An amazing thing just happened....

The Eye of Hurricane Ike passed DIRECTLY over my house and our businesses in September 2008. One of my wife's schools was devastated... and I mean devastated! The other was damaged but not horribly. Our house was in between. Following the storm, priority #1 was fixing the school that was nuked. We had to re-open quickly or we'd lose all her students. Losing students means losing income and going bankrupt. Priority #2 was fixing the roof of the house. Those two steps took months. Even with insurance, I spent close to $50,000 just getting back to stable.



Then, in November 2008, some lady in a suburban ran a stop sign across 4 lanes of traffic and creamed my car. Totalled it. Fortunately, both the kids and I were unharmed both than LOTS bumps and bruises.



Also, in November I had to have surgery #5 of continuing reconstruction from a bad accident a few years ago.

During all of that, both my family and the families at our schools were emmersed in helping other families that had lost everything during Hurricane Ike. If you ever want to have a good day for the rest of your life, just have one REALLY bad day. These families were having TRULY bad days. They lost EVERYTHING. Everyone did everything they could to help, but it was horrible.

Power was out following Ike for days to weeks depending on exactly where you lived. Water was out. No food in stores. No gas at gas stations. Cell phones didn't work. It was literally getting thrown pack into the 1800's following one storm.

Before this, I had a chiclid tank (my 55 gal) and FOWLR (my 40 gal sump). With the power outage, everything in both tanks died. Quite honest, I barely noticed. It was just one more thing. I was busy chain sawing down fallen trees around my house, rebuilding my wife's business, helping families that endured getting 10 feet of storm surge through their homes. A minor thing of losing everything in both tanks just didn't seem that important.



So all of this... sorry for the long post... leads me to October 2009. We literally spent a year recovering from Ike. In October, we FINALLY got the interior damage to our house repaired. Everything was all fixed up and I was staring at my empty 55 gal. I decided that what I REALLY wanted was a reef tank. I started researching and I found 3reef.com.

The symbolicness of getting the aquarium going is HUGE to me. It isn't just getting a tank going and learning about reef tanks. It is the LAST thing remaining to get back to where we were from Ike. Getting the tank going, means Ike is over for us. There has been so much emotion and work and toil and sadness in the last year. Getting past that is HUGE.

So, since October, I have been reading 3reef posts. Matt, Powerman, Peredhil, Av8BlueWater, Puffer Chick and several others have added to my education. Unbeknowst to them, they were helping me take a final step in recovery from Ike.

Now... TODAY... I sat down in front of my tank. I looked at it and asked myself, "Alright, what next??" Lights were good. Overflow was good. Live Rock and sand were good. Flow in the DT was good. Sump and refugium were good. Skimmer was good. GFO/GAC reactors were good. Auto-dosing was good. Everything seemed ready. I sat there for a moment.

:-/

There must be something else to fix. Something else to repair.



I looked at it again. It was ready. My initial set of fish arrive Tuesday.

The tank itself is no big deal compared to some of the AMAZING tanks that I have seen here. I know that I have tons of tinkering and more in front of me, but the tank is BACK. We are back to where we were.



You just have no idea what it is like to stare at a tank with no fish or corals and literally be OVER JOYED!!!! It is truly an amazing thing.

I can't wait for the fish and corals to arrive on Tuesday. Now, instead of recovering, we are moving forward.... doing something that I always wanted to do... my first reef tank!!

It is a big deal to me. This was probably boring to all of you, but I just felt the need to share. What a year and more it was. I am so thankful for the experience. We were so blessed throughout it. Still, sitting in front of my first reef feels SO GOOD.

Thanks for your help everyone. More questions to come, but now we're moving forward. Hurricane Ike is finally behind us.

Respectfully,
Mark

 

Wow Mark, that was a long post, but worth reading every word of it. I'm glad that your back on your feet and moving in a positive forward motion.
I think that we all have been there, one form of degree or another, but its how we get back on our feet that shows who we are and what we're made of. Kudos to you and your town and keep the dream alive my friend.




luna

 

nice story. thanks for sharing.

 

sounds like a movie in the making mark. lol. whos playing you? that truely inspiring tale of perserverance, hard work, string wills and dedication. cheers to you and your family. as they say rome wasnt built in a day , but im sure you know that already. so glad that everything is working out for you , and that your getting new inhabitants. will one be named ike? just kidding about the ike thing. look forward to your progress in all aspects. cheers

guy

 

God does amazing things.

 

Thanks for the nice thoughts.

Sometimes, I have to laugh. So, I enjoy this GREAT MOMENT. Wow, moving on. Moving forward. Everything is fixed. WOOHOO!!!!!

I decide to check my water parameters. Mg is lower than I'd like. I decide to increase the dosage on my brand new auto-dosing unit...... AND.....

THE ROLLER WHEEL ON THAT PUMP IS BROKEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My brand new dosing system!!! Broken!!!

I just laughed.

I bought it from Marine Depot and I have had great experiences with them so far. I am sure they'll ship me a new one and I'll just swap it out in a few days. It was just funny to me that I FINALLY get to this great moment. Write a heart felt post of relief and venting and then....

Oh well.... THIS is NOT a bad day. Kinda funny.

Mark

 

nice story. so what do you need to know for your fish tank. im sure we all want to help with this now. at least i do. so, how may i help you sir?

 

You shouldnt have a problem with MD. This is why I love to buy from them, great customer service. And great prices is a + too.



luna

 

Lol.. Well at least that's a minor problem.. ( can be fixed easily)
i am so glad you are getting back to your feet and walking foward..
I quote the bible " ....and this too... Shall pass"

 

Thanks. The thing that I love about 3reef is the community and people willing to help. I hope someday to be able to help more here. Right now, I feel that I have reached the starting line. Have the tank set up. Have a little bit of clue of what I am doing.

I ordered a True Perc Clown, a McCosker's Wrasse and a Yasha White Ray Shrimp Goby with Red Banded Pistol Shrimp for live stock. Eventually, I'll get one more fish, but I can't decide what. I am also starting with ricordea and a few softies to get going on corals.

So for now, no questions, but once I get all the stock next week questions will come up in keeping them. I know 3reef will help.

M