Apparently the city of Chicago has been experiencing a number of blackouts in recent days due to inclement weather. As many of you know, especially those in coastal areas where hurricanes frequent, a power outage for only a few hours can spell disaster for a reef aquarium. And many aquarium keeping residents of Chicago, specifically in the North Shore area, have been without power for a full week. Unfortunately, most hobbyists are not equipped to handle a power outage, or any other disaster for that matter, and many have lost thousands of dollars in aquarium livestock. Fortunately, there’s a company in the area that is equipped to lend a hand to troubled aquarium keepers, and that company is Midwest Coral Farms. The aquarium store has been taking in fish and other aquatic life from aquarists who are without power, saving many animals and the hopes of many tank owners in the process. For their efforts, Midwest Coral Farms has been treated to immense public exposure via Fox News Chicago, and we couldn’t help but celebrate their actions as well.
As is indicated in the video, saltwater fish cannot survive long without a fresh supply of oxygenated water. When the power goes out, the tank immediately starts to become stagnant and animals in the tank start using up all of the oxygen while also giving off CO2 and ammonia. The aquarium’s temperature is no longer regulated and can skyrocket during warmer months. This further depresses oxygen levels and fish start to die from swimming in a soup of toxic compounds. The best thing to do in a situation such as this is to have a generator on hand. Plug in the necessities, like water pumps to keep the water circulating. If a generator isn’t available, the next best thing is batter operated air pumps or using car batteries or other power backups to keep the water pumps moving. If these are also unavailable, you have to get the livestock out as soon as possible, otherwise you’ll end up losing everything. If you are fortunate enough to have a fish store or fellow aquarium keeper nearby that still has power and is willing to help, don’t hesitate to use that resource.
In closing, we wanted to say thank you to the Midwest Coral Farms for truly being a leader in the crowd of local fish store and actually caring for the well-being of the animals in your city. Hopefully other fish stores will see what you have done and will follow suit, not only in Chicago, but cities across the nation.
Original story can be seen on My Fox Chicago.
