Isabel: 30hours+ no power

[attml]

Well, I'm limping along! We lost power about 30 hours ago. I am using my work laptop running on battery power to write this. I am about to snap!!! Both tanks look like crap!! The only thing that is saving me is that my Dad has been letting me borrow his Honda Generator for a few hours here and there (he is without power too!). Right now my water temp is 74 but I am using the generator to run my fuge, heaters, 1 powerhead and 1 halide on my 55 SPS. If I get out of this without losing any fish or corals it will be miricale! After I get the temp up I will swap the generator to my 30 gal soft & lps tank. On a good note UPS delivered my calcium reactor today (hats off to them - it was right on schedule!!) which was amazing because there are 178,000 without power in my county alone and there were several trees down laying across the road on my street! It figures - I have been saving for like 5 months to get this reactor and they are saying we may not have power for 3-5 days! Also, my wife and kids deserted me and went to her aunt's who has power 50 miles away and I'm left here to move the generator between tanks, the fridge and the freezer. Pray for some power soon!!! Ugh!!!

 

[lobstergrabber]

I feelyour pain. Ou last big cane left me without poer for 7 days. It sucked. Glad I didn't have a tank to deal with. Definitely going to get myself a generator when I can.
Rich

 

[spsfreak100]

Sorry to hear about that, Mark!
Graham

 

[attml]

Chris, Lobster & Graham,
Thank you guys very much!!! Hopefully you guys won't see one of those, "If you could start all over what would you do different" threads from me any time soon! I am hoping that nothing dies!
Oh yeah forgot to mention, The water treatment plant in our area was with out power for an extended period so all of our water looks like coffee which is an added bonus when taking an ice cold shower!!! Calgon take me away. I may be getting a shower in a 3mm wetsuit later!

 

[m.rogers]

mark sorry to hear about your power i was trying to get a generater from work and they did not have any more i wish i could help you out if i had it i would drop it off we did not lose power here.
if there is any thing i can do to help give me a call
mike

 

[attml]

Thank you very much Mike!!! I may take you up on that if the power isn't back on by Sunday night! You may get some frags for that 150 before you know it! Sounds like you guys got off easy up there! Where we are 2 or 3 trees come down if someone farts too loud!
Roland,
Thank you very much!!

 

[m.rogers]

mark what ever it takes let me know and i will help you out.
mike

 

[attml]

Thanks Mike!!! I really appreciate it! My laptop battery is wearing down so I am going to sign off! Take care!

 

[nm reef]

Man I hate to think you may have lost all those corals!!! I was wondering how you were doing....I sincerely wish you all the best. One of the greatest fears in this hobby is extended power outages....I'm betting you will manage better than most in the same situation...best of luck...
Please keep us posted on how things go...as many pics as I've seen of your stuff I feel like I'm suffering too!

 

[bonermeister]

Pick a designated person for each of your fish and corals on this website and send them out 24-hour delivery. Or blow 600-1200 bucks on a generator. You're not going to have power any time soon.

 

[bigeyedfish]

attml,
Not sure if its back on over your way. Up here in Germantown we got the power back last night around 11pm.
hope everything makes it through!

 

[attml]

Thanks guys! Still no power coming up on 48 hours! No power trucks in sight! I ran the generator all night between the 2 tanks. Nothing dead yet - keeping my fingers crossed!

 

[thomas712]

Attml - Hang in there, I am sure hoping that damage is minimal for you. Any chance of finding battery operated air pumps down your way to help out with oxygen?
If there is any chance I would try to get the spare water ready for a H2O change, keep the salt dry for now.
Kudos to your DAD, deserves a pat on the back and a steak dinner.
Good luck
Thomas

 

[m.rogers]

mark the door will be open tomorrow or today if you still wont to move your corals up to my house just give me a call and i will come over and give you a hand getting every thing out and baging it up.
my # is 410-766-6380
mike

 

[attml]

Well I'm at 56 hours and still no power!!! This really sucks!! I lost my Cleaner Shrimp and my Royal Gramma. The Gramma is deep in my rock work and I can't get to him. I am sure that is going to drive the ammonia through the roof!! Not sure my other fish will be able to survive that given the circumstances. I am going to try a couple of different things to get him out. I already unseated my Hydnopora on the first attempt! I wasn't able to run the generator during the day today and I think it was too long in between the last run this morning. Knock on wood - my corals seem to be doing fairly well and I (believe it or not) have pretty good polyp extension on about 80% of them! I did see some power co trucks this afternoon but I have a feeling they may have called it a day. I was able to recharge my laptop battery with the generator w/ everything else running so at least I don't feel totally isolated! Pray for power restoration my tanks sure could use it!!
Thomas,
Thank you very much!! I am going to look for a battery operated bubbler tomorrow! I think I am going to invent battery operated heaters and power heads. They would be very useful in this hobby!
Mike,
Thank you very much for the offer. I may call you tomorrow night if I don't have power by then! I don't think I can catch my fish or I would bring them over! The corals seem to be OK for now! Hopefully the power will come back on soon! Thanks again!

 

[spsfreak100]

Mark,
I'm really sorry to hear about the loss of the fish and cleaner shrimp! You may be able to live without the lighting and instead, run the powerheads and heater to keep the tank cycling. I've seen some corals go at least 4 days without lighting, without any problems. It's good to hear that at least the corals have good polyp extention!
I hope you get power back soon!
Graham

 

[attml]

Thanks Graham,
Tonight I am running 3 powerheads,the sump, heater & skimmer. The generator only has 2 outlets but I have multiple things running off of powerstrips!

 

[krishj39]

Sigh, so sorry to hear about all that. I had a similar story, but I got a bit luckier with my tank, I didn't have to share a generator, just had to turn it off at night so as not to wake the neighbors. I just got my power back, and my tank is doing just fine. Hopefully you'll get your power back today.

 

[attml]

krishj39,
Thank you!! Glad to hear you got you power back!!!

 

[chinnyr]

72 hours and counting!I have driven all over town and seen not one power company truck!I tried to find gas today for the generator and there was only one station open.Over 60 cars in line!I'm going to drive west to try and find one.I was lucky to find a gallon of gas in the shed left by the previous owners of my home too! Attml.....lets keep our fingers crossed something happens soon.I'm losing stuff each day and I ran the generator to brew up some new salt water last night to make some water changes later today once the temp gets up.We still have alot of trees across the streets and power lines.Many of the neighbors have been pitching in to help, the few,city workers remove them.I'm heading to the power company web site to see if I can get some good news!Good luck!