Almost lost my 72 bowfront/earthquake

[schnutzzy]

Today I almost lost my tank to an earthquake. We had a 5.8 earthquake and the epicenter was 23 miles from my house which made the shaking feel like a 7.0. Holy crap I was scared and in the back of my place when I remembered the tank. It was after my MH's came on and so when I got to it water was scwoosing and plashing everywhere. I turned of all the power to the tank appendages and lights and held on tight to the tank. The stand and tank were rocking in different directions and I ended up getting about 20 gallons of water all over me and the floor. LOL I swear if someone could have taken a movie of me and the tank, it would have made America's funniest home videos. I probably looked like an idiot, but I saved my tank from falling and being destroyed. My reef had a landslide and my corals were all over the place. It took me about 2 hours to clean up the mess and restack and place all my corals. No fish problems either. I was lucky, but what a day !!!!!!

 

[t316]

I was thinking about you guys when I heard the news. Not much you can do, but remember to save your own life before the tank. Good thing you were at home. Sounds like the tank would have been history.

 

[aquaknight]

Glad you and the fish are okay!
I've always wondered that, since the vid from the south pacific of the SW tank in an earthquake (Linkhttp://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/09/12/quake.irpt/index.html#cnnSTCVideo, what are the chances the earthquakes shakes everything on the tank, long ways (like in the vid), instead of front to back which would likely cause it to fall over. Now I know....

 

[schnutzzy]

It was just like the video, the water was side to side, but the tank and stand were going forward and backwards. Hard to explain, but scary as hell. It felt like a violant roller coaster ride waiting for the roof to collapse, the front door to my home is about 3 feet from the tank so if I had to let go I had a plan. I have been through many of these being Calif home grown, but you never get use to them.

 

[prime311]

So is this a DIY earthquake simulator?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1duSSdjRb4

 

[spiderwoman]

You were lucky that none of the LR structures came tumbling down and break the tank glass. Happy to hear everything is pretty much OK.

 

[scotts]

Glad you made it OK! My wife felt it at her work about 5 miles away but I did not feel it. She called and we turned on the news. Kind of funny to see them looking for anything that broke. Then an hour late we knew it was an official earthquake because Kate Hutton was on the news!!!

 

[schnutzzy]

LOL!!!! Way way worse than that simulater. Water everywhere.

 

[jennythebugg]

wow im really glad everyone/thing is ok

 

[shroomie2u]

wow thats scarey! glad to hear your ok and so is your tank! take care!

 

[gliderjohn]

Glad to hear you're all ok. I grew up in So. Cal. and went through a number of quakes myself. Unless you've been through one, you just don't know how scary it can be - especially one that strong.

 

[alexmir]

Glad the tank didnt fall on you! With 20gallons out thats at least 500-600 lbs with rock and glass!!

 

[mimzy]

omg!!! man oh man... glad you're ok, but dude.... ur tank coulda KILLED you!!!!