No power...the aftermath

[roo]

So much of my area lost power on saturday and it was only restored late last night. Apparently the 80 year old transformers all over california are dying and leaving many people without power. All the AC and electrical usage is just too much for such outdated equipment...very unfortunate and unforseeable for me. The day the power went out I had gone out shopping for more hermits and another piece of LR. I found the perfect piece of LR, fully cured, beautifully colored and covered with coraline as well as two small corals...buttons I think. Apparently 3 buggers hitchhiked on the rock. A brittle star....now dead, some ugly sort of worm....not bristle but damn ugly, and a tiny crab of some sort.

Well power is now restored, I removed the brittle star body asap. One of the hermits that I observed changing shells at least 5 times within 1 hour had also perished and has been removed. I assume either the heat or lack of water movement got to him. One of the corals is half dead....i will remove him if he gets any worse but the condition does seem to be getting better. I need to check the water but regardless, I'm planning a water change tomorrow as well as picking up a few mor hermits as the brown algae is relentless.

All in all, it could be alot worse but this is no fun. I'll gets some pics up later tonight....need some help on IDing some interesting things on the new LR as well.

 

[Jennie]

Sorry for your lose Roo, but as you said it could have been alot worse! Keep us updated on your tank!

:sad:

 

[JeffDubya]

This is one of the first things I thought of as I have been reading about blackouts in California and the Northeast.

I am personally going to purchase a Tripp-Lite battery backup. They are less than $100 at Costco, and could help a LOT in situations such as this.

Roo, sorry for your losses. That really sucks.

 

[reefer73]

Hot as the suface of the sun.

Sorry for the loss Roo. I guess I have been one of the lucky ones. For some reason all the rolling blackouts have missed my area, not that I'm complaining. I must have built up some good Karma over the years. It's been over 100 degrees for a week in Norwalk and the A/C has been going 24/7. I'm half expecting to come home and find both my tanks boiling, my wife and baby on fire and the cat shaved.
-Mike

 

[roo]

lol, my camera battery is dead so hopefully I'll get it charged for pics tonight. I actually did have a backup power supply on the pump but keep in mind, they only last a few hours so when the power goes out for days like it did for me, it wasn't all that much help. (and it makes the most annoying noise ever when it's running and the power is out....it's like the alarm clock noise from hell)

I've got a 6 nano-hermit army working on the algae but I don't even think that will be enough to combat it. I don't want to use chemicals so I'm planning on 2 more snails. Any reccomendations?

Also, that ugly worm that hitchhiked in....well, my peppermint shrimp got ahold of it and it looked like children fighting over one of those pool noodle toys...needless to say, it became dinner. One of the shrimp molted today....scared me when I saw the remains swaying in the water....freaky looking thing. Do you guys usually remove it? It molted behind a rock in the most difficult to reach place so unless i rig something up to get it, it's staying there.

 

[roo]

pictures...yes, i need to practice with taking aquarium pics hehe

 

[EDGRAY]

Nice.... but ill consider on leaving some space between LR and glass for cleaning purpose :mrgreen: and well the hydro does look alittle bit sticking out but mine doesnt look like that maybe cause i didnt remove the ring and makes it look better but who knows ;-) you still planing on making it short like in the link i show you????

P.S: still cant believe about your power in what area you are cause i didnt suffer that thank good... :lol:

 

[roo]

Nice.... but ill consider on leaving some space between LR and glass for cleaning purpose :mrgreen: and well the hydro does look alittle bit sticking out but mine doesnt look like that maybe cause i didnt remove the ring and makes it look better but who knows ;-) you still planing on making it short like in the link i show you????

P.S: still cant believe about your power in what area you are cause i didnt suffer that thank good... :lol:

EDDY,
I wish I had thought about the space before I cemented the rocks together! lol, well, I like how it came out, I just need to make sure my clean up crew has a few tiny snails to get into those areas or find some tool to clean in there.
I still plan on modifying the Hydro but losing power last weekend meant postponing the mod until I catch up hehe.

 

[EDGRAY]

OK then 2 things i can say about the LR

1) hammer & shitzel
2) http://nimblenano.com/picture2.htm ( i have one already to get one spot were my hand is to fat to squish in :lol

and well i dont know for sure but i guess when you start placing corals you'll find out you have alot of LR that you will have to put in chambers so i think you'll have to hace 1) in mind ... :mrgreen: .... just my experience :lol: .... you can see it by your self in my thread of my tank in 20g and under :mrgreen:

 

[little urchin]

i use a toothbrush where my rock is a bit too close to the glass :strip

 

[JeffDubya]

hammer & shitzel

Which is a combination chisel/schnitzel, especially useful when doing any kind of maintenance work at your upcoming local oktoberfest festival!

 

[skipm]

On the subject of the shrimps molt, it is fine to just leave it in the tank. It will break down in a day or two and return the nutrients back to the tank that it is made out of.

 

[Semo]

I had always wondered about that skip..thx..