, unedited, title inspired by hozier but not directly from the unreal unearth album (subtitle is), experimental style, one usage of the word ‘daddy’, piss kink

wc: 1.5k

1k event. / consider commissioning me!

You’re out at night hunting a gator that some jackass threw into your family’s lake on a whim. It’s not a body of water that beckons the upper class to visit, large parts of it swamped with algae and fervidly humid as any circle of hell. But it’s yours, and you’d hate to get your foot bitten clean off because you procrastinated taking things into your own hands. An annoying job anyway, guess the bones rumored to be buried in the marsh will have to wait.

You’re just minding your business when a boat pulls up. Standing tall behind like the wheel like a captain is your one night stand from a few days ago, John….. C? Or maybe B, whatever. To his right is your longtime acquaintance Pope, someone who you probably would be a lot closer to if you didn’t resign yourself to being the world’s youngest hermit. You bonded over math and reading and you were glad to feel normal for once, to have a normal near-friend and do normal things.

He was the one that made an off handed comment about a party going down at the beach. Nothing special on this sinkhole in the shape of an island, but in theory you can appreciate a casual offer to hang out. You made the decision to only be there for half an hour since the drive back to your trailer was long and winded. You must have looked lonely, because John B (though you didn’t know his name at the time) had sought you out 15 minutes after your arrival and pats your back while you throw up the cheap liquor. Fuck you for trying out the nauseating neon colored liquids in those cheap red solo cups.

You can’t be mad at Pope, you squirreled your way to the pebbled trail leading to the beach soon after exchanging small talk.

“You’ll feel better when you get it all out, okay?” The brunette guy holding your back softly smiles, chomping at the bit to take care of something other than everything else he has to deal with. “Just lean on me and try to relax your throat.”

You’re admittedly embarrassed but you felt something warm stir within you, if you were sober you’d have batted his hands away and all but hissed and bared your teeth. You could almost purr like this, a heavy hand settled on your head and another petting your flank to soothe your trembling. The crosses on the black jacket you’re wearing shook in the breeze, a soft chorus of jingling sounds ringing through the air. Eventually you empty your stomach, he squeezes your shoulder and tucks you into his side as you calmed down.

Your heavy eye makeup and dark lipstick are smudged, your mascara left little trails down your face due to your tears. Having a gag reflex really was the worst, you decide.

“So, do I have a name to call you?” He asked “Can’t think of you as the pretty stranger I saw puking their guts out forever, y’know?”

Your cheeks heat up and you really wish a random tsunami would sweep you out to sea, but you give him your name and hoard the sound of him repeating it in your skull. A part of you between your legs hopes that he does the same when you wrap your lips around the simple syllables of his name, first and last. John B. Routledge is more attractive than he has any right to be, but you know he doesn’t need you to tell him that.

He tilts his head and the moonlight shifts to frame his face. It makes him look like the kind of guy you‘d go to a Lovers Lane with and makeout in his car past any reasonable hour. Someone normal, and you’re a recluse but that doesn’t mean you don’t get lonely. You stumble away from the partygoers, led by his firm grip to a private-ish area of the beach.

He smiles at you again as he pulls his t-shirt off and lays it down on the ground.

He takes a seat and pats the spot beside him, “You need some peace and quiet, some fresh air too. Come sit with me, I don’t think it’d be a good idea to leave you alone right now.”

You bite the inside of your cheek but sit down anyway, and you let him rest your head against his shoulder. You sit in that position for a while, watching the full moon shine on the ocean below. It feels nice, and you weirdly don’t want to leave, so you sink into the embrace and allow the distant cheers and yelling to fade into the background.

The world is fuzzy when he kisses you for the first time, there’s an airbrush filter over everything in your field of vision. You throw caution to the wind and clumsily kiss back, enjoying the glide of your lips together and the reoccurring pecks that bookmark every brush of skin.

You slur that you really never do this, have sex with somebody the night you meet them. John B chuckles, assuring you that he never thought you were the type to do that anyway. You keep to yourself too much, it’s a wonder you’re even allowing him to peel off your studded skirt and lace panties. He kisses down your leg and when he gets to your strappy sandal, he directs your foot to his bulge and grinds against it while he undoes the straps.

Your right shoe is promptly tossed over your head. Your top joins it, but the sickening clang your jacket makes is close to taking you out of the moment.

Then he groans, and you boldly move your toes up and down the shaft, giving what seems like a sizable cock a sloppy footjob. Your foot keeps slipping, but it makes him harder watching you struggle to regain your footing and keep up your pace. You press your heel into his balls, judging the heft of them and how they swell. You only stop when you skirt your big toe around the head of his dick, and John B clamps a hand around your ankle, chiding you for being so greedy already.

He repeats the process with the other shoe and suddenly your legs are spread and he’s kneeling in front of your exposed pussy with the strangest look on his face. Like it’s what he’s been waiting his entire life for but never knew he needed until he saw it in the flesh. He teases your clit with a few uncoordinated touches, messy circles with the tip of his thumb that leave you wanting.

Your limbs wade through water on the way to wrap around his neck, your anchor in the dizzying sea of lowered inhibitions. You grow wet disturbingly quickly, and the sticky sounds of his fingers playing with your folds, delving deeper up your slit and into your cunt sound louder than gunshots.

You’re so out of it you don’t notice the golden droplets falling on the pads of his digits. He wears them like luxury rings.

He coos and grins, “That’s it, you’re a messy puppy, huh? ‘S okay, I think it’s sweet.”

Your throat spasms and gargles around a watery reply, something about agreeing and thanking him and begging. You think you call him Daddy when the pleasure starts to rewire your brain.

He’s… caring, adjusting his shirt under you so you don't get too much sand sticking to your skin and stroking his thumbs down your thighs whenever you tense up. A tad too sweet for your liking, without the bitterness you’d expect from someone else. It feels right, and you guess that’s what causes you to whine and paw at the waistband of his shorts. John B pants into your slack jawed mouth and nods, licking your teeth and freeing his dick.

You don’t pick up on the lack of alcohol that should be permeating his breath, all you can focus on is how softly he taps the fat tip of his cock on your hole. Like it’s shy but going to do whatever it wants regardless, mold your guts around his length and leave anyone else without being able to fit into the lock he’s custom made.

In the present, your grip around your shotgun loosens considerably and that’s the sign he needs.

“I couldn’t stop thinking about you, and I forgot to get your number, so I…I just couldn’t wait anymore.” He says as if that explains everything, as if it seems perfectly fine that he dragged his friend out onto his boat to find out where you lived.

You don’t remember the specifics of the night, but you recall bits and pieces. How his cock stretched your walls and left you clenching around nothing, his necklace smacking the inside of your chin as he thrust inside of you with expert precision, his tongue cleaning the dried vomit off the corner of your mouth and forcing you to taste it. You don’t really remember the individual actions, but you can’t forget the sensations, so you watch the barely there ripples in the water as the boat moves farther into the distance. Your number on a torn piece of paper clutched in John B’s fist.

The gator better not have been scared off.

[bestanimal]

Round 1 - Phylum Porifera

(Sources - 1, 2, 3, 4)

The Phylum Porifera includes the sponges, also called sea sponges.

These animals are filter feeders that are bound to the sea bed in their adult forms, though some have free-swimming larva. Many species are important for building reefs. Their bodies consist of a mass of collagen jelly (called mesohyl) sandwiched between two main layers of cells. But they are not soft! Most sponges’ bodies are full of sharpened structural elements called spicules, which are made of either silica or calcium carbonate, so any predator biting into a sponge would get the same sensation as biting into shards of glass. Some sponges also have exoskeletons. Most sponges filter food particles via water flowing through their barrels and pores, but some sponges are carnivorous, using either sticky threads or barbed spicules to catch prey. Sponges may have been the first animals, and fossils of them date back to the Cambrian.

Propaganda under the cut:

Sponges could teach us how life began on earth.

As filter-feeding omnivores that feed on detritus, plankton, bacteria, and in some cases crustaceans and other small animals, sponges are an important part of the nutrient cycle in the ocean. Some are also symbiotic to other organisms, like algae, and provide homes for many reef animals.

Glass sponges, with skeletons of six-pointed siliceous spicules, are one of the longest lived animals on earth, with a possible maximum age of around 15,000 years!

While the spicules of most sponges render them too rough for human use, species in the genera Hippospongia and Spongia have soft, fibrous skeletons. Early Europeans used these dried out skeletons for many purposes, including cleaning, padding helmets, filtering water, painting, and even as contraceptives. The sponge industry almost brought these species to extinction, so nowadays most kitchen sponges are made of synthetic or plant-based material.

As revealed in the stage musical, the beloved cartoon character Spongebob Squarepants is an Aplysina fistularis (common name: yellow tube sponge), seen in the first image of this post.

spunch

[oncewhenalongtimeago]

(SbITILYP request) I wonder what hiccup thinks about his dad burning holes into the back of the girl he has a crush on's head. Maybe Hiccup would try to apologize for it afterwards. + the almost-kissing-her thing

Sorry, but I Think I Lost Your Plot pt 21

Pairing: Onesided!Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III x Modern!Fem!Reader

Words: 2,700

Hiccup gets better at this romance thing.

Tags: Time Travel, Reader into Movieverse, Dragons: Defenders of Berk, Fright of Passage, post episode, Hiccup’s POV

<Previous - Next>

The incident with the Flightmare took up a lot of time and energy and after how quickly you’d fled once Thornado had landed back on Berk, he hadn’t seen you much at all, much less had time to talk to you.

He shifted on the short wooden bench, the unsanded grit of its surface and the uneven length of its legs causing it to feel odd and off balance as he shifted over it.

Hiccup glanced past the metal framing holding up an empty, crusted pot over the fire, whose heat was licking at his calves beneath his trousers and flickering against the majority of his torso.

He clutched a small, oblong glass shape as he glared forwards, cool against his skin through the fabric of his tunic, hidden away by his vest, securely stored in a secret pocket he’d sewed in for specifically this purpose.

The bioluminescent algae seemed to have been lost, for the most part.

The others had been a bit shifty around him, in a way that was more shifty than malicious. He had the sinking suspicion that they might’ve caught on to his little crush.

The heavy beating of boot and peg against old wooden floors. It was really ironic that the Chiefs; hut was the only one that hadn’t been burned on the regular. His Dad was very attentive towards his house.

His Dad’s face was set and shoulders hunched, a remnant from earlier when he had been awkwardly tending to his own meal.

Hiccup’s own face was slightly sour. He was still mad at his Dad for… everything.

Both Hiccup and Stoick ignored the sound of clattering dishes in the background.

Stoick grumbled as Hiccup’s expression turned just a bit scowlier, sitting in his large wooden chair which sometimes seemed yet as if it couldn’t hold every bit of him, across the fire pit from Hiccup, who had a bowl in his lap and was sitting in quite the hunched manner, “You like the… Delivery girl.”

“You know her?” Hiccup asked nervously, pulling at his tunic collar.

Stoick shifted, his brown fur cloak spilling over the arms of his chair.

“He has the lass come up here and clean around sometimes!” Gobber said, rifling around in one of the chests lining the wall, the horns of his helmet clattering against mounted shields and other sharp weapons and he turned carelessly, arms wide,

“What?!” Hiccup asked, voice pitch nearly at a screech.

He was scared immediately that you’d seen smoke things you shouldn't've. What had you seen?

Hiccup took a moment to pause and bring his voice down, maybe a bit deeper than it needed to be, even as his heart rate picked up.

“If you want ‘er, Ye need tae sweep her off her feet!” Gobber clapped Hiccup hard on the place shoulder met back, causing Hiccup to stumble forward as the big man swept his other arm outwards.

He grimaced.

He’d already been doing a good amount of sweeping. He doubted anyone would take well to being accosted in the way Gobber described. What did Gobber know about women, anyways?

He should put on his red tunic, though.

Hiccup was very attracted to that idea.

Oh, Gods, he really hoped you hadn’t seen too much.

“...Hey,” Hiccup said, looking at you, as always, basket in hand. A woven one this time, made of long grasses that brushed and scraped along the sides of your skirt.

He was sort of impressed with himself, and the fact that he hadn’t fumbled over anything at all yet.

You weren’t looking him in the eye at all, which meant he had definitely totally completely messed up.

“Hi,” You responded, voice pitched so he could tell you were nearly squeaking.

It only took a few days. That might have been to the effect of all the stuff he’d dumped in it, too.

The Flightmare left tracks, and from what little he could salvage- the spare scale, which was nearly translucent upon detachment, and some slime he picked up from some of the more plant-like dragons, he ended up being able to speed up the growth 

He’d… Nabbed some of Fishlegs’ notes for that. He wouldn’t mind. Hopefully.

Hiccup had lent him Toothless for the day, after all, albeit with more grump than was probably appropriate. 

The dragon seemed alright with it, too, ready to show off his tail, a sparking nadder blue, his replacement after the red one had been ripped back on Fireworm island.

Hiccup palmed the vial in his pocket, “I, ah…”

As an apology, he’d found someone willing to bring in some rose bushes. It took a lot, but it was worth it. For you, that was. He got some others in on it, though of course he never told them why. They didn’t have the bushes yet, but soon.

For the person you were, to him, even if you didn’t get it yet.

And he’d done something else, too.

He was going to try surprising you with it. Or not. 

He was worried he might scare you off.

“Sorry,” He started, “About my Dad. He’s just-Well, he’s…”

You shrugged balefully, “I get it? I’m not-...”

“Right,” Hiccup nodded, “Yeah, okay.”

It was silent for a few long moments.

You were both standing by the bridge out into the forest, the clear ends around it lined by trees, freshly planted.

At this point, the two of you had to have been experts in deciphering stutters and half-spoken words.

He could kill a large dragon and win over Astrid, but he couldn’t talk to you at all. He didn’t have the courage. Or, maybe it wasn’t about courage.

Hiccup wasn’t afraid. He wasn’t shy. 

He did stupid things all the time.

There was just something about you, or maybe something about him, that kept most things from coming out right. That made him just a little bit nervous. 

“I-well, I wanted to say sorry. Would you be fine following me for a bit?”

You paused for a second

“Just… Come on,” He said, somewhat hesitantly. He was sure by then his face was blotchy with flush, “It’s in the woods. Is that…?”

You nodded.

Hiccup held in a sigh of relief, “Alright. Well, then…”

Back in the village, it looked like a few vikings had taken to terraforming Berk, though you had no idea why. 

You weren’t sure where Toothless was. Probably… Off, 

Maybe they were inspired, you had no clue. Something about bushes or brushes or something and house paint.

You nearly tripped over a particularly large, gnarled root as you moved past Hiccup, holding aside a branch with leaves, half expecting to get murdered, or something. That’s what he brought you out into the woods for, right?

This was a particularly dark part of the forest, packed with leaves and moss in a way no spot on Berk had been before the Red Death had been defeated, with all the dragons burning most of everything down. 

It had already been darkening by the time Hiccup had asked you to follow, and though Hiccup had long since ceased to weird you out at all, the thoughts came unbidden.

You took a few steps forwards, shuffling slightly, looking around at the world, washed over with a blue filter, and at the vines crawling up the trees, before you paused, taking notice of a light, bright and gentle and nearly not there glowing against mottled bark.

You looked down, and then your eyes widened slightly.

You weren’t sure how you missed it, but below, there was a pool.

You stared down at it, glowing and dark under the canopy of the leaves above.

“So, what do you think?”

You heard Hiccup asked from behind you, his own boot and prosthetic shuffling against packed, fallen leaves and damp mulch.

Your face felt hot in a tingling, bright way as you stared down into the slowly moving water.

Was this all from the Flightmare?

It was something you might’ve seen in the news in the foreseen future, the same type of glow you’d see lurking inside a glow stick.

“Oh,” You said. You’d heard about it and you were sure all of the glowing algae had been washed out to sea. 

“I was hoping you’d like it,” Hiccup said hesitantly, “Do you?”

Your heart felt like it was on fire too, in the way that it only could when butterflies and bugs and other flighty, flippant nerve things were preening around in your organs.

Maybe Hiccup did like you, after all.

“Wow,” You stumbled forwards a few more feet until you were overlooking a small dirt ledge which had to be at least a yard tall, held together by roots and sticks and other dead plants. 

It overlooked the rest of the pond by a little bit, overseeing edges kept aloft in quite a similar fashion, like one of those deep, neverending kinds of pools made of a beautiful blue with no bottom, toeing the line between dangerous and beautiful that most people would only ever lay eyes on in photos. 

In this moment, perhaps heightened by the mood and atmosphere, everything felt a bit softer. You were sure the light of the pool was glittering back through your eyes, chest light and full of wonder and awe.

You said nothing yet, awkwardly turning so that your back hit the sturdy trunk of a large tree, sliding down slowly and displacing moss until you were sitting down against the uneven, steep packed, large roots of a tree, moss tickling your back through your shirt.

You felt like you might slide down into it if you loosened your legs just a bit from where they kept you steady, braced against moss and dirt. 

Small flecks of dirt tumbled down into the pool under them, hitting ferns and the occasional fungus, mushrooms that looked as if they’d just bud, hinting at a similar glow to the bright light of the pool as toes of your boots played a risky game with the dirt ledge over the pond.

“So... A good apology, all things considered?” He prompted. 

You nearly forgot about Hiccup, still standing by the streeline, which was, admittedly, also very close by the water. 

You brought your knees up to your chin, which you rested on top of your elbows, your cheeks feeling warm as you smiled into them, not in the hot way they had been just a moment before, but with a soft feeling that came from deep in your chest, feeling a lot like a crackling fire in the heart or the smell of a warm cup of cocoa, fluffy white marshmallows floating along the top.

You didn’t look over, but the hairs of your neck, which were standing, and a tickling in the corner of your still focused eye told you Hiccup was watching you. 

You wondered what his expression looked like. Was it fond, or goofy, or blank?

Did he feel anything at all at the sight? 

Had he really done this all for you?

The water rippled and the algae grew brighter as it did. There was a light dusting of blue foam across the surface and if you looked ever so slightly you could spot the occasional speck of something swimming around in the water, though you were sure it was too small to be a fish.

A sea monkey? A bug? A glowing speck?

You were certain it was not safe to swim in, but it was unbelievably gorgeous, framed by dipping and swaying ferns in the near complete darkness.

“Yeah,” You said mumbling into your elbow, noticing in your periphery as Hiccup moved forwards to stand by your side, “Yeah, I think so.”

You felt the hesitant dusting of a few fingers against your shoulder before they disappeared, twitching away and displacing the air by your ears, the feel of them there and gone causing all the hairs along your arm and neck to stand on end.

You found yourself tilting your head away from the touch, hiding the bashful flush of your face as Hiccup spoke again, “I also… I got you something else, too.”

You delicately took what was offered by a careful hand and held up the vial, smooth, clean and cool between your fingertips, a liquid inside glowing in a similar fashion to the pool in front of you and the mystical blue-washed world around.

Hiccup definitely wasn’t the type of guy to be able to keep something so clean- everything he had -books, blankets, papers, the occasional crafter compass for trade- they were all smudged by soot or the oil of skin and at the very least slightly folded in corners.

Against all odds, though, there it was. He must’ve taken great care with it.

You looked up at him.

You were sure you’d imagined it, because things like that didn’t happen in reality, and definitely not on the faces turned cartoon and whimsy to real and solid and in full, real life, completely discernable human graphic definition, but that glowing, sparkly feeling you were certain he clouds see plain as day- you felt fresh, believing for just a moment you could see it in his eyes too.

Hiccup’s head was in the clouds, his cheeks buzzing in a pleasant way, traveling up to his ears in a way that almost made him want to rub them, warm and heady and tingling in a way that was slightly ticklish.

His shoulder brushed against yours, your pinky fingers brushing together, slightly hooked, mimicking earlier when his fingers teased your palm in the imitation of a hold as the two of you walked back from the woods.

“Is it fine if we…” Your fingers came together again, the two of you turning to each other once the sound of boots and peg against wood turned into the softer, more muffled sound of weights padding against dirt.

Hiccup didn’t know he had it in him, but it was less an action made by choice and more led by an automatic zone, a feeling for what came next brought on by feeling and comfortability influenced by the ambiance, though that wasn’t to say he himself felt casual about it at all. 

Your hands were slightly shaky.

His heart was rocketing the whole time, blood pumping and beating in his eardrums.

“Separate?” Hiccup finished as you glanced off towards the darkened village, resisting the urge to shiver as a cool breeze blew by, fit to match the now dark sky, coming in from the side of him that faced the woods. 

On the other, closer to his back he noticed a very faint yellow light, warm and emanating from where he suspected the stairs to the hall lay, within which the larger half of Berk was most likely pulling together their nightly meal.

“You’ll be… fine?” He asked, breath nearly stuttering as the two of you tilted his head forwards, your foreheads so close they were nearly touching, “You can still- You can have my coat, still.”

“It’s okay,” You said, the focus of your eyes flickering from down by your hands to his face, before your hands separated.

“Thanks,” You said simply, before turning and walking forwards a few feet, a cool breeze causing your skirt to wave.

You glanced back as you left, unsure as if you were subconsciously asking if it was okay for you to leave.

Hiccup thought his legs might give out.

The night breeze was extra cold on Hiccup’s hands and back as he watched you go, though the warm, glowing feeling in his chest remained, moving down into the village, disappearing into the dark maze of alleys and open halls.

He was a night owl, as most of Berk tended to be after years of nightly raids. 

He wouldn’t be sleeping. 

He could work on blueprints for the sewage system. That was a whole project in and of itself. But with the tunnels below the village and all the dragon power they had in Berk, it might’ve just been doable. 

But as he stared out into the still quiet of the empty village, he realized he’d probably just be thinking about you instead.

[local-diavolo-anon]

For fun i am going to give some infos on the ✨️ domestic mermen aus ✨️ i want to draw for mermay

Because why not

Also this is a "the celestial boys x y/n" kind of au

Moon is an halfmoon blue betta fish

Sun is an orange and yellow fancy goldfish

And Eclipse (he is a thing) is a common pleco

The story goes that because of an error of a new employee in a fish shop, Moon and Sun ended up in the same tank

Moon instantly tried to fight sun necause who the crap are you and why are you in my home

Sun, being a fancy goldfish, is just a dorky, goofy guy and didn't really got that Moon was trying to throw hands, and tried to befriend him

It kind of worked, surprisingly even to Moon, who realized this new fish was akin to a golden retriever and most definitely not there to fight

Adoption time.png because how have you survived in your own (Moon fully ignored Sun has ever only been around to similarly dorky and goofy fancy goldfishes before who had no fighting instinct whatsoever)

By the time anybody noticed a fancy goldfish was missing from their tank, Moon refused to have anybody take Sun from him

Like, he bit the employees and tried to hide Sun in the rocks (he got l Sun stuck a couple of times as well), and to avoid either of them being hurt, they were labelled as "Sold as a Pair"

Later Sun also tried to whoo Moon, which also worked

This is where Y/N comes into play

They walked in searching for a new betta and found the two clowns right there

Took them both home because why not, their home tank can fit both of them, even if some minor accomodations have to be done

Despite how diffident Moon was at first, with some time he warms up to the dry giant that occasionally brings them food and pets them

No warm up needed for Sun who instantly decided the pets were the best thing ever

Y/N really fucking loves their fishes because despite Moon biting them at every feeding time, they are still extremely cute and funny

At first Y/N thought Moon was bullying Sun or something and were worried, but Sun enjoys being spun around the tank so there is that

Moon also hides in the algae forest and Sun tried to do the same, promptly getting bapped in the face by Moon each time in a whack the mole kind of show

Later Y/N got then two separate tanks connected by a tube so each of them got their own spaces and habitats

Moon fits in the tube, Sun is too chonky and can't get in there, this is on purpose so he doesn't end up stuck in the many decorations Moon's tank has

This is where Y/N also got Ecplise

He lives in both tanks and being a Pleco, cleans around the glass

Neither Sun or Moon are that friends with him because he is a weirdo and licks the rocks

He ain't evil or anything, he is just weird

and being way bigger than either of them, Moon never tried to throw hands only once and failed because Eclipse was just that big

[raintailed]

Thinkin about those pipe-cleaning slugs that Moon talks about...

The pipe-cleaner slugs were essentially a "first draft" for piperats and are, in a way, their predecessors.

They were created very early on in the history of bio-engineering. At the time there wasn't advanced simulation technology like what iterators have, so the only real way to test a draft for a purposed organism was to create the organisms and study them.

The pipe-cleaner slugs worked well for clearing biofilm from the insides of pipes, but the problem is that pipe-cleaning requires more than just scraping off layers of microorganisms. The slugs were unsuitable for addressing things like roots growing into pipes, objects lodged inside pipes, etc. They also weren't too good at navigating and reproduced quickly, resulting in the slugs colonizing pipes and needing to be cleaned out themselves!

And so, the pipe-cleaner slug plans were redesigned into a completely new creature, which was more versatile and far more intelligent: piperats.

The original draft for pipe-cleaner slugs weren't completely scrapped, however. The blueprints were later refined into a new species: snails. The snails are designed to not only eat algae/biofilms/lichen, but also barnacle-like organisms and rock/metal debris. Snails' shells repurpose the calcium and metals from their diet. Also, snails have remained largely unchanged since they were created, although there are some new species that have evolved since then.

Tldr: the pipe-cleaner slugs were a first draft for piperats. The original blueprints were later reworked into snails.

[darkness-and-lavender]

Cycle 4- A Loser Doesn’t Need An Encore

Knelt upon a well-worn, grey wool mat on the cold stone floor and welding a few metal pieces to her friend’s moped was Veronika. Her tired faint green eyes behind her amber goggles were locked in focus, oblivious to her cluttered basement room of the castle and all goings on beyond its aged grey brick walls.  

 The majority of the room’s light came from Veronika’s goggles and the sparks that shot every which way from her torch. The four semi-circle windows atop the walls had cracked plastic blinds before them that let in minute daylight. Like everything else in the room, the sun bleached, blue blinds had collected many layers of dust and hadn’t seen a cleaning since before the war.

 Many mechanical projects Veronika had worked on and other projects she planned to surely continue surrounded her workspace, each covered in a dusty green tarp. Tools serving various purposes were scattered across her room’s barely visible floor and unmade bed. Dishes with unfinished meals caked upon them coated her floor as well. If not for Veronika’s slithering companion; a tree cobra named Chania, then the room would have surely fallen victim to a rodent infestation.

 Veronika pulled a dirty rag from the side pocket of her forest green leather pants with her free hand and used it to wipe the sweat beads that accumulated atop her pale forehead. Rogue strands of her unkempt, sunrise orange hair had come free from her frizzled mess of a ponytail and stuck to the sides of her freckled face.

 The distraction of her hair caused her to take her eyes off her work for the first time in hours. She gazed upon the wooden shelves on her walls, fully stocked with many trophies and awards she earned in the past, now unceremoniously left to be claimed by dust and webs of long deceased spiders.

 She sighed at the sight and did the best to advert her eyes for if she did not, a tidal wave of memories of times no longer and never would be again would crush her and what little happiness remained inside her.

 Veronika resumed her work, though the memories of the past she couldn’t shake. The times four years ago when she knew little of the Aethren Empire and the continent of Eun as a whole. When her Chief father was a brave, selfless leader and loved his family dearly. When her mother didn’t have to do everything herself and wasn’t obsessed with war. When her older brother Clyde was himself and didn’t put up a false persona. Even if his true self was a little on the mad side, she loved him nonetheless.

 Her Isle home of Harrow had become a strange land full of new and foreign buildings and people from the Empire, replacing those and everything else that was lost.

 Tears had begun to collect at the bottom of her goggles, she hadn’t noticed she’d been crying.

 A warm, familiar sensation of slithering scales she felt against her backside, a second later Chania stuck her little head out the thick, oversized sleeve of Veronika’s algae green, striped turtleneck. Her little golden serpent eyes looked up at her owner in concern.

 Veronika clicked off her blowtorch and turned her attention to her dear snake. 

 “Oh Chania, sometimes I feel it’s only you who gets me…” Veronika gingerly stroked her head with a finger. The light from her goggles lit up the deep green, gold and black scales upon Chania’s head.

 Chania’s extended herself into the touch, her night black, forked tongue tasting the room’s stagnant air.

 Veronika smiled weakly at her. “Maybe you’re right, maybe I could use a break”.

 She pulled her goggles down to her neck, removed her leather mechanic gloves and tossed them on top a pile of dirty laundry not far from her. Chania crawled out her sleeve and burrowed into the pile.

 Veronika had always found it unique that Chania preferred burrowing herself instead of slithering all over her shelves. Tree Cobras were arboreal creatures after all.

 Carefully, Veronika rested her head against the laundry to not disturb Chania and retrieved her phone from her pants pocket. The artificial light given off by the screen caused her to squint.

 A few unread messages from her mother and Clyde flashed on the screen, her undivided attention on her work must have made her unaware when the phone buzzed. It was far from the first time she was oblivious to her phone and her friends and family had gotten familiar to her tardiness at responding.        

Sent 2 hours ago

Mom: Hey Roni, going to Rain’s

Sent 2 hours ago

Mom: Feel free to drop in if you want. I’m sure Suvi can use the company.

 Oh, right, something had happened with Suvi. Veronika remembered Clyde had spoken of something about it to her earlier before he went out, but now she couldn’t by the life of her recall what was said.

 She decided to not reply to her mother, seeing how the texts were already two hours old.

 …And totally not because she couldn’t handle knowing more about the reality outside of her bedroom.

 Veronika clicked the next message, sent by her brother.

Sent 26 minutes ago

Clyde: hey, heading to donnes to pick you up supper for i am certain youve not eaten

Sent 23 minutes ago

Clyde: i assume you’re at home?

 Veronika quickly replied

Veronika: yes! im sorry for keeping you waiting! thank you! <3

 Clyde was too nice to her. She felt like she was deep in his debt already for every meal he bought, for every part he retrieved for her for her projects and for all the times he’s stood up for her towards their father who only seemed to notice her when he needed someone to poke fun at.   

 Clyde’s constant reminders to her not to sweat the petty things and to not pet the sweaty things had never helped lessen the guilt.

 She snapped her phone shut and placed it beside her. Her eyes had become heavier with fatigue. Perhaps she could sneak in a swift nap before her brother’s arrival.

 Veronika turned on her side and let herself fall into slumber.

___

 Clonk! Clonk! Clonk!

 Veronika’s eyes darted opened from the sound that torn her from her sleep.

 “Y-Yes? Clyde, is that you?”

 “Indeed it is” She heard her brother’s deep voice from behind the door. It was honestly his most masculine feature.

 She removed the sleeping Chania that she just now noticed upon her stomach and put her onto the laundry pile before she rose to her feet.

 “Come in! It’s unlocked!”

 Clyde entered the room, a white plastic bag with the Donnes logo in each hand.

 Wow did he look a mess! All the black makeup that he spent at least thirty minutes every morning applying with great precision had turned to dark rivers upon his cheeks and chin. His hair was a frizzled disaster, but still nowhere as bad as hers.

 The heavy scent of whiskey that waft off his figure didn’t surprise Veronika whatsoever, nor did it bother her. She knew about his alcoholic immunity.

 Clyde placed a bag upon the nearest table that wasn’t entirely cluttered.

 “They really didn’t have a lot in stock this time of night, at least not in the lines of healthy eats.”

 Veronika peered into the bag on the table. In it there was a medium sized Styrofoam container, labelled as Deep fried haggis sticks with chips & mild Gajahian spiced sauce. Next to it was a half-litre bottle of orange soda and two deep fried peanut butter and chocolate bars in semi-transparent parchment paper, one of the guiltiest of all her pleasures.

 She returned her gaze to her brother 

 “Thank you again for all of this…”

 Her eyes drifted towards the bag that remained in Clyde’s hand, it contained only a six pack of stout.

 “Did you already eat, Clyde?”

 Clyde shook his head.

 “’Haven’t had the appetite. It was another one of those meetings.”

 “Ahh… What exactly happened?” She glanced at the floor, feeling anxious she even had to ask something she should have already known.

 Clyde sighed, his expression had fallen to melancholy. Veronika attempted to inform him he did not need to say anything if it bothered him, but he spoke first.

 “You remember Sean, right? A close friend to Suvi, ‘had been here a few times dropping off supplies under father’s nose.”

 She couldn’t honestly recall him, but remained silent.

 Clyde continued “He was murdered in some sick act plotted by the occupation. Suvi was arrested too, but Kuunya apparently killed a few soldiers to free her”

 She swore she saw a rumour of a smile upon his face after the last sentence.

 “So again, father dragged me to another meeting where Olivius and his bellend cronies shifted all responsibilities of Sean’s murder off of themselves. Same song, different verse, as always.”

 Veronika felt she shouldn’t have asked. No matter how bad the situation in Harrow was, it seemed to always find a way to worsen. She would have lost her appetite too if she hadn’t gone all day without eating.

 “A-Are Suvi and Kuunya alright, at least?”

 Clyde nodded “Physically. Olivius plans to trial them both. If Rain and Mum have any say in that, then I strongly doubt it’ll happen anytime soon.”

 She cupped her face in her hands, a sign to Clyde that she wanted to hear no more. Clyde approached her and placed a hand softly upon her shoulder. She would lean into him.

 “D-Do you think everything will soon reach the tipping point? Mum grows angrier every night, Rain will too after what’s all happened, and Dad is…”

 “At an Imperial brothel, again.” Clyde interrupted, wiping a tear from Veronika’s eye.

 Veronika let out a muffled groan. She knew that would do the opposite to quell her mother’s rage.       

 “I however, would like to believe we’ve approached the tipping point. None of us can live any longer under this occupation.”

 That was not the answer Veronika wanted to hear but should have expected. She did not want any more conflict. She couldn’t bear to see another familiar face buried. She felt herself grow faint and Clyde noticed it too. He sat her down gingerly at the table.

 “I’ll leave you to your supper. You’ll be okay though, right?”

 Veronika nodded slowly and took a sip from her soda.        

 Clyde ventured back towards the door and glanced back to her one last time.

 “Tha gaol agam ort, a phiuthar.”

 Veronika smiled faintly and with that, he exited.

___

 It had been nearly an hour since Veronika had begun her meal. She had always been a slow eater no matter how hungry she was. Chania rested at the other end of the table, her three foot long body comfortably coiled. Veronika fed her earlier in the day so she knew she wasn’t hungry.

 Veronika leaned back in her chair, her eyes stared blankly at the wooden beams in her ceiling. She had been deep within her thoughts, what Clyde had told her about her pseudo-siblings, about Sean and about the tipping point being reached repeated like a broken record in her mind.         

 “Even if Harrow’s entire population rebelled against the Empire would it be enough? How long would we be able to hold out for? Would we have any allies? Would any of us survive?”

 Would the project she had been working on in the garage under her room in secret from her family even amount to anything at this point? Would it even help if an uprising occurred?

 She melted off her chair onto the floor, her expression heavy with anxiety.

 “Chania, did I do it again? Did I start another project just to have it inevitably blow up in my face? Am I forever an eejit?”

 Chania slithered off the table and crawled up to Veronika’s side. She tilted her little snakey head in question.

 Veronika turned her head to face her “You can’t fly a jet, can you girl?”

 To this, Chania just flicked her tongue.

 “I guess that makes two of us” Veronika sighed and crawled over to where she had been adding the finishing touches to Kuunya’s moped.

 She reequipped her goggles and gloves, grabbed a can of black spray paint and continued her work on the moped. Perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to stay in blissful ignorance for a little while longer. 

End Cycle 4

[cl0ckworkpuppet]

ranking things the zoo guests do/say/ask on a regular basis

for context, i work at a zoo, and people are fucking insane

"can we pet them?": 3/10. no, you can't. the signs say you can't. but I commend you for asking. If you ask after you've already pet one, though, -8/10. do better.

"i think there's a nursery rhyme about the kookaburra!": 5/10. cool trivia fact! if you actually start singing it, though, 1/10. cool you actually know it, but please stop

"garfunkel, huh? where's simon?": -10000/10. You Suck. I hate when people ask me this and I hate them personally. Because of this job I now have a vendetta against Simon and Garfunkel.

(starts playing kookaburra noises on their phone speaker): 2/10. clever, but annoying. also, doesn't work if you're trying to get them to make noise. they only laugh when no one is watching them.

"well, one of 'em over there let me pet 'em just fine!": -6/10. you did not have to tell me you did that. and just by that description, i know it was garfunkel, who is usually resting because He Is Overheated. animals laying down is not an open invitation to come pet them.

"i was just taking pictures!": 0/10. you can take pictures from the designated guest path. Stay On It.

"can we pet the swans?": just for this question specifically, -16/10. are you fucking kidding me? can you pet the swans? ask me that question again but slowly.

"garfunkel?? they need to get some spaghetti, cuz that's not quite italian enough!": 10000/10. i've only ever heard this once, and it was today from a 13 year old, but I genuinely had to stop myself from bursting out laughing on the job

"are the emus friendly?": 4/10. Australia lost a war to them for a reason.

"why aren't the animals in cages?": -5/10. first of all, we don't cage animals, we keep them in habitats. second of all, this is the Australia Walkabout. Where you Walk About with the Australian animals. You came in here for that exact purpose.

"i don't like birds": -7/10. not because you're afraid, birds are a totally normal thing to dislike. i'm just baffled why you came into an enclosure full of many many free roaming birds if you are afraid of them

"why is the swan pond so dirty?": 1/10. first of all, that is algae, and in small amounts it's not bad at all. it's pretty natural, especially for a giant pond directly in the sun. but more importantly, it is hundreds of gallons, and we cannot put chlorine in it, and it is not feasible to clean every day. we do clean it multiple times a week, but it gets especially bad after storms or heavy rain

"will the budgies poop on me?": 7/10. valid concern, actually. budgies shit every 10-15 minutes. maybe. i've had it happen plenty of times before to guests and especially myself. to answer their question, you'll only get pooped on if you stand directly under them. they don't shit while flying so ur good

"can my child ride the [emu/wallaby/giraffe]?": -284/10. i don't know what kind of cocaine you need to be on to ask me this question seriously, or especially to expect the answer to be yes, but even as a joke this question isn't funny. if i had a nickel for every time i was asked this question, i'd have a quarter

"will the giraffes bite me if i feed them?": 8/10. no, they physically can't. nor do they want to. but it's a valid question; they're pretty big animals to be feeding so carelessly. you'll probably get licked though

(does an australian accent): just because it barely ever happens, 8/10. you'd think it'd happen more often, but no. i've only ever got it a couple times. i rank it so high because hearing these guys try and fail to do an accent makes me laugh so hard

"are you a farmer?": 9999/10. little kids ask me this question when they see my safari hat. makes my day every time.

"are these kangaroos?": 5/10. on one hand, fine. not everyone knows the difference between kangaroos and wallabies. since wallabies are like a quarter of the size of roos, they're often mistakenly called baby kangaroos. plus they're in the same family and look very similar. on the other hand, do you honestly think we'd be stupid enough to put actual fucking kangaroos in with guests walking around freely without an enclosure? be for real

"do these wallabies have pouches?": 3/10. fine question, but these guys have comically large balls

"is that wallaby dead?": 4/10. no, that's garfunkel. he sleeps all the time. i promise he's ok.

"can we pet the budgies?": 2/10. you're welcome to try, but even i can't get them on a seed stick let alone touch them

"can we grab the budgies out of the air?": -999999999/10. Explode.

"don't you hate how the animals are treated in zoos?": -999999/10. you are not the PETA warrior you think you are. when executed properly, they can be really good for the animals inside of them. natural does not necessarily mean good, nor does unnatural necessarily mean bad. that's called a Logical Fallacy. some of these animals Cannot Be Released. please do any amount of research on zoos and aquariums that are not seaworld or the once in a while shitshows

"what year do you graduate high school?": -infinity/10. i am in College.

"when i was younger, budgie feeding was one dollar each, not two!": -18/10. that was in 1943, grandma. plus i'm just some guy. what do you want me to do about that?

"can i have a seed stick for free?": if you're an adult, -10/10. No. if you're a child, 10/10. No (wink and passes under table).

"can you break a hundred?": -100/10. No.

"i like your hat": 10/10. thank you! i like yours too!

"that's a cool pin you have!": 10000/10. my pins are all pronouns and trans flags. i love you.

(sees me cleaning the budgie aviary) (looks at their kid) "See that man in there? If you don't behave, I'll force you to have his job.": -infinity plus one/10. First of all, fuck you for shitting on janitorial positions. I'm sure you would prefer to not step in bird shit. Second of all, I'm not a janitor. Third of all, fuck you for getting your child to behave using fear tactics and threats. Fourth of all, I love my job. I tell these kids and parents straight up to their face that I do. That this isn't everything I have to do in my job. Some parts might be dirty, but that's okay, and no one's job is ever something to be laughed at. One kid told their parent after I told them everything I get to do in my job that they actually want my job when they grow up. That parent was furious. Good. Fuck you, Karen, for shitting on workers that only help make your experience more enjoyable. I've only gotten this three times, thank god, but holy shit. The entitlement of these people is fucking insane

anyway i might think of more later

[spookyshipperfics]

Unprofessional

Find it: a03 / Fandom: The X-Files / Rating: Explicit

Part of the Do You Like Scary Movies? series

Tagging @today-in-fic

What is it About? Scully isn't happy when a case sends them to a New Orleans swamp. She's even less thrilled when a local tour guide gets the hots for Mulder and invites him to dinner.

Read a Sample: A woman’s arm had been discovered on the outskirts of a campground. Scully suggested an alligator attack; Mulder rambled about folkloric legends. She ordered the nearby swamp to be dredged while Mulder sought the expertise of a local tour guide with a pretty face and a southern twang. Marybeth ran a haunted boat tour, and Scully suffered through eye-rolling tales. Somehow a man who haunted the swamps and killed anyone unlucky enough to enter his vague supernatural territory became their top suspect. When Marybeth mentioned an old, spooky cabin, Scully’s eyes narrowed. Mulder’s widened.

Mulder was her constant opposite. What fascinated him only annoyed her. What sent him barreling ahead had her gripping a crumbling surface. In some twisted way, it worked for them—or it usually did. Things got messy when someone else stepped into their universe, sending their tight, little world tipping on its axis. Scully watched Marybeth touch Mulder’s arm, fingers closing around his forearm as they hunched over a map. It was Dr. Berenbaum all over again. The laughing. The looks. Suddenly Bambi didn’t seem like such a ridiculous name.

“We should discuss this over dinner and drinks later,” Marybeth whispered to her partner. Scully stormed out before she heard Mulder’s response.

She hadn’t even wanted to come to Louisianna, never mind a New Orleans forest where trees gave way to algae-covered swamps, and reeds grew as tall as her disdain. Yet, she’d let Mulder drag her. Pull her. Verbally coerce with a boyish smile and puppy dog eyes.

She let it happen again after lunch. Her previous mistake repeated as he led her from the campground, where the trails were overgrown and wild.

“Marybeth says there is a cabin out this way, Scully.”

She could hardly suppress her eye roll, barely bit her tongue. Marybeth had gone home. These neglected trails were apparently no place for pretty tour guides. Scully marched ahead, her heels sinking into the marshy ground. She tried to ignore Mulder’s purposeful lagging the same way she attempted to quell the twisting sensation in her heart.

We should discuss this over dinner and drinks later.

The heat was oppressive. The smell was earthy. She couldn’t hear herself think over the unrelenting orchestra of cicadas. They weren’t dressed for this. Dry-cleaned slacks and silk blouses were laughably unsuitable. She whipped around to find Mulder, suit jack thrown across his shoulder and shirt unbuttoned too low. Scully felt as tight and taut as a rubber band. His pushed-up sleeves revealed toned forearms, and when she thought about Marybeth touching him there, she finally snapped.

“This is pointless, Mulder. We’re getting too far from the crime scene.” She pointed in the direction they’d come. Somewhere, not far, police officers were doing real work. Forensics was sweeping the area, yellow crime scene tape creating a boundary that did not account for supernatural meddling.

“You want to go back?”

Yes, she wanted to go back. She also wanted to scream. “If legend is to be believed, your ghost cabin is ten miles north of here.”

“But Marybeth said—”

Scully scoffed, couldn’t help it. “Mulder, that woman is either mistaken or misleading you.”

“Misleading me? For the purpose of what?”

“Maybe so she has something to discuss over dinner and drinks.” The ending of her sentence was sharp like a razor blade, intended to wound even if she had no real reason to draw blood. They were just partners. He owed her nothing. “What you do on your own time is no business of mine, but when you bring me into it, it becomes unprofessional.”

“This isn’t about Marybeth; this is about the case. So, I think it’s you who is mistaken.”

“Am I, Mulder?” She tossed her hands out to the side. “Because here I am, standing in the middle of some swamp looking for a ghost after watching you and Marybeth batting eyelashes at each other all morning. Like I said, it’s unprofessional.”

“Unprofessional,” he huffed. “You’re the one who’s been borderline rude since we got here.”

She’d been caught. Defeated. Her envy was on full display. Mulder grabbed her shoulder, rooting her in place before she could run.

“What’s going on?”

His arm dropped, but his voice was like a chain, his question a shackle. Her feet felt as heavy as her pounding heart.

“It’s nothing,” she insisted.

“Come on, Scully. What is it?”

His iron hold burnt her skin. The invisible chain between them clanged and rattled. She wanted to pull him closer but knew she couldn’t. The FBI forbade it. Her own stupid heart forbade it, too. “It’s nothing,” she repeated, this time louder.

“You’re lying.”

Suddenly, she hoped this ghost would appear, that he’d yank her into the water and far away from Mulder’s prying eyes. His gaze pierced her shell. It grated and tore at her cold exterior.

Her fists clenched in defiance as he took a step closer. “Why are you lying to me, Scully? What’s going on?”

“I’m jealous,” she practically yelled. Her cheeks burned, and her skin burst into flames. She couldn’t hold his stare any longer. It’s why she didn’t realize he’d approached until he was already there.

The tilt of her head was met by the crash of his mouth. It wasn’t gentle. It wasn’t sweet. And when he pulled back to gauge her reaction, she closed the distance. Her mouth found his again, her tongue making up for all the complicated, messy feelings she couldn’t say out loud.

Find the rest on a03

[dearrrabbit]

medkit

“what do you think you’re doing?”

steve straightens up like he’s been burned, his posture almost comedically guilty with a nervous smile and his hands clasped behind his back. he immediately begins to voice his warbly reassurances, “what..? what, c’mon babe, nothing, chill!”

but quentin is unmoved by these. he is unflinching, decked in a caked-on layer of swamp mud and hair plastered to his face ( courtesy of the pig, who’s pounce he had veered into the mud puddle to avoid.), and steve is a little scared of the stolen medkit clutched tightly in his clean, thieving hands. quentin crosses his arms across his chest, and steve crumbles like a can in the deep sea. 

“i picked up your medkit.” he says in one breath, “listen, quentin, light of my life, apple of my eye.. “  “thief!” quentin whisper-shrieks, “you’re a fucking thief!”  “you weren’t using it,” steve bargains desperately, “i was, um, i was just ensuring that feng didn’t take it!” 

feng, from her spot on the nearby generator makes an indignant noise. quentin scoffs, an irritable twitch in his eye starting up as he really surveys his boyfriend, untouched by the mud and swamp-water, unmussed, even. his annoyingly white polo shirt and khakis. his gelled hair. his scowl turned into a slight smirk, and he edges closer. 

“so, you’ll give it back, right? now that i’m here?” quentin presses, and steve chuckles, sensing some shift in quentin, on higher alert as he gets closer. 

“well. i could hold onto it for you..” he hedges, and suddenly quentin is two inches from his face, taking advantage of the ramp’s height difference to slot himself ever so slightly above steve. steve lets out a nervous giggle despite having been dating him for months. 

“no. i don’t think you will.” he states plainly, and before steve can roll his eyes and huff, quentin grabs him by the pressed collar and kisses him. 

there’s algae sliding down his cheek and he knows he’s won when steve makes an affronted squawk right into his mouth, flailing and letting the medkit clatter to the ground. their fronts press together and steve makes another structureless noise, and flails his hand again, not sure where to place it. 

he pulls away and even though steve’s got that starry-eyed, just-kissed look he always gets, he’s scrunched his nose up,  “fucking ew, quentin!” 

quentin snickers, stooping to grab the medkit and offering a not-so-apologetic grin. “jeez, prissy-pants.” 

“you did that on purpose!” steve splutters, scrubbing his mouth and trying to paw off the sludge to no avail. “i just got these, thanks a fucking lot, man.” 

he slinks over to the generator, where feng’s breathing through her nose, attempting not to laugh and encourage their antics as she finishes twisting the wires together. quentin perches his medkit atop the generator panel, and crouches down to get to work too, listening to steve grumble and not feeling even a little bad. like at all. 

“hate you.” quentin nudges him. “say it back, don’t break my heart.” 

“love you too.” steve softens around the edges, melting like the sap he is. “asshole.” 

[how-to-clean-water-tank]

How To Clean Water Tank

Introduction:

Clean water tanks is important yet we should often keep on maintaining the water and we should ensure the quality of water is suitable for drinking water and daily purposes . In this comprehensive guide let us discuss about What is water tank cleaning , its essential and its importance.

What Is Water Tank Cleaning service?

It refers of hiring the professionals who cleans water tanks bythe process of removing mud, dirt, sediments, algae, bacteria everything from water storage tanks. These tanks can be found in residential buildings, commercial buildings, factories, So it is essential to ensure the water they store which remains pure and safe for consumption.

Why Is Water Tank Cleaning Important?

1 Water Quality:-

Over the period of time without cleaning the tanks , the water stored in it will be getting contaminated with mud, dirt, bacteria, etc. Which in return makes the water quality poor and makes the drinking water foul taste

2. Health Concerns:-

Waterborne diseases like cholera and typhoid can be caused by consuming contaminated water which has algae , bacteria etc. Well, Regular cleaning helps to prevent these health risks.

3. Efficient Water Flow:=-

Clean tanks ensure efficient water flow and adequate pressure in pipelines, preventing plumbing issues and water wastage.

4. Tank Longevity:-

Regular maintenance, including cleaning, can extend the lifespan of water tanks, saving you money on repairs and replacements.

What is Water Tank Cleaning Process:

The process of cleaning a water tank involves the following steps:

1. Draining: The tank is emptied of all water to start access the cleaning process

2. Scrubbing: The side walls of the tank are scrubbed to remove dirt. This can be done manually or with the help of scrubber.

3. Disinfection: After cleaning, the net step is to disinfectant the tank to kill the remaining bacteria or algae. This is usually done using correct chlorine levels or other chemical disinfections.

4. Rinsing: The tank is thoroughly rinsed to remove any traces of cleaning agents or disinfectants.

5. Refilling: Finally, the tank is refilled with clean water.

What is Water Tank Cleaning machine:

The machines used in cleaning water are

Submersible Pump

Pressure Washer

Scrubber

Vacuum Cleaner

UV light

Frequency of Water Tank Cleaning:

The frequency of cleaning your water tank depends on several factors like the capacity of the tank, the quality of the water source,. In general, residential tanks should be cleaned at least once a year, while commercial and industrial tanks may require more often cleaning.

How to clean water tank at home easily:

Empty the water tank

hard brush the side walls of the tank

take out all the dirt from the tank with vacuum cleaner

wash the tank with the clean water

leave it to dry

How to clean water tank without removing water:

Add vinegar to the water which helps to remove the algae and bacteria.

Professional vs. DIY Cleaning:

While some homeowners attempt to clean their water tanks themselves, Which is quiet risky ,it's often safer and more effective to hire professionals. Professional cleaning services have the expertise, equipment, and materials necessary to ensure a safely dispose of liquid waste and unclean water by giving proper water treatment

Conclusion:

In summary, cleaning of water tank is an essential process that ensures the quality, safety, and efficiency of your water tank. Regular cleaning helps maintain clean and healthy water, prevents waterborne diseases, and to increase the lifespan of your water storage tank. Whether you have a small residential tank or a large industrial one, prioritizing cleaning of water tank is a responsible choice that benefits both your health and the environment.

For professional cleaning services in Bengaluru, you can get a free Quote on B Tank Cleaning Services. We offer modern solutions to keep your water tanks clean and your water supply safe. Don't hesitate to contact us for expert assistance in maintaining a healthy water supply for your home or business.

[cristal-night]

vamos a conocer un poco más acerca de Atlas! como ya sabrán atlas es el dueño de la tienda de accesorios que queda en la plaza principal de shadowland, el es conocido por ser un chico muy relajado, el no suele enojarse o preocuparse por cosas innecesarias, se podría decir que vive a su propio ritmo, también es conocido por ser un poco perezoso, él no hará algo si no está motivado a hacerlo, su comida favorita son las algas, usualmente suele acompañarlas con un poco de arroz frito la gran mayoría de accesorios que ves su tienda son hechas a mano por él, hay algunas veces en que los habitantes de shadowlan le regalan a atlas accesorios ya no usa, ya sea por que están malos o simplemente ya no les gustan, atlas va a limpiar, reparar y vender estos accesorios por un precio menor, a veces su ritmo de trabajo puede ser un poco lento, otras veces será rápido, eso dependerá de qué tan motivado este atlas como tal no tiene una casa, se podría decir que es una persona sin hogar, normalmente suele vivir en carpas, para ser más específicos, el posee tres carpas, una donde vende sus accesorios, otra donde los hace y otra en donde duerme y pasa su tiempo libre (aunque es bien conocido que algunas veces atlas suele tomar siestas en sus otras dos carpas) atlas tiene una pequeña obsesión con la limpieza, detesta la suciedad, su obsesión por limpiar es lo único que puede derrotar su pereza, es por esto que el suele ser voluntario en una empresa que se encarga de limpiar los espacios públicos de shadowland, si el llega a ver a una persona ensuciar el espacio público a propósito, él le tirara un baldado de agua a esa persona y mejor ni te cuento lo que le pasaría a alguien si se atreven a ensuciar sus carpas pese a ser un poco perezoso, el normalmente suele ayudar a sus vecinos en caso de necesitar algún tipo de ayuda, como por ejemplo reparar cosas, hacer algún tipo de instalación o llevar cosas como bolsas etc, normalmente el es el que ofrece la ayuda (English) Let's get to know a little more about Atlas! As you already know, Atlas is the owner of the accessories store that is in the main square of Shadowland, he is known for being a very relaxed boy, he doesn't usually get angry or worry about unnecessary things, it could be said that he lives at his own pace , he is also known for being a bit lazy, he won't do something if he's not motivated to do it, his favorite food is seaweed, usually accompanied by some fried rice the vast majority of accessories that you see in his store are handmade by him, there are times when the inhabitants of shadowlan give atlas accessories that they no longer uses, either because they are bad or they simply don't like them anymore, atlas is going to clean, repair and sell these accessories for a lower price, sometimes his work pace can be a bit slow, other times it will be fast, that will depend on how motivated he is Atlas as such does not have a house, it could be said that he is a homeless person, he usually lives in tents, to be more specific, he owns three tents, one where he sells his accessories, another where he makes them and another where he sleeps and spends his free time (although it is well known that atlas sometimes takes naps in his other two tents) Atlas has a small obsession with cleaning, he hates dirt, his obsession with cleaning is the only thing that can defeat his laziness, which is why he usually volunteers in a company that is responsible for cleaning public spaces in Shadowland, if He gets to see a person dirty the public space on purpose, he will throw a bucket of water at that person and I better not even tell you what would happen to someone if they dare to dirty his tents Despite being a bit lazy, he usually helps his neighbors in case they need some kind of help, such as repairing things, doing some kind of installation or carrying things like bags, etc., usually he is the one who offers the help.

[rochecleaningsolutions]

Keep Your House Looking Great With Professional Pressure Cleaning Doncaster

You have a beautiful house with great surroundings but if you want to keep them clean you need to invest in professional pressure cleaning Doncaster services. The service includes everything from concrete driveways, pathways and patios, to roof moss removal and applying a roof tile sealer. These are some of the most important maintenance jobs you can do to keep your home in good condition.

Moss removal is important for the health of your roof. This is especially true if you have a tree-covered roof. The moss that forms on these roofs can affect the structural integrity of the roof. It can also lead to decay and cousin mold. If you are having a difficult time removing the moss, you may want to consider hiring a professional.

Moss is not an easy thing to remove from your roof. There are a number of methods you can use, including the traditional hose, power washing and chemical solutions. However, the most effective way to remove moss is to hire a professional.

The average cost of roof moss removal is $1,200 for a 1,700-square-foot roof. This includes labor, chemical solution and protective gear. To reduce the risk of injury, use a low-pressure sprayer instead of a high-pressure one. You can also buy readymade cleaners for this purpose.

You can also apply a mixture of bleach and water to kill moss. The best combination is 50% bleach and 50% water. Apply this solution to your roof, and leave it on for 20 minutes. Rinse with a garden hose.

If you don't have a garden hose, you can purchase a pump sprayer. This will allow you to use a hose to spray the bleach and water mix on your roof.

If your driveway, pathway or patio is looking a little shabby, you might be able to restore its appearance by pressure cleaning it. However, you should take caution when using the equipment. In order to avoid damaging the concrete, you should follow these tips.

Start by removing all loose dirt and debris from the surface. Then, start at the highest point of your drive. Next, work your way from side to side. Once you've reached the farthest section of your drive, switch to a high-pressure nozzle.

Make sure you have all the necessary safety equipment before you start. You should wear protective gloves, masks and clothing. Also, make sure you cover any plants and windows.

When you begin to spray, hold the nozzle at least one foot from the surface. Make sure that the water flow is directed away from your work area.

For most cleaning tasks, you'll want a power washer with a pressure rating of around 3000 psi. Higher pressure may be needed to remove tough contaminants.

A pressure washer makes concrete cleaning much easier. It also allows you to clean faster. Before you begin, read the user manual for your machine.

Depending on the type of concrete you have, you can use different methods to clean it. There are various ways to remove stains from concrete, including bleach, water, detergent, and muriatic acid.

A roof tile sealer is a very important part of keeping your roof clean. It can help prevent damp penetration and further organic growth. This makes it easier for you to keep your roof looking its best, and can also protect against heat transfer.

A tiled roof is very vulnerable to moss and algae. They're a perfect habitat for these pests. When left untreated, a mossy roof can cause serious damage to the structure. In addition, the presence of moss can detract from the value of your property.

A good roof is crucial to a building's safety. When it is damaged, it can be very expensive to repair. For this reason, it is important to clean it regularly. The last thing you want is for a leak to happen, which could end up causing costly interior repairs.

Roof repairs are not only an affordable way to extend the life of your roof, but they're also much less disruptive to your life than replacing the entire thing. If your roof has been damaged, you can start repairs right away.

Luckily, there are companies that offer professional roof cleaning services. These companies can inspect your roof for damage, and use special equipment to get rid of lichen, moss, and other debris. To know more about Professional Pressure Cleaning, visit the Roche Cleaning Solutions website or call 0415615170.

[pureverwatertanks]

Why Stainless Steel Tanks Stand Out: Key Benefits Explained

When it comes to water storage solutions, few materials offer the same level of reliability, durability, and hygiene as stainless steel tanks. Whether used for residential, commercial, or industrial purposes, these tanks have gained a stellar reputation for their long-lasting performance and superior features. In this blog, we’ll explore why stainless steel tanks are the go-to choice for water storage and how custom options can further elevate their benefits.

1. Durability and Strength

One of the biggest advantages of stainless steel water tanks is their exceptional durability. Stainless steel is resistant to corrosion, rust, and UV degradation, which ensures that the tank will last for decades without weakening. Unlike plastic or concrete tanks, stainless steel doesn’t crack, warp, or degrade under extreme weather conditions. This makes it an ideal choice for outdoor installations where the tank is exposed to the elements.

For industries or applications requiring long-term water storage, stainless steel tanks ensure peace of mind, as they are less likely to suffer damage or wear over time. This durability also means less frequent maintenance, which saves time and money in the long run.

2. Hygiene and Water Quality

Stainless steel water tanks are unmatched when it comes to maintaining high standards of hygiene. Stainless steel is naturally non-reactive, meaning it won’t leach harmful chemicals or toxins into the water. This makes it a safer option compared to plastic or other materials, especially for storing potable water.

Additionally, the smooth, non-porous surface of stainless steel water tanks prevents the buildup of bacteria, algae, or other contaminants. This ensures that the water remains clean, fresh, and safe for consumption. For applications in food processing, pharmaceutical industries, and medical facilities, the hygienic qualities of stainless steel make it a top choice.

3. Customization for Specific Needs

Another significant advantage of stainless steel tanks is their adaptability. Many manufacturers offer custom SS water tanks, which can be tailored to meet the specific needs of a particular project. Whether you need a tank for a unique location, size, or capacity, custom SS water tanks can be designed to fit the space and requirements perfectly.

Custom tanks are also ideal for industries with specialized storage needs, such as chemical storage or high-pressure applications. With custom SS water tanks, businesses can optimize space while ensuring they get a product that meets their exact needs, without compromising on quality or durability.

4. Environmentally Friendly

As the world becomes more eco-conscious, it’s important to choose materials that are sustainable and recyclable. Stainless steel tanks fit perfectly into this category. Stainless steel is 100% recyclable, and many tanks are made from recycled materials. When a stainless steel tank reaches the end of its life, it can be repurposed or recycled, reducing the overall environmental impact.

Additionally, stainless steel water tanks don’t require harmful coatings or liners that might eventually degrade and pollute the environment. This makes them a greener option compared to plastic or concrete tanks that may require chemical treatments to maintain their integrity.

5. Cost-Effectiveness Over Time

While the initial cost of stainless steel tanks may be higher than tanks made from other materials, they offer significant long-term savings. Their longevity, low maintenance requirements, and resistance to damage mean fewer repairs and replacements over the years. This makes them a more cost-effective option in the long run, particularly for industries that require reliable, long-term water storage solutions.

Conclusion

In conclusion, stainless steel water tanks provide unmatched durability, hygiene, and customization options, making them an excellent choice for a variety of applications. Whether you’re looking for a solution to store potable water, chemicals, or other liquids, custom SS water tanks can be designed to meet your specific requirements, all while maintaining superior quality.

When it comes to sourcing high-quality stainless steel tanks, Purever is a leader in the industry. Known for their advanced engineering and commitment to excellence, Purever offers an impressive range of stainless steel water tanks that are crafted with precision and built to last. With a focus on sustainability, innovation, and hygiene, Purever custom SS water tanks provide businesses and households with reliable, eco-friendly water storage solutions. Investing in a Purever tank ensures you're choosing a product that stands the test of time and meets the highest standards of quality and safety.

[jasondiana18]

Why Soft Washing Is Essential for Preserving Your Roof's Longevity

Your roof is one of the most critical components of your home, shielding you from the elements and enhancing your property’s overall value. However, without proper maintenance, even the best roofs can fall victim to deterioration. One effective way to maintain your roof’s integrity is through soft washing. This gentle cleaning technique not only preserves the appearance of your roof but also significantly contributes to its longevity. Here’s why soft washing is essential for extending the life of your roof.

1. Effective Removal of Harmful Growths

Over time, roofs can accumulate various organic materials such as algae, moss, and lichen. These growths thrive in damp environments and can cause significant damage if left untreated. Algae, for instance, often appears as unsightly black streaks and can eat away at roofing materials, leading to premature aging and potential leaks.

Soft washing employs low-pressure water combined with specialized cleaning solutions to effectively eliminate these harmful organisms. Unlike traditional pressure washing, which can damage shingles and other roofing materials, soft washing gently removes contaminants without causing harm. By regularly soft washing your roof, you ensure that these growths don’t compromise its structural integrity.

2. Preventing Moisture Retention

A clean roof is essential for preventing moisture retention, which can lead to a host of problems, including mold growth and rot. When organic matter accumulates on your roof, it traps moisture, creating an environment conducive to mold and decay. This moisture can seep into your home, causing damage to the roof deck and other structural components.

3. Enhancing Energy Efficiency

Believe it or not, a clean roof can also improve your home’s energy efficiency. When algae and dirt accumulate, they can cause your roof to absorb more heat from the sun. This increased heat absorption can lead to higher indoor temperatures, prompting your air conditioning system to work harder and use more energy.

4. Extending the Lifespan of Your Roofing Materials

Different roofing materials have varying lifespans, but without proper maintenance, even the highest-quality materials can deteriorate faster than expected. Soft washing can help extend the lifespan of your roof by preventing damage caused by organic growths and debris buildup. 

For instance, asphalt shingles can degrade quickly when exposed to prolonged moisture and algae. Regular soft washing keeps these surfaces clean and functional, allowing them to serve their purpose effectively for a longer time. This longevity translates into significant cost savings, as you won’t have to invest in early replacements.

5. Improving Curb Appeal and Property Value

A well-maintained roof significantly enhances your home’s curb appeal. When potential buyers or visitors see a clean, attractive roof, it creates a positive impression and contributes to the overall aesthetic of your property.  Regular soft washing not only keeps your roof looking its best but also helps maintain your home’s value. 

Conclusion

Soft washing in Biloxi is essential for preserving your roof's longevity and ensuring its effectiveness over time. By effectively removing harmful growths, preventing moisture retention, enhancing energy efficiency, and improving curb appeal, this gentle cleaning method plays a vital role in roof maintenance. Embracing soft washing as a regular part of your home care routine not only protects your investment but also enhances the overall well-being of your property for years to come.

[allbritecleaningsys-blog]

Purpose of Power Washing in Nashville and Nolensville, TN

Turning jets of water at high speed on loosely adhered contaminants, debris, and dirt is known as pressure washing. This is usually done with the help of a device known as the pressure washer. It certainly makes cleaning filthy surfaces easier, especially when removing dirt and grease from driveways, garages, and/or building exteriors. True, commercial buildings benefit the most from pressure washing their exteriors, but house pressure washing in Nashville and Murfreesboro, TN, can also be extremely effective. ​ It is difficult to hold the pressure washer and direct the jets of water perfectly all the time. Pressure services can be the right way to ensure safety and high-quality cleaning. Homeowners are highly pleased with the outcome and will likely request the services regularly. Some advantages that make home pressure washing a runaway hit include the following:

· Time Saving- Scrubbing the dirt and stains meticulously takes time. Most homeowners cannot afford to spare the required time to regularly wash their driveways, garages, and exterior walls. Thankfully, using pressure washing services can be a boon for many homeowners nationwide today. The entrenched dirt and debris are dug out and removed via pressure washing. The entire process will only take a few hours, depending on the size of the area. The homeowner is free to pursue other interests without being seen wielding a dustpan and hose.

· Low Risk of Injuries- Pressure washing is a surefire way of reducing damage to the property and persons. Eliminating the dirt and contaminants from the sidewalk or garden paths can considerably reduce the risk of slips & falls. The jets of water can uproot the algae and fungi, including the mildew and mold growth from the side of the building. There are no allergic reactions or compromised health once the property remains clean both inside and out.

· Protection for Environment- There is no reason to worry about marring the environment by adding yet another carbon footprint to the atmosphere. It is a surprise to learn that the best companies provide pressure washing services. The accumulated dirt and grime are removed instantly with jets of water. The products that are used to clean happen to be eco-friendly as well. Moreover, the mildew and mold get removed from the dank and dark corners, and the weeds growing unrestricted on the sides of the building are addressed perfectly, too. Such meticulous cleaning helps to keep the environment clean and devoid of contaminants

· Increased Property Value- While it is true that property may be resold for profit even after a few years, it helps to have the property cleaned thoroughly so that the damage is minimal. Proper maintenance helps to retain the investment value of the property as well. One can contact a local company that offers high-value power washing in Nashville and Nolensville, TN, to ensure regular maintenance of one’s property, vehicle, or accessories.