How is Palm Beach for reefing?

[Dolfan0925]

Hello Palm Beach. It's lookin like I'll be movin there around next year. Wondering how the LFS's are n such. Also, with all the hurricanes, how do you guys keep a reef?

[tooshay]

Dolfan, we have some awesome LFS in this area! As for getting through the hurricanes, a gas powered generator is a wonderful thing!! :)

[Dolfan0925]

I was thinking more like if you are missing a roof or something. I've never experienced anything like it, but I know my cousin went down there cuz there was so much construction needed. Seems kind of frustrating if about every year or two a big storm knocks your roof down or something. But I dunno how all that works.

[tooshay]

Very few roofs come off, actually. They mostly just spring a few leaks, then end up getting replaced. Of course, if a REALLY bad one comes to this area, it will be a different story! We mostly had trees, fences and street signs knocked down during the 2 we got last year.

[RicksReefs]

ya, a lot of people that 'lost' their roofs, actually lost
shingles which let the water in. i was in the eye of 2
of them and the storms themselves were kinda cool.
the womanfolk were pooping themselves though and
wanting to kill the menfolk for staying... :lmao:
it was the aftermath that blew chunks. no power, AC,
running water, fridge... with all my tanks, a generator
is a must have in my mind now. i ain't losing them again.

[chrisaggie]

I agree Rick. I'm in Miami and didn't get much of the storms, but a few weeks after the storms I purchased a generator that is ready for this year. Hopefully I'll never have to use it, but it sure makes me feel better knowing that I have it!

[Ludwigia73]

Hey, remember to fire up the generator every month to make sure it still works. Between bad gas, a gunked up carb bowl, and condensation causing rust, my dad's brand new never fired generator needed about 200 bucks worth of repair from sitting 2 years before he needed it. He found this out the night before the hurricane hit.

[chrisaggie]

Thanks for the tip. I put fuel stabilizer in it, but have not fired it up in about 6 months. I will make sure I do that this weekend.

[tooshay]

I know that if a fuel stabilizer isn't added, it needs to be started periodically to keep things moving, but the stabilizer I added said it will keep the gas good for 2 years without having to start the motor. I guess I would rather be safe than sorry. I can't imagine trying to start it when the storm is coming and find out it won't work! :(

[Dolfan0925]

ok, so it doesn't sound like hurricanes are as destructive as I was imagining. I'm used to seeing tornado damage, where it flattens subdivisions. Wasn't sure if it was like that or not.

[TimD]

I'm used to seeing tornado damage, where it flattens subdivisions.

Well, there is often a lot of tornado damage associated with hurricanes and tropical storms, but they're generally pretty localized and not the general nature of the basic hurricane winds, which usually tend to blow fiercely from one direction, and slowly change the angle of attack as the storm moves by, and you get wind fields from different parts of the storm system. If the hurricane is big enough, you can get widespread devastation, like Andrew back in 91 or 92, when it really crushed the Miami area. They were still recovering from the damage at the Miami MetroZoo when I was there in 2000. And of course, there are a lot of trailer-park communities throughout Florida, and those things are just going to get pummeled by any kind of serious storm.

But for the most part, houses and other buildings are more solid. A lot of the damage we had from the hurricanes last summer was having shingles ripped off, and from wind-blown water. We lost a few soffit panels, and since the rain was literally blowing horizontally at 100 miles per hour, quite a bit of rain blew in up under the eaves of the house and into our attic, and dripped down through the ceiling. I've seen thousands of blue tarps covering roofs where shingles are missing on houses, but very few cases (aside from flimsy trailer homes) where there was serious structural damage like the roof being torn completely off.

The vast majority of lasting hurricane damage is mainly from trees falling. Falling on houses, falling on cars, falling on power lines. The problem is that restoration crews obviously can't get out and deal with problems until the storm is past, and there's just a huge logjam (pun intended) of restoration work to do.

During the hurricanes I was without power for a week. No generator. I managed to keep everything in my tank alive for 6 of those 7 days using only a battery-powered bait-bucket aerator I got at West Marine for about $20. On day 6 the motor burned out, and I lost most of my fish before the power came back on the next day. That's why I now have two of those aerators... one is a backup, just in case. But I'm giving thought to laying out some money for a generator anyway. The problem with a generator is that, if a hurricane is anything like last year's, you won't be able to find any gas to put in it anyway. Everyone that leaves the state buys up 90% of the gas as they go, the gas companies suspend shipments in the hours before the hurricane hits, and the people with generators buy up every remaining drop. Then it's a wait to see how long it takes, not only to get gas trucks to the gas stations, but the gas station getting their power back so the pumps work and they can accept payment.

[outprowllin]

Originally posted by TimD
During the hurricanes I was without power for a week. No generator. I managed to keep everything in my tank alive for 6 of those 7 days using only a battery-powered bait-bucket aerator I got at West Marine for about $20. On day 6 the motor burned out, and I lost most of my fish before the power came back on the next day. That's why I now have two of those aerators... one is a backup, just in case. .

tim when i get a chance i will post some pictures and plans on how to build my patented "no batteries required" air pump..i used it for 5 days and never lost a polyp.....you will laugh but it works like a charm......jaime

[TimD]

Luckily for me, all the corals survived. I lost just about all the fish though. Starfish survived, many crabs and snails survived, but the shrimp died. The water was a little murky, but pretty much cleared up within an hour of the power coming on.

Looking forward to seeing your air pump design. :)

[Diesel3443]

I lost my tank due to the hurricanes, and believe me a generator is money well spent I have one now. My problem wasnt airation, I had pumps, It was heat. I ran out of Ice and then I lost most of my tank. As for seasons last year was really bad, 4 direct hits. This does not usually happen as you all know. But I garentee if it happens again most will be over-prepared:)

[Dolfan0925]

But so ordinarily your house won't get blown down or anything right? Like I said I'm from Ohio and have no idea what damage hurricanes do, accept for the video on TV of mostly trailor parks.

[ol'reefer]

New homes are built to withstand up to Cat 3 Hurricanes. Mine is still standing with minimal damage. With an older home you would be taking a chance. New home prices in this area have skyrocketed, so be prepared.....

[TimD]

New home prices in this area have skyrocketed, so be prepared.....

Hell, ALL home prices in this area are ridiculous. For the amount I'd have to spend to buy a 1500 sq. ft. 3bed/2bath house on a zero-lot-line plot around here, I could buy a 4000 sq. ft. house on 3/4 of an acre in a secluded neighborhood just outside of Savannah, GA.

[Diesel3443]

Yep be prepared to get something decent in the 300-400k range and higher in most areas. As for damage most suffered minimal damage down here but in the harder hit areas the damage was devastating. Most were effected by loss of power for a week or more.

[Dolfan0925]

I'm initially going to get an apartment. How are the apartments down there?

[outprowllin]

i live in an apartment and except for a lose of power. we went through the storms fine. hell all the neighbors got together and hung out all night during the storms. our buildings are concrete and they never shook. we just boarded up the windows and started making margaritas. :celeb3:. alot of the homes next door to our community had roof damage, which led to water damage and mold in the home..........

[Dolfan0925]

wow, guess I'm gonna be your new neighbor:D

[Diesel3443]

The apts are fine but I would be picky because a lot of them are built like sh*t. Try to find an older building that is completely concrete above the 1st floor as well. If your on the second floor and it is wood construction, i would not want to be in that thing during a hurricane, down here concrete block is your friend:)

[dgasmd]

To say the prices of real state here have skyrocketed is an huge understatement if I have ever heard one. For example, I was driving down the street in palm beach gardens and decided to "check out" a neighborhood I saw just by the water. Mostly very old homes that looks like they were all under 1500 sq ft and mostly looked like trailers that someone built on to. I see this one street and notice the back of the houses face the intercoastal area. I see one has a for sale sign, so out of curiosity I wrote the address down. Ugliest house by far too and looked like crap. I got home and looked it up in realtor.com. While I was doing the search, I said to myself that it would be some outrageous price like $1.8 mil because it faced the water directly. The house come sup and it is $4 mil LOL............ I about had some leakage in my pants and choked in my own vomit.............. That is S. Florida for you.

[Dolfan0925]

Originally posted by dgasmd
The house come sup and it is $4 mil LOL

The house probably costs about $25,000. It's the land that's worth that much.

[dgasmd]

I know, but it is still $4 mil!!!

[Diesel3443]

If things keep going up by the time I get out of college and start making some money---3 more years for my doctorate----A starter family home will cost me like $800k thats just sick. Recent trends in real estate that I have seen show it slowing down drastically in the next 5yrs though:)