Saying goodbye to my Tank

[CorbinSawyer]

Hey everyone,

I wanted to share a FTS of my tank. I was going to wait another month or two before I posted a picture of my tank to show you all. I was hoping for a little more growth after I switched to T5 lights from LEDs. Sadly tho, due to the impending hurricane we evacuated this morning until Sunday (safer for the kids). If we lose power (which we probably will where we live), I'm not certain my tank inhabitants will make it. I was able to hook up two battery powered bubblers and I set up a 1 gallon RO drip line to help secure salinity because the ATO will fail if power shuts down. I have two ocelleris (black/white and orange/white), a blue neon goby (eats flakes btw), blue damsel, skunk cleaner shrimp, small blue legged crab and a deresa.

The hobby was rough when I first started because I understood carbonate chemistry and ocean processes, but never dealt with them in a microhabitat other than sealed zooplankton cultures. I dove in head first as something I could do with my son and this became the best hobby I have ever had... not to mention tremendous bonding experience, (but he is only 5 so it may not last). It has been running wonderfully the past six months with new growth on Duncan, hammer, frogspawn, acans, trumpets, birdsnest, monti and all others. Truly rewarding!

I wish I had finally purchased that battery back up system for my fans.

I am truly sad that I may lose it while I'm away, but things could be worse in all seriousness.

but "que sera sera", right?

Hoping for the best...

 

[ssick92]

Looks like an amazing tank. Good luck with the storm, but in all honesty the tank should be the last of your priorities behind your family, home, neighbors, etc. Looks like you prepared well and have a good shot of the tank surviving.

Best of luck with the tank and the storm, hopefully you aren't hit too hard, and I look forward to your success story when you get back.

 

[CorbinSawyer]

Thanks, it's definitely low on the priorities list. We're at a hotel now, and distracting myself on the message boards just made me feel like sharing.

 

[Sk8r]

IT may come through. If you do have dieoff when you get back, get all survivors to good salt water asapractical...and use Prime to stop ammonia in its tracks. 4 days without light will be no problem, 4 days with no heater not a problem, and 85 degrees heat is no problem if lights aren't on. I hate to say 'hope' because it's no certainty and best prepare yourself for the worst, but corals survive ammonia handily---fish don't; it's vice versa with the nitrates. But crossing our fingers for you.

 

[BADPAPI]

espero q todos tus peces y corales esten bien cuando regreses !

 

[Babydaull]

hope all goes well man!

 

[joshbrookkate]

I hope all goes well for you in the next few days....

 

[ReefWreak]

Good luck. My dad and brother are still down there, and I know a lot of reefers there as well.

Hopefully the tank hangs in there. The bubblers should help dramatically, and hopefully everything pulls through.

My heart goes out to all my reefing buddies in south FL. I know the concern well, as I lived it in my years in FL. Hope you and your family stay safe.

 

[CorbinSawyer]

I hope your brother and dad are safe!!

As well as all others affected.

 

[j_mazzy]

prayers sent

 

[j_mazzy]

update?

 

[CorbinSawyer]

Hey everyone... thanks for your good wishes and I hope ur families friends and aquantances made it through without incident. We have finally cleaned up our neighborhoods and gotten settled back into work. Sorry it took so long. So first, I know people were affected pretty hard by the hurricane (not to mention the severity in other countries) but since this is the aquarium forums I'll just leave it to aquarium talk.

We lossed power for a spell but it seems the remaining sea creatures may make it. So, we lossed the blue striped goby and a red legged hermit. Lots of algae occurred in the main tank, and seemed to be a diatom bloom in the sump. My Monti and brain looked a little rough as well as my acans. The deresa was pressed up against the front glass where across the room is a window, he had actually seemed to have bleached out, and some damage to his mantle.

When we got water back we were on a boil advisory and limited use so I felt I shouldn't make any new salt mix for a water change. I ended up changing the carbon in the reactor every two days and jacked up my flow as high as it would go (Variable DC Pump). When all the water advisories ended I got some DI and salt mixed and did a 20% water change, then again 2 days later. The hair algae in the DT is subsiding as well as the diatoms in the sump. Last night I noticed green returning to the Monti and the brain inflating.

The deresa is still gaping but has had some color return. I am thinking the stressful conditions weakened his health enabling PMD to take hold, or someone got hungry (6 days without food introduced). I dipped for 20 minutes and am watching closely.

Overall the tank seems to be coming back, and my 5 year old barely leaves the room it's in. He drew pictures of corals the whole time we were displaced. I love that he loves this hobby so much.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[ssick92]

Glad to hear that everything will most likely be able to make it through okay.

How is everything else at the house? Hopefully no major damage...

 

[ReefWreak]

Really glad to hear that you're recovered and the tank for the most part made it. Hope it recovers nicely.

It's (sorta) funny, my family on the border of Palm Beach and Broward counties had absolutely no impact. My dad had to refill the pool the next day because he lowered it anticipating a ton of rain. He said they got almost no rain. All things considered that's a good outcome.

Glad you're all safe and sound.

 

[CorbinSawyer]

Sorry no pics from when I got home but I can snap a few soon of how it looks now. Btw, Lost the clam today, everything else is looking strong tho

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