MousePotato

Our power has been out for almost five days now. As of yesterday, my fish were still fine. The power company website is now showing that our power has been restored. I can't get home until at least tomorrow.

The filters have not had water running through them. Should I be concerned about what they may now be spitting out? I know the HOB is just going to crank because it needs priming and I'm sure I lost my cycle in both tanks, but what are my immediate concerns?

Thanks.

Shawnie

if they are totally dried out, id treat it as if it was new and wash them down, and restart your cycle at least with the filters..maybe do a 50 % water change and see if you can get your hands on some safestart to poor in ?..you should still have some bacteria in your gravel n such where it was kept moist...your hob shouldnt crack just re prime it...I hope things go well and at least the fishie are alive!! re doing a cycle is bad but not as bad as loosing all your babies also right?

MousePotato

Thanks, Shawnie

Well, the Eheim won't be dried out since it's a canister, but the HOB probably will be. The filter media in the big tank has been sitting in water, but has not had any flowing through it. A friend of mine said the bacteria would have starved and possibly become toxic. Is that true?

I can't count on getting any safestart for a while. I doubt the LFS will be open any time soon. Actually, I wonder if the LFS has lost all its fish. They still don't have power.

Shawnie

well by doing a test of your water parimeters, will certainly let you know more...if you have high ammonia, its safe to assume you lost the cycle as the bacteria wasnt keeping up with it...but one never knows .....and maybe ordering safestart online would help you with the cycle if you have to start it again..im hoping you dont for sure!

Lucy

As long as the filter media stayed wet and the bacteria had a source of ammonia, wouldn't it ok?

Shawnie

should be unless the waste was overwhelming I would assume...the hob probably dried out tho from draining...but having the batteries running it for a bit you never know...

MousePotato

Thank you, ladies.

I don't think it would have had a source of ammonia since the filters weren't running. Well, I will just hope for the best as far as the cycle goes. I will know tomorrow. My main concern is what my friend said. Is my filter spewing poison into my tanks?

Shawnie

ammonia=fish poo LOL so it has a source

Lucy

Shawnie's right, the media still in the water has a source of ammonia.

I turn my filters off when I clean my tanks, when I turn it back on, it always throws particles into the water but they settle down quickly.
Granted mine are only off for a few minutes, but I think the particles will just settle.

MousePotato

Thanks again, ladies. I wasn't sure how quickly fish poo got eaten. I will be going home tomorrow afternoon, as soon as I can get the puppies from their temporary home. Here's hoping all is well!

clinton1621

Fish also release pure ammonia when they 'pee'... so the bacteria was getting fed pretty well in a fully stocked tank =)

MousePotato

Agreed, but the fish pee wasn't going through the filters. That was my concern.

cognizant

Good luck with everything and keep us posted!

clinton1621

The filters, unless you cleaned them recently, should have had sufficient waste on them though to feed the bacteria, even without fresh pee lol =)

MousePotato

Well, I cleaned the Eheim a few days before I left, but I put the Bio Spira in after that. I gotta hope I have enough (pun somewhat intended) in the tank to retain the bacteria.

Thanks, cognizant. You may rest assured I will be all over this board once I get home and start taking care of business. Assuming I have power.

RandomKayos

Here is my take and suggestion. First, personal experience, I keep old gravel and filter media for starting new tanks in a hurry. I have never worried about letting the old pads dry out. Bacteria has a tendency to spore heavily and even form cysts around themselves that later are reactivated when wet. I've heard rumors of bacteria that was literaly thousands of years old still being viable. So a few days in a damp only situation should leave you alot of viable bacteria, not to mention what is in the gravel of your tanks and the plants.

My best advise is not to over react as long as the fish seem ok for the majority. Do a 50% water change when you get back. Give it a day and test. Then maybe, if levels are really high to a 25% for the next couple days. If the tests look good after the 50% change. Your good. As for the filter spewing poison. Very unlikely unless you are using toxins as media. From what I've read you are very good at keeping your tanks in tip top shape under normal conditions and as such, they should be back on track quickly as well. Just don't do to much to quick or you will end up starting over on cycles.

Hope this helps.

RK

MousePotato

Thank you, RK, for both your advice and for the compliment on my tank upkeep. I have heard of thousand year-old bacteria still being viable, but it was usually in the context of Egyptian tombs. I do not have extra media at this time as Husband has not yet fully come on board with the whole MTS thing (but he will, oh, yes.... he WILL!), but I don't suppose it would help anyway without power. I am not in the habit of using toxins as media, so I am in the clear there.

I will be home tomorrow and I will check the water. I assure you I will be here crying for help immediately if things are amiss!

Thanks!

BTW, you look very different in your current avatar. A little hair-combing took years off your appearance.

Edit: I called the house tonight and the answering machine picked up. We have power! Yay!

RandomKayos

LOL, yea, that is my twin grandson, His pics at that age match my pic from that age. Though mine are in black and white.

I'm glad your power is back, that should really help at this point and when you get back I expect you to find things looking pretty good. At least compared to you worst fears. Just check them out, calmly asses any damage that may have occured and work from there. You know what you are doing and you have alot of good people backing you from here.

RK

MousePotato

Thanks, RK! Cute grandson, by the way.

I made it home tonight and the fish look good. Hungry, but good. No casualties. I will try to test the water before I go to bed, but they do not appear to be in distress. I am quite tired right now! Since I got home, I've been taking care of animals, soothing the cats (they had some choice words for me) and starting the long clean up. There was a huge puddle of sticky goo under the refrigerator, so clearly the freezer thawed completely. The litterboxes hath runneth'd over. And the yard... OMG, the yard....!

I will try to post pictures tomorrow for those who may be curious. It looks like Ike has re-landscaped for me!

mrsmuffin

Glad to hear that you made it home and that all of your babies are okay. I hope that you get some rest. I am sure that no matter how little damage you got you are in for a long haul. I can't imagine being down there!

MousePotato

Thanks, mrsmuffin. The house is a disaster inside and out. We have a diabetic cat (eww!) and he's been without his insulin, so you can imagine how this place smells! At least three trees were uprooted and I think one big pine did come down. Gotta wait for the light to be sure. I can barely step off my deck due to the branches. To think I met with a realtor just last week to get this place sold. At least the house is undamaged.

On the bright side, I have electricity and Internet, so I will make it. If all I have is some hard work ahead of me, I am far luckier than many.

Edit: Oh, and the HOB on the small tank was working when I got home. I can't believe it didn't need to be primed the one time I wasn't here to prime it! Little miracles...

RandomKayos

So very glad to hear things are well with the little ones. Living in Florida I have some clue what you are going thru and the important thing is you and yours are in good health. The property can be cleaned and fixed so all in all it's good news.
RK

MousePotato

Thanks, RK. I didn't realize you were in Florida (great powers of observation over here). I guess you know all about hurricanes.

You are correct, Sir, that property can be cleaned and fixed. We are lucky to have sustained such minor damage. Far too many were not so lucky.

I just hope we can still sell our house after this. My last reservations about moving to the Dallas area are gone. I am yankee born (and proud of it) and far too prissy to deal with this kind of weather!

RandomKayos

I hear that, I'm Michigan born and breed and can't wait to retire back in the home country.

clinton1621

Good to hear that all is well =)

Oh and hang ons will usually keep their own prime unless they are lifted out of the tank, or the water level drops below the intake tube... I guess I should have mentioned that before lol

Lucy

Hey Mouse, I'm sorry I missed this thread.

I'm glad all your babies are well.

Sorry about the mess though.

MousePotato

I am from Indiana originally, but Tulsa is "home." Down here, we consider anyone north of Conroe to be a "yankee." <laugh>

Ah, I guess that's why I always have to prime it after a water change. I'm just relieved it was working.

Thanks, Lucy. As always, your words are comforting. Now, I just need someone to go get Husband and make him clean up his share.... It just figures he'd manage to be out of town at a time like this!