Sad day for SPS lovers and SNIPERSPS

nwrogers · #1 07/26/2006, 09:03 PM

Hugo's tank crashed...

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...hreadid=893606

For those of you who don't know who he is you may recognize his tank from having been TOTM in March of this year...

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-03/totm/index.php

Dr.Maybe · #2 07/26/2006, 09:09 PM

Wow that is a tragedy

Unfortunately I do not think a suit will be successful in this case. The responsibility falls on the homeowner to install the necessary back up preacautions. My buddy just installed a Guardian which will run all of his fish equipment in the event of a power outage. I would however check with the insurance company to see if my homeowner's policy would cover the livestock.

dreaminmel · #3 07/26/2006, 10:34 PM

Not 100% positive about his state but in NY livestock is definately not covered by homeowner's or renter's insurance. The tank and other dry goods would be but not the rock, corals, fish, etc...

I have been trying to find an option for this type of coverage but am assuming it is not available due to the inability of a company to determine the risk involved on each individual basis. Insurance is a voluntary market (ideally anyways) and I don't think the industry really feels there is a need to offer this type of coverage yet. There are insurance options for dogs/cats but I'm finding I'm in the minority when it comes to people actually spending money to insure their pets' health. Maybe someday...

jimmer · #4 07/27/2006, 12:49 AM

i didnt read all the pages but with the thousands of dollars in that tank you would think a $500.00 generator would be on stand by just for piece of mind.

drbronx · #5 07/27/2006, 06:23 AM

Thanx Nate. I've been seeing this all over the boards. Quite an outpouring of sympathy and suupport. Almost like a celebrity died. I have been an admirer of his tank and sps's for quite a while. He has introduced many exotic corals into the trade in recent years. Hopefuly, he has "banked" his corals with other coral farmers and they wil help get him back up and running. NRogers and I have worked out such an arangement such that we each provide each other frags of all our corals in event of catastrophe. This serves as a warning to us all that the law of impermanence rules supreme and we should try and be prepared for such eventualities. Time for a generator!

Guy · #6 07/27/2006, 07:57 AM

What a tragedy! A truly great reef has been lost. I agree with the good DrBronx and I hope he has the will to start fresh with corals from friends.

I'm a bit turned off by the lawsuit mentality though.

Dr.Maybe · #7 07/27/2006, 08:15 AM

I have done some research and feel that a natural gas generator is the best option. It tests itself every week and will automatically go on during power failure (which happens here all the time). This option runs around $4,000.00 installed. Another less expensive option is a gas powered generator placed outside the house like in a shed and wired to your fish equipment. Less expensive but now you are dealing with gasoline and I don' t know how to make them kick on automatically during power failure maybe someone else here does. They run for a good one around $600.00.

nwrogers · #8 07/27/2006, 08:34 AM

Right now I am borrowing my father-in-law’s 5500watt generator and saving up for one of my own. I have been saving for a few months now and hope to get my own soon. I keep seeing more and more threads like this and it reminds me how important having a generator is. I guess it really struck me as odd that someone like Hugo would not have a backup in place. Don’t forget Hugo was the guy with the Pink Lemonade coral that was selling on ebay for $300-$400 for a one inch frag. All he would have had to do is sell two frags of that bad boy and he would have had the money for a nice generator. Hindsight is 20/20 I know but I think this is a good lesson for us all. Next time you frag your corals put the money towards protecting the mother colonies, it may be the last time you ever frag!

Willistein · #9 07/27/2006, 08:41 AM

If your tank is bigger than 20 gallons and has more than five SPS in it, not having a generator is just dumb.

kmagyar · #10 07/27/2006, 11:57 AM

A generator is a must at that level. But hey, I learned the hard way myself. One thing is for sure, he will know who his friends are when it comes time to getting back to restocking his reef.

Sk8r · #11 07/27/2006, 12:05 PM

He had a generator. His neighbor was threatening if he ran it.

Spartan · #12 07/27/2006, 12:14 PM

I had a near total loss during the last ice storm. After that I went with the installed version that way even if I am out of town, no worries. If you are thinking about the cost, I would say factor in not only the replacement cost of your lifestock but also the time it will take you to do this, if some things can be replaced at all. Also consider the other benefits, if you go a bit larger, you can also hook up to your refrigerator, kitchen, or other parts of your house (save loss of food, peace of mind with young children, etc). I have very good homeowner's insurance, but it will not cover "marine livestock losses or invertebrates". The point, of course, is not to have losses to begin with. So in my mind the generator clearly pays off.

Stephany · #13 07/27/2006, 12:38 PM

Yeah, I hope he gets the support from local reefers. Seems like a stand up guy, I don't see why he wouldn't be able to start over.

It is a heartbreak though...
It is tragic... like when Borneman's tank was lost.
How awful it must feel.

nwrogers · #14 07/27/2006, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sk8r
He had a generator. His neighbor was threatening if he ran it.

True...

I didn't read that far.

Gary Majchrzak · #15 07/27/2006, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dreaminmel
I have been trying to find an option for this type of coverage but am assuming it is not available due to the inability of a company to determine the risk involved on each individual basis. Insurance is a voluntary market (ideally anyways) and I don't think the industry really feels there is a need to offer this type of coverage yet. There are insurance options for dogs/cats but I'm finding I'm in the minority when it comes to people actually spending money to insure their pets' health. Maybe someday...

Interesting. As always, thanks for your insight into the insurance industry.
No matter what one does to ensure the well being of an aquarium's inhabitants, an unseen incident can end it all in a matter of a few minutes.
Prepare for the worst and if it ever becomes reality prepare to press onward.

Namyar · #16 07/27/2006, 06:36 PM

This whole thing is horrible to have happen. We need to set up a fund to help out people like him who lose everything.

Gary Majchrzak · #17 07/27/2006, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Namyar
This whole thing is horrible to have happen. We need to set up a fund to help out people like him who lose everything.

No fund should be necessary.
When something like this happens you hope that those having your corals will offer a frag back to you.

Gary Majchrzak · #18 07/27/2006, 08:03 PM

For example:

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...hreadid=894572

snipersps · #19 08/02/2006, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jimmer
i didnt read all the pages but with the thousands of dollars in that tank you would think a $500.00 generator would be on stand by just for piece of mind.

I gues you need to read the all tread.

jimmer · #20 08/02/2006, 11:22 PM

looks like you have spell check and decided not to use that either

SVXH6 · #21 08/02/2006, 11:25 PM

haha..

dreaminmel · #22 08/02/2006, 11:31 PM

Jimmer, I believe his son Bryan does all the posting for him. Could be wrong... also they moved here from Mexico City. Just some background for you which may explain why the english isn't always perfect.

Out of curiosity though, how DO we use the spellcheck here? I'm a paying member now and thought that was one of the perks but can't seem to find the option to use it...

jimmer · #23 08/02/2006, 11:45 PM

i apologize that was totally uncalled for.just got off a 12 hr shift and that was the first thread i opened.i shouldnt be breaking anyones chops about stuff like that cuz im terrible with computers.again i apologize to brian and snipersps.mel whenever you post spellcheck is by the submit reply button.

dreaminmel · #24 08/02/2006, 11:51 PM

Thanks Jimmer

I've always looked in the fine print and vB Code areas... nothing like a nice big spell check button right in front of me to reiterate my lack of seeing the obvious sometimes...

I was just reading a thread last month that finally told me how to quote people... silly little option at the top right of the posts. We sure do have a fancy site here don't we?

snipersps: If you read this I am curious if you've started moving forward with rebuilding yet. Keep us posted ok?

jimmer · #25 08/03/2006, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by dreaminmel
... silly little option at the top right of the posts. We sure do have a fancy site here don't we?

no thank you mel!now we are even