Anyone go through a situation like this that can share some advice. System wise. Either similar situations, or anyone working in the insurance industry. I just don't know how to approach this. I have replacement insurance on property damage and possessions and 2500 fish, pet etc insurance included in my policy.
I ask because while there seems to be a seemingly genuine concern for my concerns related to the system, there isn't much concern for the system itself. No one I'm dealing with anyways seems to care much about fish. And or corals. I don't expect any losses at all and the system is currently doing fine. But the amount of time and or incurred expenses I may need to incur as a result of what has happened and the measures I need to take to insure the well being of the life that is in my hands is where I'm not getting much feed back. All I have been getting is try and work along side x company, I don't know what else you expect us to do for you. (Independent adjuster working on behalf of insurance company.
As I mentioned, I don't expect I will see any losses fish or coral, but there will be allot of additional work and potential costs I will see from just doing what I know I have to do to make sure I don't loose anything. I was up until 4:00 in the morning the first night wadding in sewage trying to take appropriate steps to ensure the health of my tank. I was up at 7:00 starting to seal off the tank and sump and fresh water reserve to insure I wasnt going to get chemical contamination from the chems and disinfectants etc. resulting from there preliminary clean up. I couldn't even do a water change as my mixing station was either contaminated sewage wise and or now contaminated by chemicals residues.
My tank and sump currently still has raw sewage sitting underneath it. Not the only place but one of them. I didn't have water made up, clean containers to hold water, so I couldn't shut anything down during this time. These will have to be **** down and moved to allow proper cleaning and disinfectant. I was scheduled to work out of town this week but have now had to cancle and stay stay close to home as I obviously cannot let a cleaning company shut my tank down and move my sump to clean. Nor could I be sure in there practices about cleaning in and around the system with the chemicals they use without me being present to help and keep an eye out. So much stuff I use on a daily bases maintenance wise for the system has been thoroughly sprayed with chemicals to disinfect. Even touching things that were sprayed and disinfected leaves a residue on my hands. This is not safe to use in conjunction with my system. Sure the item may still be good to use if it was used for other things as it was hard surfaces that can be disinfected and deemed safe but there's no way this is safe for the tank. The chems are designed to destroy bacteria. Would washing all this stuff actually remove all chemical residue? I'm to worried to even try and may have to go out and purchase these items I need and or use. But worried I will not get reimbursed as again, they would be deemed safe to use and would otherwise not be discarded. I have piles of extra equipment sitting that was disinfected that is in the keep pile. Even dry rock that was soaked in sewage and sprayed, extra skimmer, powerheads etc etc. all sitting in boxes on the floor. All disinfected and deemed safe to use. But are they safe? Can they be re used with a good and aggressive cleaning? They will be purchased non the less but I'm not gonna let myself get screwed over and have to buy all kinds of stuff I already had and used prior to this. I'm certain I won't get anything for my time I will have to invest, but would be nice to get back what I'm gonna need and had that don't feel safe using. And I have no interest in testing it's safe use on my system. I've already spent money on rolls of poly and tape and carbon and heaters since mine couldn't keep up with temp drop through the night with all the windows open and some stuff so I could get making water again and will need to purchase clean new holding containers and such if I need to shut down my tank and or sump never mind all the water and salt I will be using keeping up with changes. Lots of demo and rebuild will follow yet as well as additional chemical disinfects. So it's far from over yet.
I have even considered calling some local fish stores to give me an estimate to do the tranfer and move the system for me and bring there own containers and water etc and possibly even estimates to come and seal it off during times of heavy construction and chemicals and ensure it's well being through these periods. At least the insurance company sees that it's no small stupid task. I do need to get back to work. Which again is out of town. I can't afford to just sit around and work with whoevers schedules.
Am I over worrying about all this? I have a ton of money invested into this hobby through equip and livestock and I just want to ensure I'm treated fairly but as I mentioned, there doesn't seem to be an overly huge concern for fish tanks.
Anyone with any insight to share please let me know. Thanks in advance
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