Is your tank prepared for the LONG haul?

[monti mike]

My fish are more prepared than I am! I buy different frozen foods (for variety I tell myself) almost every time I stop at the store. A whole quarter of freezer is dedicated to fish food. Please don’t submit me to be featured on the hoarders show

 

[TheHarold]

I keep a generator with enough wattage to power my tank and reptile tank

And how much gas?

 

[SebastianReefer]

This question is not about fear but a reminder to be prepared.

With the uncertainty of travel, shopping, shipping, etc. comes the need to be prepared! And of course since we're a saltwater aquarium community we need to talk about the challenges of keeping your reef tank healthy and prepared during these times. So I think it will be good to talk about what we will need if we are stuck in the house for an extended period of time. I would like to hear from you on what you might have stocked up on or what you think will be important to be ready for. Some of our members and friends had a pretty strong earthquake today in Utah and are without power. Couple that with what's already going on and it could present even more challenges that we need to consider.

1. How have you prepared or are preparing to to take care of your reef tank just in case you can't get supplied in the near future?

2. What are some things that hobbyists should think about and prepare for now just in case?

I always stick up on everything but I will be going and buying some salt tomorrow enough to last a while I have 6 tanks and I buy extra fish food every time I’m at lfs dogs have extra food also I can’t risk them running out they only eat one kind everything else gives them upset tummy

 

[Lasse]

Seems you're not prepared if you lose your saltwater then

I can´t see the need of extra salt - if I lose my saltwater - it will be caused of a leak - and in that case the system will go down even if I had a ton of salt - no need to fill a leaking aquaria with new water and salt. I have around 4 -5 kg salt (100 - 150 l water).

Sincerely Lasse

 

[FishTruck]

I would worry about being tempted to mess with the tank too much while being stuck at home and bored.

In my case... I have one that needs my time - since it is still being built. And... the one in the house where I no longer live is totally thriving with total neglect (just an auto feeder dumping in flake!). And... I do have about a year of flank and pellet food.

So far... I have not had any trouble getting equipment for the new build.

 

[NDIrish]

I'm cycling my tank right now, so there is nothing I have to have right now.
Maybe some more salt. Hopefully I can get some this weekend.
I was hoping to get some live rock to seed my tank and some copods to get started.

 

[Braves Fan]

I answered yes ,, one item is still up in the air I placed a large order with BRS and got everything I need to maintain my tank for a very long extended period of time ,, the one item still up in the air ,, Reef Frenzy frozen fish food ,, I placed a order for 5 of the large packs of food with Premium Aquatics ,, it is supposed to be delivered today ,, this is the second day in shipping to me ,,, Premium Aqutics told me it will arrive frozen ,, we will see ,, UPS driver should be pulling up any time now

I will let ya'll know if it does

Solid as a Rock

 

[Anchor]

All the attention might kill my tank(s). It wont be used to anything more than feeding and daily manual top offs. I might even get to make some DIY stuff I have been putting off.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

This question is not about fear but a reminder to be prepared.

With the uncertainty of travel, shopping, shipping, etc. comes the need to be prepared! And of course since we're a saltwater aquarium community we need to talk about the challenges of keeping your reef tank healthy and prepared during these times. So I think it will be good to talk about what we will need if we are stuck in the house for an extended period of time. I would like to hear from you on what you might have stocked up on or what you think will be important to be ready for. Some of our members and friends had a pretty strong earthquake today in Utah and are without power. Couple that with what's already going on and it could present even more challenges that we need to consider.

1. How have you prepared or are preparing to to take care of your reef tank just in case you can't get supplied in the near future?

2. What are some things that hobbyists should think about and prepare for now just in case?

Had a hunch this day would come

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Had a hunch this day would come

I do need salt. Have some

 

[MurphyJ]

For the staples, I normally buy supplies to last 6 months. RO/DI filters, DI resin, salt, etc are always cheaper in volume. Additives, food, test kits are bought at the half empty level.

The things that trip me up are the “emergency” supplies Like medicines, carbon, etc. With the closures and delays in shipping I did buy carbon and started looking at the medicines I have on hand to treat corals and fish. Oh, and checked the Tylenol bottle - expired in 2012 so yup need to buy some Meds for me just in case!

 

[Copingwithpods]

I'd say these zoas will do OK for a few months *wink wink*

 

[Gary Inwood]

Here in the UK not as bad, but I am fully stocked to last a couple of month.

 

[mitch91175]

Well absolutely can do without doing a water change.
Absolutely can do without my Apex controller (it's just a glorified timer at this point in my system).
Absolutely can do with washing filter socks

All my fish eat seaweed and have an ample supply of that.
Have enough filter socks for a few months and can revert to cleaning them if necessary.
Can live without a skimmer as long as I have filter socks (can use alternative methods to decrease nutrients).

Cannot live without my Alkatronic and hope is doesn't kick the curb.
Do not need much as far as dKH/Calcium/Magnesium (running a calcium reactor with spare CO2 tank).
Have at least 2 months supply of Red Sea program maybe even longer.
Cannot live without a return pump (will order a spare just in case anyways and the one I use is readily available online).
Have a Sochting Oxydator running on system so oxygen not a concern.

All in all I think unless electricity miraculously stops working that is the main concern. Do not have a generator. But if power goes my fish tank will be the least of my concerns at that point. Then we are talking REAL doomsday type crap at that juncture.

And yes unfortunately my tank is more prepared for this than I personally am. Sad but true

 

[mucky1957]

Im lucky to have about 3 mn of food in the freezer and in tubs. I have a spare powerhead and heater..'just in case' and fortunately a good friend who lives close to me where I can get a never ending supply of ro and plain. Of course if something major goes wrong..then its squeaky bum time I guess.