I am really depressed. Got a lot of bad news. My tank died, more later, and that was not even the worst news and not what I am depressed about.
My 59 year young brother had a huge bleed in his brain two weeks ago. He ad surgery but did not improved. We removed life support on Monday. He likely will pass on the next few days.
Work and going back in forth between Austin and Corpus Christi is crazy. This keeping me from thinking about my fish tank and the lost of many 10+ year old animals too much.
How my tank died was really crazy. I though, and disaster proof my tank, account for all contingency except if a hurricane level my house, or at lease cause massive damage to my house. After this event, I find that there is one thing I did not plan for and this was one happened. Some one shut off my generator after the hurricane.
After her hurricane, a friend came and check on the house and the tank for me. No damage to the house and the tank was fine. I am sure the animal just experienced a flicker of light and that is it. With everything happen in Austin, I did not get home until Monday evening, to a dark house. The generator was off. Checking on it show that some one had turn the natural gas valve from open to close. The generator shut off from lack of fuel. I turn it back open, started the generator and get into a smelly house, my house have hurricane shutter that need electricity to open (I can use a manual rod to open the shutter from the inside or outside but that is not important.
The freezer still frozen so the electricity have not been out for that lone. However, it is long enough to wipe out all the fish except for 7 clowns. All most all the SPS were gone. I cannot see though the tank. The clam was gabbing badly. All the LPS were dying. All the anemones were stressed or dying.
After getting circulation going, I asked for help from the local reefers. Working over the next 8 hrs I was able to move the anemones that still living to a friend's tank. The remaining clowns and a lot of the LPS. I called the Texas State Aquarium to see if they can take the 28 inches clam. The just got their power back on and did not have the man power or equipment to help me right then. Sean Hardegree promised to send people over to pick him up 1st thing in the morning.
I got some Prime from a friend and dump a bunch into the tank. The clam was the same when I check on him at 3 AM but dead by 5:30 AM when I check on him the second time Tuesday AM.
Long and short of this is that I may be able to save most of my anemones, other than the Red LTA and all my Malu. Some of my anemone may still died. Not able to see, I may have damaged them trying to remove them. There were no time to do anything really careful. I think a few of my LPS will be fine, very few of my SPS will live.
I will have to re set up my tank.
With my brother dying, this seem not to be a huge thing. I lost a lot of money, but there are many people lost a lot more this hurricane. The senseless loss of life is sad, but my pending lost show that the fish tank loss is trivial, plus there are other people lost a whole lot more here in Texas this last week. I am sad, but able to really keep things in correct perspective IMO.
I do not think the person who turn the generator off act maliciously. It is possible that the exhaust of the generator have gas smell to it, and he/she turn if off thinking that he did it as a favor to me. I think I am well like, I do not believe that who ever turn it off did it because it is too noisy or trying to kill my tank.
When I have time, I will post some pictures.
Thanks Ty for asking.
There are a lot of demands for my time right now. I may not able to posts, so I will thanks in advance for well wishers and any condolences.