Good thing to know. I wonder if that applies to King couny as well?
Storm tales losses saves???
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Good thing to know. I wonder if that applies to King couny as well?
jnarowe
Beer-a-holic
I can't believe the a-s-s-wipe that turned off someone's generator! I would be totally bent about that. We didn't do so bad out here in Kitsap as out of all the reefers I personally know, I was the only one without a generator. And no one complains about generator noise out here because electrical outages are fairly common.
I lost power at about 8pm Thurs. right before the Hawks so horribly embarrassed themselves. Since the power doesn't go out for very long, I wasn't too worried about it. Sherman had been out shopping for a generator since his old one had died, but I just didn't think it was neccessary...until I woke up at 2:30am and did the math: 8am would be 12 hours! At 4:30am I left the house in search of a generator. I wanted to be first in line for the last one available...unfortunately, every store I went to was sold out. I returned home at about 9am really depressed as I realized I could lose my whole reef. I had one Vortech running on a UPS but it didn't last through the night. I flipped through the yellow pages for generators and found that a Garden & Tractor shop in Silverdale is listed, and when I called, they said they had 30 generators in stock! Of course, they only sell Hondas so I knew I would have to pay double, but I bit the bullet and went to get one. They were selling as fast as they could be unloaded and I barely got one. I brought home a 3000W specialty generator that supposedly refines the power so that electronics can be run on it. It cost a freakin' $1,200! I have been planning since I started my reef to install a whole house genset but just haven't gotten to it yet.
Anyway, I got it running and the tank pumps, skimmer air pump, and heaters online at around noon, and then went looking for more gas. While gassing at the only station in Poulsbo with running pumps, I got a call from a guy tank sitting for Tage (a PSAS member). Tage is out of the country on a cruise and the sitter informed me that his tanks were down to 68F...I couldn't believe it since my tanks had only lost about 4 degrees. Anyway, I couldn't believe that I was going to go help this guy while dealing with my own crisis, but I couldn't turn him down. Long story short, the sitter had turned off the generator at night and the glass tanks had given up the heat, and Tage only had one little "maintainance" heater in the sump, and it was totally caked with deposits. It wasn't giving off any heat. I scraped it off, installed 3 more heaters, and told the sitter to keep the generator going until the tank hit 80F. When I got back to my house at around 2pm, the power was back on. No losses that I know of in any of our tanks.
I lost power at about 8pm Thurs. right before the Hawks so horribly embarrassed themselves. Since the power doesn't go out for very long, I wasn't too worried about it. Sherman had been out shopping for a generator since his old one had died, but I just didn't think it was neccessary...until I woke up at 2:30am and did the math: 8am would be 12 hours! At 4:30am I left the house in search of a generator. I wanted to be first in line for the last one available...unfortunately, every store I went to was sold out. I returned home at about 9am really depressed as I realized I could lose my whole reef. I had one Vortech running on a UPS but it didn't last through the night. I flipped through the yellow pages for generators and found that a Garden & Tractor shop in Silverdale is listed, and when I called, they said they had 30 generators in stock! Of course, they only sell Hondas so I knew I would have to pay double, but I bit the bullet and went to get one. They were selling as fast as they could be unloaded and I barely got one. I brought home a 3000W specialty generator that supposedly refines the power so that electronics can be run on it. It cost a freakin' $1,200! I have been planning since I started my reef to install a whole house genset but just haven't gotten to it yet.
Anyway, I got it running and the tank pumps, skimmer air pump, and heaters online at around noon, and then went looking for more gas. While gassing at the only station in Poulsbo with running pumps, I got a call from a guy tank sitting for Tage (a PSAS member). Tage is out of the country on a cruise and the sitter informed me that his tanks were down to 68F...I couldn't believe it since my tanks had only lost about 4 degrees. Anyway, I couldn't believe that I was going to go help this guy while dealing with my own crisis, but I couldn't turn him down. Long story short, the sitter had turned off the generator at night and the glass tanks had given up the heat, and Tage only had one little "maintainance" heater in the sump, and it was totally caked with deposits. It wasn't giving off any heat. I scraped it off, installed 3 more heaters, and told the sitter to keep the generator going until the tank hit 80F. When I got back to my house at around 2pm, the power was back on. No losses that I know of in any of our tanks.
mfinn
Surgeonfish
I always run my generator untill about midnight and then turn it back on at about 5:30. I do this for a couple reasons, one for the neighbor closest to the generator, two, I don't like to leave it unattended while I sleep. It is a Generac brand which has to be the loudest there is.
I tell all my neighbors that they are welcome to come over for hot meals and showers.
I tell all my neighbors that they are welcome to come over for hot meals and showers.
jnarowe
Beer-a-holic
Very good PR finn. 
My heat pump is louder than any home size generator I have ever heard and because I live in the sticks, no one is going to complain, and they wouldn't dare anyway 'cause they know what the answer would be. They all know I am off my meds and I don't waste ammo with that whole "fisrt shot over the bow" thing. :lol:
My heat pump is louder than any home size generator I have ever heard and because I live in the sticks, no one is going to complain, and they wouldn't dare anyway 'cause they know what the answer would be.
They all know I am off my meds and I don't waste ammo with that whole "fisrt shot over the bow" thing. :lol:
dragoneggs
Well-known member
Still no power in the hills east of Redmond... luckily I am in the process of setting up a new tank so no animals lost.
DonW
R.I.P.
Dont know I'd call the Sherriff if the neighbors are giving you crap. I cant understand the lack of commaradery between neighbors especially at times like this. Myself, I have a small grandchild in the house along with my reef that needs food and heat. It shouldnt be necessary to protect your generator with a Ruger.
Mean people suck
Don
scytale
Caladanman
No generator, no power for 69 hours, but no fatalites.
The things that ultimately proved the most useful to me:
1.) Polystrene Sheet Insulation (The pink kind; duct-taped to the tank walls/top/bottom.)
2.) My home-made "Thermo Nuclear Calcium Reactor" (i.e. sidewalk de-icer pellets mixed with lukewarm water)
3.) The crank egg-beater.
On the first night w/o power--I covered tank w/ sleeping bags&blankets then ran 1 heater and 1 air pump off a VERY small invertor:
tank temp: 70 deg (and falling...) :doubt:
Then I bought the sheets of insulation @Depot the second day:
tank temps 75-80 degrees
(even after the invertor & heater died @ 2:00am!):eek2:
I also used my own "Thermo-Nuclear Calcium Reactor" to heat the tank @ night.
(I kept making 1 gallon batches of the Ca part of Randy's Part 2 Ca/ALK Addivitve Recipe....
the reaction between the CaCL and H2O was so powerful it kept the tank warm over night!)
And finally the egg-beater; for aeration.
(Because the electric air pump couldn't run w/o the invertor,
and the battery powered air-pumps I ordered online a week ago are still sitting in the Fedex warehouse in Seattle!)
My Chromis really loved that egg-beater frothing--I thought I was going to puree the little guy!
(Plus all that cranking is a good aerobic exercise--warms you up @ 2:00am, 5:00am, and 8:00am when your house is only 40 degreees "warm"!)
The things that ultimately proved the most useful to me:
1.) Polystrene Sheet Insulation (The pink kind; duct-taped to the tank walls/top/bottom.)
2.) My home-made "Thermo Nuclear Calcium Reactor" (i.e. sidewalk de-icer pellets mixed with lukewarm water)
3.) The crank egg-beater.
On the first night w/o power--I covered tank w/ sleeping bags&blankets then ran 1 heater and 1 air pump off a VERY small invertor:
tank temp: 70 deg (and falling...) :doubt:
Then I bought the sheets of insulation @Depot the second day:
tank temps 75-80 degrees
(even after the invertor & heater died @ 2:00am!):eek2:
I also used my own "Thermo-Nuclear Calcium Reactor" to heat the tank @ night.
(I kept making 1 gallon batches of the Ca part of Randy's Part 2 Ca/ALK Addivitve Recipe....
the reaction between the CaCL and H2O was so powerful it kept the tank warm over night!)
And finally the egg-beater; for aeration.
(Because the electric air pump couldn't run w/o the invertor,
and the battery powered air-pumps I ordered online a week ago are still sitting in the Fedex warehouse in Seattle!)
My Chromis really loved that egg-beater frothing--I thought I was going to puree the little guy!
(Plus all that cranking is a good aerobic exercise--warms you up @ 2:00am, 5:00am, and 8:00am when your house is only 40 degreees "warm"!)
cwby416
Born again Reefer
I believe that SCYTALE should recieve the most inventive award for saving his reef in a pinch!!! Great work!!
One question, did you just float your 1 gallon solution in the tank??
One question, did you just float your 1 gallon solution in the tank??
mfinn
Surgeonfish
A more detailed explaination would help alot of people
scytale
Caladanman
Thanks!
I'm very glad to report that, other than a few of the mushrooms and green star polpys who haven't fully opened up yet, NO FATALITIES!
1 quick dose of Amquel took care of the Ammonia, and Nitrite build-up--
nitrates are still present, but that's been "normal" for the tank for a while...)
People were asking for details, so here they are:
Yes, ultimately I just floated the 1 gallon jugs on top of the tank.(leave a little air pocket, and use tap water, not salt water so it will float more.)
I've got the tank setup for viewing on all 4 sides, so there's plenty of room at the top for the jugs to move around w/o bumping into anything important,
but if you've got stuff near the surface--I'd probably try to tie off the jugs in an empty corner, so it doesn't bump into anything precious.
I used 1 gallon jugs because I have an 80 gallon tank, any smaller-sized bottles seemed to lose heat too quickly
(but you should probably scale your bottles accordingly.)
I didn't use a specific amount of pellets . (it was too cold and too dark to measure anyways)
I just remembered when I made up Randy's Recipe it seemed like ALOT of pellets!
So I didn't skimp on the CaCl.
I made a funnel out of a piece of junk mail,
poured enough pellets in to cover the bottom of the jug maybe 1/2" thick,
filled with some luke warm water--shake,
and you've got boiling hot calcium water!
One thing I did learn was USE A THICK JUG.
When I made the second batch I tried to use thinner bottles (a "SMARTWATER" Bottle--the totally clear plastic kind)
and it melted almost immediately--I didn't even have time to start shaking it.
The kind of jug that worked best for me is the 1 gallon Odwalla Juice jugs that I buy @ Costco (the juice tastes great) and the jug is double/triple thick!
I hope this helps anyone still suffering w/o power (or for next time)
VERY Important: get some real insulation for the tank @ homedepot or Lowes.
If I were still using sleeping bags and blankets, I don't think this would have worked!
1.) The pink (styrene) foam insulation is relatively cheap, cuts easily, and dosen't crumble into pellets like white styrofoam. (just cut to fit, overlap the corners, and duct tape together)
2.) Floating the jugs forced me to REMOVE MY CANOPY, and make a foam lid for the tank instead.
(This meant there was less air space above the tank for the heat to escape into, and I could feel less heat escaping when i opened the lid vs. opening my canopy.)
If you don't have any CaCl pellets/flakes--boiling water would work just fine too--
I think the CA reaction lasts a bit longer so that's why I used it at night
(i wanted to be able to sleep for more than 2 hours @ a time!)
(Maybe when I get time, and the camera batteries are recharged--I'll create a "ThermoNuclear Calcium Reactor" post w/some pics--I think I still have the mangled SmartWater bottles!)
I'm very glad to report that, other than a few of the mushrooms and green star polpys who haven't fully opened up yet, NO FATALITIES!
1 quick dose of Amquel took care of the Ammonia, and Nitrite build-up--
nitrates are still present, but that's been "normal" for the tank for a while...)
People were asking for details, so here they are:
Yes, ultimately I just floated the 1 gallon jugs on top of the tank.(leave a little air pocket, and use tap water, not salt water so it will float more.)
I've got the tank setup for viewing on all 4 sides, so there's plenty of room at the top for the jugs to move around w/o bumping into anything important,
but if you've got stuff near the surface--I'd probably try to tie off the jugs in an empty corner, so it doesn't bump into anything precious.
I used 1 gallon jugs because I have an 80 gallon tank, any smaller-sized bottles seemed to lose heat too quickly
(but you should probably scale your bottles accordingly.)
I didn't use a specific amount of pellets . (it was too cold and too dark to measure anyways)
I just remembered when I made up Randy's Recipe it seemed like ALOT of pellets!
So I didn't skimp on the CaCl.
I made a funnel out of a piece of junk mail,
poured enough pellets in to cover the bottom of the jug maybe 1/2" thick,
filled with some luke warm water--shake,
and you've got boiling hot calcium water!
One thing I did learn was USE A THICK JUG.
When I made the second batch I tried to use thinner bottles (a "SMARTWATER" Bottle--the totally clear plastic kind)
and it melted almost immediately--I didn't even have time to start shaking it.
The kind of jug that worked best for me is the 1 gallon Odwalla Juice jugs that I buy @ Costco (the juice tastes great) and the jug is double/triple thick!
I hope this helps anyone still suffering w/o power (or for next time)
VERY Important: get some real insulation for the tank @ homedepot or Lowes.
If I were still using sleeping bags and blankets, I don't think this would have worked!
1.) The pink (styrene) foam insulation is relatively cheap, cuts easily, and dosen't crumble into pellets like white styrofoam. (just cut to fit, overlap the corners, and duct tape together)
2.) Floating the jugs forced me to REMOVE MY CANOPY, and make a foam lid for the tank instead.
(This meant there was less air space above the tank for the heat to escape into, and I could feel less heat escaping when i opened the lid vs. opening my canopy.)
If you don't have any CaCl pellets/flakes--boiling water would work just fine too--
I think the CA reaction lasts a bit longer so that's why I used it at night
(i wanted to be able to sleep for more than 2 hours @ a time!)
(Maybe when I get time, and the camera batteries are recharged--I'll create a "ThermoNuclear Calcium Reactor" post w/some pics--I think I still have the mangled SmartWater bottles!)
scytale
Caladanman
PS: FEDEX JUST delivered my battery-powered air pumps this morning
(2 days late) If anyone still w/o power needs to borrow them, or needs a warm tank to hold something--let me know!
I'm @ work in Downtown Kirkland, then home to Finn Hill....425 (890)-4099
(2 days late) If anyone still w/o power needs to borrow them, or needs a warm tank to hold something--let me know!
I'm @ work in Downtown Kirkland, then home to Finn Hill....425 (890)-4099
jnarowe
Beer-a-holic
really sweet.
Katchupoy
Well-known member
Where do we get CACL? Sorry kinda stupid queation.
Katchupoy
Well-known member
Gotcha.... and these are available in Walmart, home depot or lowes?... Never used it before...
thanks again.
thanks again.
scytale
Caladanman
It not really driveway "salt"--because mixing that w/ water would just make saltwater
--it's Calcium/Potassium Choride powder/pellets... just ask for Sidewalk De-icer...most hardware stores carry it, you can probably find it at some Walmarts/Targets/GiJoes/Fred Meyer's/ShopKo's etc., even some auto-parts and grocery stores carry it....
The brand I used was "Prestone DrivewayHeat".
(I had it on hand because it's one of the purest forms of CaCl that you can buy off-the-shelf, you can use it to make your own D-I-Y Calcium/ALK buffer solutions, and as a side-effect it happens to create ALOT of heat....)
You can use any brand in this case because you're not adding the chemicals to your tank--just the heat that's created in the jug when you mix it with water.....
I know all the Lowes and HomeDepots in my area have big pallets of de-icer sitting right at the front of the store when you walk in this time of year...
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Katchupoy
Well-known member
Ok, I bought a driveway salt or Ice remover. It says Calcium Chloride.
Then I put a cup of it to a jar and add water. Nothing happens...What did I do wrong?
Thanks
Then I put a cup of it to a jar and add water. Nothing happens...What did I do wrong?
Thanks
scytale
Caladanman
How much water was in the jar?
I put about 2-3? cups of CaCl in and then about 1/2 a gallon of water (then SHAKE)
I had enough pellets in there so that the water got cloudy, and there was still some undissolved powder on the bottom....
(If it was a glass jar, maybe you can't feel the heat?)
I put about 2-3? cups of CaCl in and then about 1/2 a gallon of water (then SHAKE)
I had enough pellets in there so that the water got cloudy, and there was still some undissolved powder on the bottom....
(If it was a glass jar, maybe you can't feel the heat?)
paintbalaguy
also a reefer
I burnt myself so bad with that stuff once, I put a 2 oz shot glass full of it in the bottom of my sump and it wouldnt just dissolve out so I grabbed it and my thumb slip into the CaCl/H2O slush. I got burnt bad. Not sure if it was chemical induced or heat induced tho.
