Catastrophic loss
- Thread starter Jay6363
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Yeah
that's a hard one. Just take your time, and when ready regroup and do again. This hobby is truly amazing, but sometimes also heartbreaking.
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Jay6363
Well-Known Member
Oh goodness.. That's so tough... So sorry this happened.
thank you Alycia, I appreciate it.
rev- thanks a lot. I appreciate you taking the time to comment.Oh no! I'm so very sorry...
Bob- thanks. We will see this was and still is a tough loss for me. I’m still pulling things out of the tank.
I’m sorry this happened to you too- atleast you’re still in! It’s hard when so many animals died. But three fish are still hanging on so I owe it to them I guess.
Thank you for the inspiration an optimism
Cthulukelele
2500 Club Member
One fish is what carried me through and they're still with me today. Here they are. Had it not been for this little guy idk that I would have been able to keep at it.
Let me know when things stabilize. I’m constantly cutting back my corals and will send you free torches, hammers, and Acros.
This is a shinning example of why I love this forum. The glimmer of positivity and willing of others to help out a fellow reefer who's down is "the glue:".
I've been going back and forth with Jay all weekend myself and I don't know that I've seen a worse stroke of bad luck or series of unfortunate events for a hobbyist that demonstrate Murphys law better, ever.
You know I have you covered man!
takumaui
New Member
I'm so sorry, terrible news
These are some ideas for folks who don't have a generator...I live in Florida, and was out of power >24 hours post hurricane a few times... now we have a generator, but before that, I had 1 powerhead/wavemaker on a battery backup, but nothing else on that battery so it would last as long as possible.
Also for really cheap, I had 2 of those big live bait air stone bubblers that run on batteries (And kept a bunch of batteries on hand). They put a ton of bubbles in the tank and the upward motion of the bubbles causes gentle water movement, one on each side of the tank causes a figure-8 motion of water movement, even after the powerhead finally went off.
Sucks but you do what ya can. I also would hand stir the tank with a spatula basically all day off and on, to send oxygen in there too. The battery backup was great foe short power outages too, in case I wasn't home to setup the emergency air.
I'm terribly sorry for your loss
if you had considered a different tank or setup, maybe now is a good time to incorporate it and rebuild even better.
Naekuh
Valuable Member
These are the stories i get scared the most...
I have counter messures for power loss, but im still scared to one day come home from work or a trip and find out my tank has blown white with a bacteria bloom wipping out 90% of everything inside.
I have a UV for that too, but im a firm believer of Murphy's law, where even if you think it can't happen will happen when you prepared for the worst of it, only to be a lot worse then you expected.
I have counter messures for power loss, but im still scared to one day come home from work or a trip and find out my tank has blown white with a bacteria bloom wipping out 90% of everything inside.
I have a UV for that too, but im a firm believer of Murphy's law, where even if you think it can't happen will happen when you prepared for the worst of it, only to be a lot worse then you expected.
There’s no beating around the bush, this sucks. I’ve been there. 5.5 days no power. Hurricane. 45 degree weather. Roads down. No generator. I had a 46g reef. A 75g sps reef. A 14 bio cube reef. A 28 nano cube reef. Two freshwater tanks too. And I felt helpless. Wrapped everything in blankets and hoped for the best.
I lost tons of corals. Fish. Thousands. It nearly broke me.
Use it to learn from. Prepare for unexpected. I got a generator and said I won’t quit, and I will never let this happen again.
I downsized the number of tanks I had and consolidated. I have one awesome reef now and a pico. And I’m starting a second reef. I have lithium battery generators for every tanks. They last 10-24 hours each depending on the model and what I connect to them.
And I have a gas generator for extended outages
Hang in there. Recoup. And start again.
I’m sorry for your loss, I completely relate and understand. If I was closer I would be there with some beers offering to help rebuild
I lost tons of corals. Fish. Thousands. It nearly broke me.
Use it to learn from. Prepare for unexpected. I got a generator and said I won’t quit, and I will never let this happen again.
I downsized the number of tanks I had and consolidated. I have one awesome reef now and a pico. And I’m starting a second reef. I have lithium battery generators for every tanks. They last 10-24 hours each depending on the model and what I connect to them.
And I have a gas generator for extended outages
Hang in there. Recoup. And start again.
I’m sorry for your loss, I completely relate and understand. If I was closer I would be there with some beers offering to help rebuild
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Jay6363
Well-Known Member
Ohhh it hurts, and hurts bad. The few that are left give me hope till the next one starts peeling. I appreciate the sentiment and the kind words. More than you know.
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Jay6363
Well-Known Member
Yeah …. When I was young in college I list my first tank to a hurricane down there with a 55 gallon packed with corals and fish. I bailed non-stop to try to save the fish ect, oxygenate the water. To no avail, this event has brought up that horrible feeling. I lived where I live for 13 years without more than a 2 hour outage. This year before winter I just had a feeling bc things were so good. Had everything I ever wanted in there almost. And wholeheartedly meant to get a generator for backup. My line of work got incredibly busy and here we are wishing I followed through. I appreciate and somehow know that you probably would be here with beers. This is that kind of community.
Thank you for the kind words it’s appreciated. A lot!
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Jay6363
Well-Known Member
I told myself to in my head that if my 13 year old plus purple tang made it I’d keep the fish part of the tank going. The odds were stacked considering he was on his side barely moving when I said that to myself. Smaller fish were dieing and dieing quick. And he is still alive along with 2 clowns I gave no idea pulled through they too were on life support and one I did t see for hours before and after things got going. So i atleast owe it to those 3 I guess, to keep the fish part of it.One fish is what carried me through and they're still with me today. Here they are. Had it not been for this little guy idk that I would have been able to keep at it.
Again thank you your words give hope and make me smile when I’m down in the dumps.
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Jay6363
Well-Known Member
Yes, 100% murphy’s law. I was talking with Adam from Battlecorals and another friend this past week bc I was away on a work trip and something went crazy with my alk when it was rock solid stable for a year on my apex/trident. I finally got home and expected to see a sea if white skeletons. Everything was fine, I then said they will start going as the day/night goes on then it was fine. Then boom winter storm more epic than I’ve seen here ever hits, and power goes out. I said to myself they will not survive these two events. I was correct. But I’ll be prepared for the power next time that’s for sure. FYI- I did have battery backups and they failed
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Jay6363
Well-Known Member
Aquavista99 deserves a shoutout as well he has also talked me off the ledge, and tried to help me mitigate my losses.
All of you are wonderful just reading your encouraging words reminds me why I’m in the best hobby
All of you are wonderful just reading your encouraging words reminds me why I’m in the best hobby
Thunderstruck34
Active Member
Having been through this myself, I wish you the best of luck and lots and lots of patience. This hobby consistently challenges us and there are few greater challenges than a whole system crash. Keep your head up and know the reefing community has your back!
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Jay6363
Well-Known Member
Beefyreefy- I’m in Albany, however I come out to Rochester often.Will be there for work tomorrow. But it will be a bit before the cascade of death stops. And then another bit before it’s ready to take coral again. My remaining fish pushing through is keeping hopeful for staying atleast the fish side. We will see on the coral. Losing that amount of coral/animals ripped my guts out. But nonetheless I will hit you up down the road. And again I appreciate the selflessness of you and the community to help get me back on my feet.
I had raised a lunar wrasse from 2” to 8” and he was incredible colors. My clownfish attacked one day, that dang clown was super defensive of a leather coral he hosted. And the huge wrasse was lookin for pods or something the clown started acting up and the wrasse just ignored him. And Then. The clown bit the wrasses eye and my wrasse ended up losing one eye. I got him his own tank to heal and live in going forward. And the eye socket healed up, just kind closed up smooth as if there never was an eye. And he was my surviver and he enjoyed his own tank and he acted as if nothing happened. Then we had that 5.5 day outage and I’m overwhelmed by everything and my tanks are all blanket wrapped and my living room is 50 degrees and when we got power back I kicked the heat on and all the heaters came on and it was time to remove the blankets and assess the damage. So many losses. Some fish survived. Some corals. But chain reactions were started.
I get to the wrasse tank and I pull back the blankets and I’m looking with a flashlight and I don’t see him swimming. I hope he’s buried in my dsb to keep warm. And then…behind the rocks..I see him on his side on the sand bed. I watch for several minutes speechless. No gill movement, no breathing. Nothing. I’m devastated. And I put the blanket back around the tank. I couldn’t take the sight or thought of losing him after all we’ve been through. Raised from a baby. About 2 days later (after almost 6 days no power) I decide it’s time to address this tank and collect the body to bury. I pulled back the blanket and there he is swimming around looking for pods on the rocks. I had him for several years after that too
Let me tell you what the definition of happy is. That. Moment.
I get to the wrasse tank and I pull back the blankets and I’m looking with a flashlight and I don’t see him swimming. I hope he’s buried in my dsb to keep warm. And then…behind the rocks..I see him on his side on the sand bed. I watch for several minutes speechless. No gill movement, no breathing. Nothing. I’m devastated. And I put the blanket back around the tank. I couldn’t take the sight or thought of losing him after all we’ve been through. Raised from a baby. About 2 days later (after almost 6 days no power) I decide it’s time to address this tank and collect the body to bury. I pulled back the blanket and there he is swimming around looking for pods on the rocks. I had him for several years after that too
Let me tell you what the definition of happy is. That. Moment.
Silly clownfish
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I am so sorry for your loss. There is always some possibility you haven’t thought of. I suffered a similar loss last September when the GFI outlet the tank was on somehow got tripped while we were out of town for a long, hot weekend. The most painful loss was a clownfish I had for over 25 years. Hers was the one body I did not even find.
I have a portable generator that connects to our circuit breaker box. I have an Apex. I have numerous redundancies.
Since it was just a single outlet (and it took me a good hour to figure out it was the GFI since I was in shock), I did not get any notification of a power outage or expect one as the weather was clear. Nothing else in the house was impacted, so I had no idea until I walked in the door to a dark tank and ghastly smell.
I was only away for 4 days and my tanks are setup to regularly run 1-2 weeks without being touched when I travel, so I didn’t have anyone checking on it. Since it was Labor Day weekend, my primary tank checkers (next door neighbors) were also away.
I did have an Apex on that tank, but it was horrible for randomly disconnecting from the internet every few days, so it was honestly worthless in this situation.
Like you I was ready to give up and did drain the tank and had an empty aquarium
Staring at me for a couple of months, but in the end, I am restarting. I just finished cycling.
So you may need some time to grieve and accept before making a long term decision
I have a portable generator that connects to our circuit breaker box. I have an Apex. I have numerous redundancies.
Since it was just a single outlet (and it took me a good hour to figure out it was the GFI since I was in shock), I did not get any notification of a power outage or expect one as the weather was clear. Nothing else in the house was impacted, so I had no idea until I walked in the door to a dark tank and ghastly smell.
I was only away for 4 days and my tanks are setup to regularly run 1-2 weeks without being touched when I travel, so I didn’t have anyone checking on it. Since it was Labor Day weekend, my primary tank checkers (next door neighbors) were also away.
I did have an Apex on that tank, but it was horrible for randomly disconnecting from the internet every few days, so it was honestly worthless in this situation.
Like you I was ready to give up and did drain the tank and had an empty aquarium
Staring at me for a couple of months, but in the end, I am restarting. I just finished cycling.
So you may need some time to grieve and accept before making a long term decision
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