diff --git a/chan-like/channer.py b/chan-like/channer.py
index c44048b..4f05297 100644
--- a/chan-like/channer.py
+++ b/chan-like/channer.py
@@ -1,48 +1,71 @@
 # Channer front-end
 
+from time import time
 from os import getenv
 import argparse
 import mysql.connector as sql
 
-CONFIG = {
-    'database': getenv('DATABASE_NAME'),
-    'password': getenv('DATABASE_PASS'),
-    'user': getenv('DATABASE_USER'),
-    'host': getenv('DATABASE_HOST'),
-    'port': int(getenv('DATABASE_PORT')),
-}
 
-def purge_clamped_messages(cursor, channels: list, limit: int):
-    pass
+def _format_cfg(config: dict):
+    # NOTE: we' assuming that  the config is _not_ malformed here
+    return {
+        'user': config['DATABASE_USER'], 
+        'password': config['DATABASE_PASS'],
+        'host': config['DATABASE_HOST'], 
+        'database': config['DATABASE_NAME'],
+        'port': config['DATABASE_PORT']
+    }
 
-def message_limit(limit: int):
-    count_query = '''
-        SELECT channel_name, COUNT(time) FROM messages
-        GROUP BY channel_name;
-    '''
-    conn = sql.connect(**CONFIG)
+
+def remove_old(config: dict, limit: int):
+    config = _format_cfg(config)
+    count_query = 'DELETE FROM messages WHERE time < ?'
+    # TODO: don't remove pinned items
+
+    max_age = int(time()) - (limit * 24 * 3600)
+    query = ('DELETE FROM messages WHERE time < %s')
+    params = (max_age,)
+
+    conn = sql.connect(**config)
     cursor = conn.cursor(prepared=True)
 
-    cursor.execute(count_query,())
-    # figure out which channels need pruning
-    for i in cursor:
-        print(i)
-
-    # collect the channels that require filtering
-    channels = list(filter((None).__ne__, [limit if chan[1] > limit else None for chan in cursor]))
-    if len(channels) > 0:
-        purge_clamped_messages(cursor, channels, limit)
-    else:
-        print(f'[ {__file__} ] : No messages to remove from clamped set')
+    cursor.execute(count_query, params)
+    conn.commit()
 
     cursor.close()
     conn.close()
+    return 0
 
 
 
 def message_timeout():
     pass
 
+def read_config(path: str) -> dict:
+    pairs = {}
+    with open(path, 'r') as cfg:
+        # Line format key=value
+        for line in cfg:
+            line = line.strip()
+            key = line[:line.find('=')]
+            value = line[line.find('=')+1:]
+            pairs[key] = value
+
+    if 'DATABASE_PORT' not in pairs:
+        raise KeyError('DATABASE_PORT missing from `.env` file')
+    else:
+        pairs['DATABASE_PORT'] = int(pairs['DATABASE_PORT'])
+
+    assert('DATABASE_URL' in pairs)
+    assert('DATABASE_NAME' in pairs)
+    assert('DATABASE_PASS' in pairs)
+    assert('DATABASE_USER' in pairs)
+    assert('DATABASE_HOST' in pairs)
+    assert('DATABASE_PORT' in pairs)
+
+    return pairs
+            
+
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
@@ -50,16 +73,18 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
         ' similar to how image boards clean up threads'
     )
 
-    parser.add_argument('-t', '--time-out', type=float, required=False)
-    parser.add_argument('-m', '--message-limit',  type=int, required=False)
+    parser.add_argument('-m', '--max-age-days', 
+                        help='Sets the value of how old messages are allowed to be (in days)', 
+                        type=int, 
+                        default=7, 
+                        required=False)
 
+    parser.add_argument('-f', '---file-env', type=str, required=True)
 
     args = vars(parser.parse_args())
 
-    limit = args['message_limit']
-    timeout = args['time_out']
+    timeout = args['max_age_days']
+    config = read_config(args['file_env'])
 
-    # timeout is given in days 30 => 30 day time limit
-    if limit: message_limit(limit)
-    if timeout: message_timeout(timeout)
+    exit(remove_old(config, timeout))