Lessons learned from Ivan

Brandon · Post by **Brandon** » Tue Sep 21, 2004 11:21 am

1. Xenia is Evil. It was the 1st thing to go and polluted the hell out of the tank, taking other things with it. If I expect an extended power outtage again, I will toss all xenia out. Dead Xenia doen't smell like roses either.

2. Some other softies are evil also, such as colt/sinularia, and mushrooms. If they start to look sickly throw them out before they pollute the tank.

3. Have RO made up and ready for water changes. You will need them.

4. Carbon is your friend. I filled a filter sock 1/2 way up with carbon to help filter my tank when it was going south.

5. You can run a bilge pump a loooong time on a deep cycle marine battery.

danielmiller82 · Post by **danielmiller82** » Tue Sep 21, 2004 1:38 pm

for all of us Nano'ers out there...

Battery Powered Aerators and LOTS of D batteries are a MUST HAVE!!!!

Everything in my nanos made it thanks to my live bait aerator. A set of good brand-new D batteries will last a little over 24hours. In my 18 tall the airstone went all the way to the bottom and the rising bubbles created a decent water flow.

KrazyPlace · Post by **KrazyPlace** » Tue Sep 21, 2004 1:57 pm

(1) Aerators suck and aren't worth the money spent on them.

(2) Inverters are the bomb (<$40 at Wal-mart)! A pickup truck's battery will run 3-5 hours easily without restarting it. The truck can also run all day (even through a hurricane) and only use about 1/4 a tank of gas. It's a good mobile generator. The inverter will also power lights so your kids don't get scared.

(3) We are all lucky... some just a little more than others... but we ALL were lucky.

Melissakins · Post by **Melissakins** » Tue Sep 21, 2004 4:03 pm

My Xenia killed my cute little cleaner goby. It turned the water green, even with the aerator running in it. I did a water change, we added carbon and my tank cleared up pretty much.

I just plucked the Xenia off the rock, it basically fell apart at that point. handful of that and a fish in the other. All in the trash. That was depressing.

My devil's hand looked like it was about to drop off the rock, my ricordia had all folded in on itself, my hammer had shriveled up to nothing and my torch had shrunk as well.

The little Pistol Shrimp and his buddy buried themselves in their hole and closed the doors behind them. I lost my sweet little piece of SPS that had started growing and stayed all polyped up.

Now, my ricordia is looking better, my hairy mushroom still looks like shit, my hammer is starting to come out as is my torch. I did see a glimpse of my pistol shrimp (still no fish), and my brain is all puffed out again. I have kept up with the water changes. I think that's one of the big things that saved my tank. (And it's a 10 gallon nano) The devil's hand is all fluffed up and polyped out again too.

Water changes, water changes water changes!!!!

Scott · Post by **Scott** » Tue Sep 21, 2004 5:30 pm

Melissakins wrote: my brain is all puffed out again.

I feel the same way.

This is what I learned: I used a UPS to run an airpump for the first day or so (I don't know when my power went out). After that I used a UPS hooked to a deep cycle and a car battery in parallel. I could not believe how long that lasted (over 24 hours). I used a powerhead occasionally when I was home cleaning the yard on the deep cycle battery and the UPS and I took a gallon container and poured water from my sump to my display. After that I used a couple of battery powered air pumps for about 18 more hour and then the power came back on. I think that the air pumps work good. If you can provide some circulation it helps things a lot. Until I can afford a generator this will be my plan from now on.

Post by **snoopdog** » Tue Sep 21, 2004 8:35 pm

KrazyPlace wrote:(1) Aerators suck and aren't worth the money spent on them.

I do not agree here, they saved all four of my tanks, zero loss.

Scott · Post by **Scott** » Tue Sep 21, 2004 9:04 pm

Yeah, I think they saved my tank too. Really anything that would keep the DO high enough would work. If I had been able to get to the PVC fittings in my garage I would have made some 90's up so that they would help with circulation some.

My aquaculture friends have a big tank of O2 they use because it's readily available, cheap and lasts for a while. Just a thought for the next hurricane or storm. You can probably rent a tank from a welding supply or healthcare store and run a couple of airstones for quite a while.

KrazyPlace · Post by **KrazyPlace** » Wed Sep 22, 2004 5:26 am

I have 2 aerators (brand new and un-opened) for sale... $5 each. Just let me know. I spent about $12 each shipped on them.

I'll keep the one I used for my bait bucket.

andy4499 · Post by **andy4499** » Wed Sep 22, 2004 6:34 am

KrazyPlace wrote:I have 2 aerators (brand new and un-opened) for sale... $5 each. Just let me know. I spent about $12 each shipped on them.

I'll keep the one I used for my bait bucket.

I will take them.

Melissakins · Post by **Melissakins** » Wed Sep 22, 2004 9:24 am

My brain being, my coral brain, not my brain. LOL

I got some aerators (battery operated - D batteries) from walmart in the fishing section. They have airstones and long line on them. They actually give a little flow in the water too. Not a lot, but enough to keep circulation going. My freshies liked them a lot

I will have more batteries next time.

andy4499 · Post by **andy4499** » Wed Sep 22, 2004 10:15 am

Melissakins wrote:My brain being, my coral brain, not my brain. LOL

I got some aerators (battery operated - D batteries) from walmart in the fishing section. They have airstones and long line on them. They actually give a little flow in the water too. Not a lot, but enough to keep circulation going. My freshies liked them a lot

I will have more batteries next time.

How long will a D battery run one the airstone and how much are they?

danielmiller82 · Post by **danielmiller82** » Wed Sep 22, 2004 11:07 am

andy..i think that these are the same as I have...2 D batteries can run the aerator over 24 hours

Melissakins · Post by **Melissakins** » Wed Sep 22, 2004 12:02 pm

the ones I got from Walmart were I think 5.86 and only took 1 D battery, but the compartment where the battery goes has a slot for another D battery for Storage to replace the one it's currently using when it dies.

Not sure how long they run, as I'd turn them off/on.

110chadman · Post by **110chadman** » Wed Sep 22, 2004 2:40 pm

the ones from wallyworld will run up tp about 30 hours on one d battery the other slot for the d battery ( it is connected it runs in series ) if you have them both hoocked it still only last for about 30-35 hours i ran about 4 of them in my cans with the fish and live rock but i had lost it all it for real hot in my new place i think ill have to get a chiller

hth

chad

andy4499 · Post by **andy4499** » Wed Sep 22, 2004 2:57 pm

I will have to pick up a couple of them then, thanks