Habitat Expansion Infrastructure Arrives, Part 1

Since the gang likes a great deal more than just the "all bananas, all the time" diet, our recent team expansion threw into sharp relief the need to kick our aquaponics project into high gear.

While the tilapia are doing fine, as are the crayfish when not busy trying to kill each other, we still don't have enough of either to satisfy the truly breathtaking appetites our growing cadre of varied Praefulgidopithecii display. Even if we waited until harvest to start on the road to self-sufficiency, if we desire to have anything left after Thanksgiving it's obvious we're going to have to expand our agricultural and aquacultural efforts considerably.

To that end, I was thrilled beyond measure to have just been gifted with 19 additional 275-gallon IBC Totes, the first installment of which were delivered yesterday.

You should have heard the racket! The Sparkling Howlers were doing their best Banshee (from X-Men) impersonations, and the Callithrixii Micans just would not cease chattering away like angry squirrels. Of course, they do that all the time anyways, so it takes a practiced ear to detect the enthusiasm, but believe me - it was there. Our HOA hates me, by the way.

There were two unpleasant surprises. When the first five tanks arrived it became obvious that not only had they apparently been used for holding highway-striping paint, but also that none of them were completely empty!
 

So I've got a bit of a clean-out job ahead of me, and I have no idea what I'm going to do with, or where to dispose of, all this old highway paint.  Also, if you're wondering if the presence of a large group of atomic monkeys wanting to help out is a good thing, the answer is "no".

Or at least "mostly no". The Orcicircumlucens did take a break from trying to dominate each other to help me heave the tanks over the fence, which was something I don't think I could manage alone.