An experiment in coral resilience AKA why you clean your check valves

[enderg60]

Today the power went out while I was at work. No big deal I have everything setup right. Wrong.

Got home after the power had been out at least an hour to find the check valve on my frag tanks stuck open and the tanks only half full. So after frantically getting the generator up and everything running again the tanks refilled and all is back to normal.

And so we begin the experiment. In the picture below the two inside racks are the high up ones, every last coral on those two shelves was totally out of the water for no less than an hour. Everything from tubs blue zoas, undata, red dragon, and many many more.

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This is about 30 minutes after I got it running again. As you can see the zoas are already open like nothing happened, most of the encrusting monties seem mad but polyps are out, red dragon and pavona look like some of the tips are burned.

Welp guess we wait and see what happens now. Oh and spare check valve is installed and old one is soaking in vinegar.

Its been a fun afternoon, time for a drink.

 

[blind1993]

Corals on the reef are left out of water for hours at a time during low tide. How do they survive dessication? The smelly mucus that we all hate is what protects them from drying out and continuing about their day.

I imagine most if not all your corals will be just fine, if they weren't tiny frags I'd garuntee it haha

 

[snowmansnow]

whew close call. were you notified by your apex that the power was out?

 

[enderg60]

Yup about 20 minutes before the power company texted me saying it would be restoring power by 3:30. Good thing I had the generator because it was closer to 8.

But so far the birds nests is toast and the pavona and red dragon have lost about 1/2" at the ends. Other than that, all is well.

Im kind of surprised all of the deep water acros were fine.

 

[Adam]

I know it doesn't help if you have no one to start the generator. But if you have high and low float switches in the sump you'll get another alert.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

[jennm]

blind1993;1115413 wrote: Corals on the reef are left out of water for hours at a time during low tide. How do they survive dessication? The smelly mucus that we all hate is what protects them from drying out and continuing about their day.

I imagine most if not all your corals will be just fine, if they weren't tiny frags I'd garuntee it haha

This. And a good lesson to all on safeguards.

Jenn