What a very strange day!

[Autumnsky]

It was Colorado Aquarium Society Auction day today 10/19/2019.

I couldn't get to sleep last night and then woke up pretty late.

Had to get 350 pounds of rocks and stone out of the car...

Got a late start - had an hour drive...but there was a big accident on the highway and I rerouted for about 9 miles of surface street and made decent time considering other people were rerouting from the accident area as well.

Went to the check in and pre registered online as were were told to do, but some other person was in possession of my number and already had "bought" items on that number, so after checking what to do I got re-registered with a new number. Newbie volunteer/helper mix up, no big deal.

Then started looking at the quick sale items (you can grab them and buy them no aution process) Some one I knew came over to me and handed me my wallet! Which I had left on the counter when I thought the re-register process would take a while.

Can you imagine if some one without morals would have found it!!! Day would have been ruined?!

Mid day prize drawing - the guy who had my number from the mix up earlier, won a $50.00 online store gift certificate... He's a nice guy so good for him!

Found a couple plants I wanted.

Talked to some friends. By that time of the day usually they need help but they were fully staffed with helpers. Found a chair and sat down for about 15 minutes. Got a text.

Misc message.

5 min later got a text that the power went out at home...

Figured not too bad as I would be getting home in about 3-4 hours and I could fix it if it was still out.

Then another text - Your fish tank plug caught on fire.

I mostly think it is a humorous (not that funny dry humor joke) joke because I am at a fish auction.

next message - Flames!

But no, NOT a joke sadly. My family who aren't fish persons rally together and try to prevent a fire affecting the house.

Basically water overflowed the filter case and dripped and made it's way into a strip plug and caused sparks, flames and a mini fire pouf. Lots of popping was heard before and some electrical smell right before hand.

But that was why the power went out.

I went and told my friends I was getting out and home quickly and checked out. Gave my raffle tickets to the friend and left.

There was a loss of power strip but nothing else appeared to have been damaged.

[It was just a temporary connector strip (like an extension cord) for when I get fish in a QT bucket from the fish store, overnight they go into a bucket with heater and air to make sure they aren't gonna die right off.] But being that it was plugged in it was live.

Meanwhile after I had cashed out and was in the car to get home I saw a message that the tank plugs got plugged into a new strip plug with a "GFI" type shut off feature and things were back in order. Bubbling, splashing and humming along.

Anyway... Got home and got some things settled in.

Had to run to the store, and got a phone call from an unknown # while I was headed to the store.

I called back and found that it was my friend from the meeting and I had won a CAS coffee mug being the first of the final 5 raffle drawings and that asked Good at least it has a fish on it right!???

Yes, she said and you are going to the next meeting right? I told her I would be planning on it but not sure. She said well I guess I will just tell you, you really have to be there.

Okay, why?

I found out, as she said, that the last number drawn was mine too - for the grand prize in the raffle.

What on earth? What? I couldn't quite comprehend for a minute. Stunned really.

But I won a 30G Waterbox FW tank and matching beige stand!!!

It looks amazing. And I'm not sure how to move around things just yet. But it is incredible that the glass is Starphire glass. What I had been wishing for, for forever.

And another text - my daughter got engaged!!!

And since I had to drive to go get the tank from the friends, I bought Chinese food on the way home and my fortune was...

"Your dearest wish will come true within the month!"

Or today (wishes)!!!!! I'm not a believer in fortune telling but fortune cookies are fun.

What a crazy day.

Plus I got a few fish and plants from the auction and a lfs today. None died on the trip home.

#Blessed

 

[Lokilow]

Wow, what a way to get in the dumps then go to sky nine!

I seen you there and when I was going to come find you a little later you were gone, that explains it!

Seems like you always win the cool stuff at the auctions, not fair . If I would've known that you actually won it I could've brought it home for you since I had the space and had to go past you to go home.

I ended up buying the 10 forktail rainbows and come to find out later that all 10 are females! Stuff like that make me hate some sellers at these auctions, don't put a picture of a male fish on a bag, put only females in there, and don't list what sex the fish are in the description! It's basically stealing to me. Otherwise I got some plants and two guppies for my GF. We've never had live-bearers so it could be fun.

Glad your house is safe and fish survived!

 

[Autumnsky]

Thank you. As I have been rearranging tanks recently, I have tried to ensure best practices. That side was temporary where the SW tank is, was a temporary supposed to be changed about a year ago.

So glad things happened with some one home and right next to the issue. I will be making sure that there aren't any danger areas left. And likely deciding which way to mount the strips I have set up (maybe in a way they can be taken down and checked periodically).

Also making sure they have a trip switch and commercial /heavy duty wire size. I will be upgrading any light weight ones. That will be going on the next couple weeks.

Yes, I am sorry about not finding you, I don't think I was there 30-40 min.

Live bearers are fun, but live bearers, and they can really over run the tank. Even when you aren't trying to save every one. I have 14 male Guppy now in a rainbow of colors in the 72G and they are great to see!

I got the Tanzanite Guppies at auction which do not seem to have a bit of blue or lavender sheen to them just black. Maybe it will show up after they get comfortable.

Sellers can be deceptive which stinks. That IS so wrong to use a male pic on the bag. At least type it in the description they are females. That is not okay. Hoping they are at least happy and healthy at your place.

 

[Lokilow]

I can't wait till I can have a house to make my own fish room. That would be amazing, but also a lot of work.

Also just found out that the "furcatas" I bought all look like females because they are not furcatas at all! They're Pacific blue eye rainbows. Looks like 4 male and 5 females (one bag was short one fish) and one of the males is beat up pretty badly (maybe that's why they sold them) so im hoping he heals. He's got damage all over his fins.

I'm of course playing it safe and have all the new fish and plants in a quarantine tank.

 

[Autumnsky]

Well that is even more of a surprise. The Signifer are pretty stunning fish and I really hope they heal. I'd suggest the Epsom salts to help healing (like always) and just maybe 2 tsp per gallon to start off. If they seem good with that I would go the full tablespoon for week and then if they improve reduce back down to 2 tsp for the week after and then one tsp for the 3rd week and then water change it out. AZ gardens mentions these guys like a bit of salt in their water (interesting).

One thing about doing daily water changes and special feeding and babying the fish, they seem to grow on you even more so than the ones which don't need as much care.

They are kind of expensive too. I really think they look impressive as adults.

 

[Autumnsky]

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...lear-30g-fw-autumnsky-371189.html#post3534687

Finally build time.