Austin 2021 Weather and Power Outages

[mFrame]

As we come out the other side of the most recent power and water outages I know there will be a lot of members and stores hurting and recovering.  Please don't hesitate to let us know how we can help or what we can do to assist.

[stoneroller]

BRS has offered via email to assist those in Texas with tank recovery. Very generous and smart of them. Anyway, they are requesting that we send information through our local reef clubs and BRS will respond with a code.   It would be helpful if you set up a process for facilitating information between BRS and local reefers who wish to "rebuild". I can forward the BRS email if needed. For example, do we need to start a thread or send pics. Any help appreciated.

Aside from two chromis I lost all fish and am pulling corals as they decline in health.

Thanks.

[jolt]

@Juiceman may have something to say on the BRS topic

[stoneroller]

Here's the email pasted below. 

 

 

Dear Valued BRS Customer,

 

We at BRS can't believe what this storm has done to the state of Texas. Our hearts go out to all those who have been impacted. One of the reasons why we love the reef keeping community so much is that we are there for each other in times of need.

 

BRS would like to help our fellow reefing community in Texas. If you (or someone you know) has experienced hardship due to the frigid temperatures in the Lone Star State, we would like to help if we can. We know family comes first. If you are in a position to get your aquarium back online, we are offering a special promotional code to those affected by this storm, to assist in your aquarium's recovery.

 

We ask those who had their tanks affected by this storm to reach out to your local club leadership and ask them to contact BRS directly. Have them email:

[email protected] so we can ensure these codes are properly distributed.

 

You are also welcome to use the #AskBRStv Facebook Group as a communication tool to reach other reefers in your area. Stay strong, Texans!

 

Our thoughts are with you.

 

Your Friends at BRS

 

[lewisweil]

anyone know how the lfs are doing? I'm worried for aquadome, rca, and aquatek! 

[victoly]

Aquadome had a pretty rough go. They lost a substantial portion of their SW livestock and their SW displays were wiped out. 

[stoneroller]

Still looking for help to access BRS offer of assistance. I don't want to go on facebook to get help.

[stoneroller]

 

"We ask those who had their tanks affected by this storm to reach out to your local club leadership and ask them to contact BRS directly. Have them email:

[email protected] so we can ensure these codes are properly distributed."  @jolt, can you help out with this as moderator/ARC staff? 

[jolt]

I'm sorry, I never received any specifics on this for use by ARC members 

[mFrame]

I've sent an email to BRS, will post responses accordingly.

[stoneroller]

alright, thanks!! @mFrame

[victoly]

There's also an event at RCA on 3/20.

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=2939800843011559&set=a.2177713055887012

"Austin event is March 20th, it will be held at River City Aquatics in Austin TX. 12108 Roxie Dr
Austin, TX 78729
Sorry it took a while to get dates figured out we were faced with a lot of covid restrictions here in Austin! We will be making a schedule for the day because we can only have so many per a hr in anyone location at a time!
Everyone will need to social distance, and bring masks. if don’t have a Mask we will have a limited supply to hand out but are limited on what PPE we have. The event is 100% free if you want to come and receive a care package of corals and stuff you must PM Tyson Rich AKA Rich Reefer, 

Chris Noah

 , 

Justin Spaugh

 if you haven’t already!
We are Making pre packed boxes to cut down on back and forth transactions. We will have a lot of nice stuff to do a giveaway, again it’s a (free giveaway) i will enter those who have contacted me needing some of the things like lights and a tank and do a live drawing of names. We are doing a name drawing on those items because of the limited amount we have available and the response we got for the items threw out the state. We have clown fish coming but We are working on getting other fish for the Austin event, waiting to hear back from some wholesalers.
we will have tons of coral and equipment to give away free for those who PM use and were affected by the snowpocalypse! Again please PM one of us if you haven’t already. I will be messaging everyone with a schedule of times this one will be a all day event from open to close because of how many people we have and how many we can have show up every hour. It was real nice of Jake to donate his shop and his employees to to help us, we figured it would be the perfect place to hold it because it is right off the free way and we can use the tanks in back to house fish/corals and just incase we need anything it’s a full LFS. Also if there’s anything you need that day that we don’t have they will be happy to help you with that! We will be set up in front of the big fish only tank to the right when you walk in. Look forward to seeing everyone there! HAPPY REEFING!! "

[mFrame]

My assumption so far is that what members have lost is livestock rather than equipment.  I know that I have lots of extra equipment if members needed that.  Additionally I have some frags and corals I could share out. Perhaps we should start a donation thread where we list what we have to offer to help bootstrap members who need it?  We could piggyback on one of the LFS distribution efforts and give out LPS or SPS packs.

[stoneroller]

My plan is to, first, make sure the reef tank environment (microbe biology, chemistry) is recovered and to continue testing. Supplies for that include bacteria blends, ICP tests, nopox, salt mix with probiotics. Other ideas? Second would be restocking fishes (lost all tangs, anthias, wrasses). Third, would be to address coral losses. I've had to pull large and small SPS colonies almost every day since the first long duration outage. I didn't lose any LPS or zoanthids, interesting enough.  

[jolt]

I have an extra 50 gallon bag of instant ocean reef crystals and an ICP test if you want them.  Just let me know.

[stoneroller]

Thanks for the offer Jim, I'll reach out to you when I'm in Austin. 

[Dominican]

Hi all! I lost pretty much everything due to no power for a few days, and am getting out for a while to start with a new tank down the road. 

One question. I've got about 100+lbs of live rock that, due to rampant trash plays, I doubt anyone would want wholesale. Should I just dry out the rock and sell it as dry rock later? What do you all recommend I do with it?

Once I get the tank cleaned out I'll see if anyone wants the drilled 150 and custom cabinet for cheap, but am likely keeping all of my other equipment. 

[victoly]

bleach it, IMO. 

[Dominican]

14 hours ago, victoly said:

bleach it, IMO. 

I'll probably just do that, thanks.

[stoneroller]

what I did was just set the rock out in the hot sun, up high, they'll dry up and be easy to simply peel off safely

I presume the bleach will break down toxins anyway but i wouldn't want to mess with bleach water from 100#s of paly covered rock... Regardless, goes without saying, do that bleaching outside!

[stoneroller]

@mFrameno word from BRS yet? 

[stoneroller]

NVM. It only ran for nine days amidst a disaster. Whatever... 

 

"Hey Kevin,
Thank you for reaching out to us. I'm sorry to hear that you were affected by the Texas winter storm. It's not easy to recover from a disaster like this. We did run a coupon for the month of Feb to help those affected, however the coupon did expire on Feb 28th. I'm not able to extend this discount, however we are having a sale starting tomorrow that'll help save a lot of money. Let me know if you have any other questions, and have a great day."