# earthquake in BC



## 21purplemiles (May 2, 2010)

Hello, with the warning of a possible earthquake here in BC this weekend, does anyone know what we could do to keep our fishes safe? Is there anything we could do at all? Please share your thoughts. Thanks


----------



## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

Get a battery operated air pump or a UPS device to keep a sponge filter going.

For temperature concerns you can just put a blanket over your canopy to retain heat. It'll be the air\filteration you want to be concerned about from my understanding.


----------



## big_bubba_B (Apr 25, 2010)

were did u see that i googled it and there is no warning of anykind i seen for earthquake in vancouver i know u guys have them all the time but they are deep ones


----------



## agresfish (Mar 2, 2011)

i didnt know they could now predict earthquakes. Are you sure someone didnt just make that up?


----------



## big_bubba_B (Apr 25, 2010)

thats what i am guesing is about same as guesing when u will get a flat tire ,


----------



## Nanokid (May 18, 2010)

agresfish said:


> i didnt know they could now predict earthquakes. Are you sure someone didnt just make that up?


wondering the same thing....


----------



## agresfish (Mar 2, 2011)

Just for all reading it was not a earthquake warning it was a Tsunami warning from the aftermath of japans earthquake and it was canceled so dont worry


----------



## 21purplemiles (May 2, 2010)

effox said:


> Get a battery operated air pump or a UPS device to keep a sponge filter going.
> 
> For temperature concerns you can just put a blanket over your canopy to retain heat. It'll be the air\filteration you want to be concerned about from my understanding.


How about securing a tank to its stand so that it doesn't fall off? Is there any way to do this?


----------



## taureandragon76 (Apr 21, 2010)

If we were to have an earthquake big enough to destroy things such as in Japan, my fish tanks would be the last thing on my mind.


----------



## bingerz (Mar 3, 2011)

i moved out here from the east coast and earthquakes terrify me. i thought earthquakes were all centered around the california area and i rarely heard about them up here. so it never occured to me one would hit here. mann...i get scared whenever a truck drives by and things start shaking!!


----------



## darb (Apr 21, 2010)

21purplemiles said:


> How about securing a tank to its stand so that it doesn't fall off? Is there any way to do this?


duct tape! I keep m y tanks securely duct taped to my stands at all times. and remember don't accepta any off brand versions, it has got to be duct tape.



taureandragon76 said:


> If we were to have an earthquake big enough to destroy things such as in Japan, my fish tanks would be the last thing on my mind.


I actually keep a box of drinking straws in my emergency prep box for such just an occasion. drinking water would become very precious and those with large or many tanks will survive where others will perish!


----------



## Mferko (Jun 8, 2010)

darb said:


> duct tape! I keep m y tanks securely duct taped to my stands at all times. and remember don't accepta any off brand versions, it has got to be duct tape.
> 
> I actually keep a box of drinking straws in my emergency prep box for such just an occasion. drinking water would become very precious and those with large or many tanks will survive where others will perish!


rofl........


----------



## Grete_J (Oct 5, 2010)

darb said:


> duct tape! I keep m y tanks securely duct taped to my stands at all times. and remember don't accepta any off brand versions, it has got to be duct tape.


Seriously? Or a joke? Like Duck brand, or the 3M? Personally, I think Gorilla tape is stronger than both combined.

I also think that Gorilla tape wouldn't be able to adhere to and manage to support 10 gallons of water at 8lbs per gallon or 80lbs in the event of an earthquake. Maybe if you drilled holes in the tank (remembering to countersink), drove screws through it into a beam, siliconed a piece of glass or acrylic to the area with the screws and had it sitting on a stand that was also secured to a wall.... really... duct tape?


----------



## darb (Apr 21, 2010)

ok, I re read the whole post and just wanted to add that this is a valid question and something that I myself have pondered.

I am almost certain that none of the commercial stands are seismically rated as well as the tanks. so if and when the big one does come there is probably a very good chance that tanks and stands will both or singularly fail.

I suppose that it does make some sense to try and secure your tank to the stand, but depending on your stand style, a strengthened lip on the bottom would be about the only practical way to achieve this, or perhaps a construction adhesive between the tank and stand, but that poses other maintenance issues.


----------



## big_bubba_B (Apr 25, 2010)

could u drink fish water i know when i tried to get a hose going got a mouth full of fish water wasent verry tasty at all . but on other hand bbq fish is good


----------



## Grete_J (Oct 5, 2010)

darb said:


> I am almost certain that none of the commercial stands are seismically rated as well as the tanks. so if and when the big one does come there is probably a very good chance that tanks and stands will both or singularly fail.
> .


Is the location of your tank seismically sound? Not just you, but anyone who's more concerned about their fish than themselves...


----------



## darb (Apr 21, 2010)

Grete_J said:


> Is the location of your tank seismically sound? Not just you, but anyone who's more concerned about their fish than themselves...


I am not really concerned about it, just something that I have considered. my building isn't very seismically stable, it's about a 30 year old wood frame lowrise condo building. so I am guessing that there will be water pipe failures, if or when it does happen and the water from a few tanks won't really make a difference, that's if the building doesn't completely fail.



big_bubba_B said:


> could u drink fish water i know when i tried to get a hose going got a mouth full of fish water wasent verry tasty at all . but on other hand bbq fish is good


if you are dehydrated, I am sure that it would taste good. as long as you didn't have any meds going, I am sure that it would be perfectly fine to drink, especially with a few drops of bleach added. all the more reason to keep up on your water changes too, speaking of which, I gotta go ....


----------



## big_bubba_B (Apr 25, 2010)

darb said:


> I am not really concerned about it, just something that I have considered. my building isn't very seismically stable, it's about a 30 year old wood frame lowrise condo building. so I am guessing that there will be water pipe failures, if or when it does happen and the water from a few tanks won't really make a difference, that's if the building doesn't completely fail.
> 
> if you are dehydrated, I am sure that it would taste good. as long as you didn't have any meds going, I am sure that it would be perfectly fine to drink, especially with a few drops of bleach added. all the more reason to keep up on your water changes too, speaking of which, I gotta go ....


well in that case im gonna keep some ice ta mix and lemonade just in case


----------



## clintgv (May 6, 2010)

Earthquake here? Where abouts? :S


----------



## SeaHorse_Fanatic (Apr 22, 2010)

21purplemiles said:


> How about securing a tank to its stand so that it doesn't fall off? Is there any way to do this?


What you do is secure the stand to the wall. The problem is that in a big earthquake, the glass tanks will mostly blow out. Any tanks that survive may not get through the massive & extended power outages. As we saw with Japan, one of the main things that are damaged during big earthquakes are the power grid. Lines down, generators blown.


----------



## katienaha (May 9, 2010)

first of all - it is impossible to predict when an earthquake will occur and where. 

second of all - if its a big enough tank for building and tank destruction, its big enough to knock out the power. in any case, full power outage preperation would be reccomended. 

thirdly... dont worry about it.


----------



## LikeItLow (Jan 11, 2011)

wouldn't it be more the tsunami we would have to worry about? I mean, in Japan, the earth quake did damage. but the destruction was caused by the giant wall of water. all we can do is thank Vancouver island for slowing it down for us.


----------



## Maxxxboost (Jun 29, 2010)

Are you prepared to take care of yourself first?

Do you have a Emergency Preparation kit of some sort?

I am not here to preach but that was on my mind.

Having a generator would be nice (but not practical for most people).

Definitely one of the last things on my mind. (Don't kill me fish lovers)


----------



## rescuepenguin (Apr 21, 2010)

I think the OP was refering to the reminder that we are due for a Mag 9 quake here in Vancouver. I used to teach emergency preparedness. We get a mag 9 every 300 or so years, last one was in Jan of the year 1700. You do the math.

This thread has got a good dicussion going. Make sure the stand is secured to the wall, your best source of water is the hot water heater, make sure it is secured too.

This thread has also led to some funny posts too. 

Steve


----------



## onefishtwofish (Apr 21, 2010)

ummm...the op lives in Richmond? My best advice if you are really concerned about securing your fish is move inland. (said in a jokingly but serious way)


----------



## The Guy (Nov 26, 2010)

Lets be more concerned about the wall still being there before we secure a tank to it.
Sorry folks we live on a fault here on the west coast. I hope we don't have a shaker any time soon, but it's a possibility and I agree with Taureandragon 76 fish, tanks would be my last concern.


----------



## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

I don't think you can do much short of securing the tank and stand to the wall and hoping that :

a) it doesn't blow out or crack during the shake
b) that the wall/building doesn't collapse during the quake
c) that you have a chance to get as far away from the tank/wall as possible in case a or b happen!!!!!

With earthquakes, you don't get warnings. They're not hurricanes. If you're in Vancouver or any part of the coast that's hiding behind Vancouver Island, you won't have to worry about a tsunami. Richmond and any area on the Fraser delta will be at risk for flooding and ground liquefaction, but not the kind of tsunami that hit Japan...that will hit the west coast of the island and the US.

Don't drink fish tank water unless you've decontaminated it or purified it first. You're at risk for contracting salmonella. If the tanks survive, a battery air pump can help, but in the case of a 9.0 quake, I think all bets are off beyond personal/basic survival.

Best thing everyone can do is prepare an emergency kit and a family/workplace disaster plan and stick to it.

Personal Safety - Provincial Emergency Program


----------



## Morainy (Apr 21, 2010)

We had a smaller earthquake a few years ago in Vancouver that shook our computer monitor off our desk. It was a heavy monitor, too, and a very big, solid desk. The monitor simply walked forward with each vibration. My son was sitting in front of the computer at the time, and a babysitter grabbed the monitor as it was coming off the desk, and pushed it back on. 

I have always considered what would happen to our fish tanks in a quake, largely because I don't want them to land on anyone. For that reason, my tanks are mostly in areas where we don't usually sit or stand nearby. Generally, I think that aquariums should be on very solid stands that are secured to the walls, and it's a good idea to have some kind of a lip at the front of the stand to prevent the aquarium sliding forward. As well, large rocks should not be kept in tanks that are in well-used areas (like bedrooms or living rooms) because the rocks will likely smash against the glass and break through. That's my opinion.

Of course, the fate of my aquariums are not my main worry during an earthquake, other than ensuring that they pose no risk. We've attached our large pieces of furniture and bookcases to the walls and always keep a supply of food and water on hand. It's not enough for a big quake, clearly, but we've done our best to ensure that furniture doesn't fall over onto people or trap kids into their bedrooms (which happened in the Los Angeles quake). 

Our old hot water tank was strapped to a support beam, but we haven't strapped it again since replacing the tank. Earthquake preparations have to be reviewed from time to time and probably nothing would be sufficient in the case of a massive quake like the recent one in Japan. Even though Vancouver is on the Pacific Rim of Fire and close to a known fault, we have as a community done little to protect our schools or bridges and even many apartment buildings are not well constructed for quakes.

Some of my relatives who live in eastern Canada were very surprised to learn that Vancouver and Victoria are at significant risk for a major quake. They had no idea. All the articles about earthquake preparation that appear in local newspapers apparently never make it out to Ontario or Quebec. 

Our family has done what we can to prepare for a quake but despite that, I don't think we're very well prepared at all. We have set aside some earthquake supplies but there's no guarantee that we will be able to get to them after an earthquake. You just never know what will collapse and what will remain standing.


----------



## Morainy (Apr 21, 2010)

Here's an interactive map showing one year of earthquakes in BC (2010). Just draw the slider along to see the earthquakes appear in chronological order.

One Year of BC Earthquakes - Earthquakes Canada at GeoCommons


----------



## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

Small quakes release energy which is a good thing. It's one of main reasons we haven't gotten a big one.

As for predictability, they are predictable, but on a geologic scale, not on a human lifetime scale. Just as Ice Ages are predictable by the 1000's of years. So is a big one overdue, probably, but is it 1, 10, or 100 years. That's the tough part to predict.

But as others have stated, if a big one hits, I'd more worried about all of Richmond and Delta (which is built to landfill and silt) and parts of Surrey and White Rock.


----------



## big_bubba_B (Apr 25, 2010)

well when the big one hits saposebly vancouver island will sink , and all the lower main land soil would lquidfy i for one would not be worried about a fish tank when lives are at stake . seriously your money os gonna be spent on more important things then fish food .a magnitude 9 would destroy any huge tank weather it is secured or not ,


----------



## Morainy (Apr 21, 2010)

I've never heard that Vancouver Island would sink or that the Lower Mainland's soil would liquefy. Have you read that somewhere?

I think there's lots to worry about -liquefaction would be a concern for sea level areas, probably, and anything on reclaimed soil -- but Vancouver Island is more than twelve thousand miles in size, and much of it is mountainous. I think residents there are more worried about tsunamis striking areas like Port Alberni or quakes destroying bridges and buildings, than about the island sinking.

It's worth securing your fish tank in an earthquake zone, though, because even in a minor quake such as we quite often have, it could fall on your child or (in a minor quake) destroy your property that has otherwise survived. It's just common sense, not paranoia.

That's the way that I look at it, anyway!



big_bubba_B said:


> well when the big one hits saposebly vancouver island will sink , and all the lower main land soil would lquidfy i for one would not be worried about a fish tank when lives are at stake . seriously your money os gonna be spent on more important things then fish food .a magnitude 9 would destroy any huge tank weather it is secured or not ,


----------



## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

Morainy said:


> I've never heard that Vancouver Island would sink or that the Lower Mainland's soil would liquefy. Have you read that somewhere?


The entire Canadian Cordillera is a subduction zone. So to say it would sink is not technically accurate, but rather, in a big quake, there is a huge risk that the subduction would be accelerate this subduction and "suck" down part of the coast.

Not to get to geologically geeky, but the entire coast is an accreted terrane, which means exotic lands were "smashed" into the west coast that was stable, and parts were subducted, or pushed under, leaving the coast line we have to day. In geological timescales, this subduction is continuing, so that 10,000 or 20,000 or whatever number of years from now (Haven't researched this since school), the coast will look totally different and Vancouver Island may, indeed, be part of the mainland, or be under it.


----------



## IceBlue (Mar 17, 2011)

what me worry?


----------



## Jonney_boy (Apr 28, 2010)

While kinda on the topic.... sometimes I wonder where is the best place to be while there is an earthquake......... and now I think about it..... for a lot of us here who have "built their own stand".. the safest place might be UNDER your fish tank..... sounds funny but consider it.. 

Seriously..... everybody is different but in our house I can only think of 3 places that are "safer".... under a steel office desk, in the doorway.. or under the fish tank.....

Want to back up what I said... look at our DIY section. Many people are building stands that can easily support 4000+ lbs..... with "only" 1000-2000lbs of water on these large stands, it might be possible ..... having said that.. if the stand DOES fail.. that might hurt.. hahahaha..


----------



## kelly528 (Apr 21, 2010)

I wouldn't bother with the fish if a big one hit (if its big enough that theres falling stuff, your tank could get crushed by falling walls, etc.) but I would definitely definitely DEFINITELY prepare emergency stuff for my dog.


----------



## Grete_J (Oct 5, 2010)

Jonney_boy said:


> Seriously..... everybody is different but in our house I can only think of 3 places that are "safer".... under a steel office desk, in the doorway.. or under the fish tank.....


A couple years ago when I went for my search & rescue training, they actually told you that doorways are not the best place to be as they're not structurally sound. The corners where the walls meet up are the strongest and safest place to be... just a tip if anything does happen


----------



## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

Corners, under heavy, solid furniture (although I might avoid fish tanks due to glass!), areas that are structurally reinforced...and away from stuff that might fall on you.

This site has good information about emergency prep for pets:

Pet Emergency Preparedness Guide, Disaster Preparedness Dogs, Pets, Vancouver Island, Victoria


----------



## Discus (Apr 23, 2010)

I do not want to get into it to much. But if a earth quake occurs get away from your tanks. They will go down in a 8 or 9 and even the braking glass could be a worrie I would suspect.


----------



## Nephrus (Apr 2, 2011)

Might be worth mentioning if you do make a prepareness pack or bag make sure its within arms reach where ever you are in your home. Or else its just a sick joke to be stuck under rubble, your eyes can see food and water but not be able to reach it.

Neph


----------



## Clownloachlover (Apr 21, 2010)

While there is a chance we could in fact have an earthquake, other than making emergency preparations there is not a damn thing we can do about an earthquake should one happen. We have been threatened by the authorities and the world of science that the "big one" is coming, well if it does, there is nothing we can do to stop it...I am born and raised in the Vancouver area all my life and I am coming close to a half century in this area and I can count on one hand how many earth quakes (of any size or consequence) we have had in that time, maybe that gives reason why we should be even more prepared...nearly 50 years and no big one has happened yet...it's gonna happen, we have been told, we better watch out, buckle up and bare down...it's a comin!


----------



## Brisch (May 13, 2010)

In a mag 9 earthquake there is literally nothing you can do but TRY to save your own a$$... If we're going to spend your life worrying about stuff like that maybe we should live in tents.


----------



## Clownloachlover (Apr 21, 2010)

In a mag 9 quake (Japan was 8.9) it is not so much the magnitude but the duration...60 or 90 seconds at mag 9 and downtown Vancouver is 30 feet deep in glass and debris not to mention several of those wonderful brick buildings (St Pauls Hospital) are just a heap of bricks and nothing but rubble!


----------



## Brisch (May 13, 2010)

dont forget after shocks!


----------



## onefishtwofish (Apr 21, 2010)

thanks Brit, I had forgotten about those...............lol


----------



## alym (Apr 21, 2010)

I'd be curious to see some simulations that could predict what type of water flow we'd get inland - it's pretty certain that the bulk of Richmond would be underwater, given that it's below sea level!


----------



## darb (Apr 21, 2010)

alym said:


> ... - it's pretty certain that the bulk of Richmond would be underwater, given that it's below sea level!


on a positive note, you don't have to worry about earthquake preparedness then ...


----------



## Clownloachlover (Apr 21, 2010)

alym said:


> I'd be curious to see some simulations that could predict what type of water flow we'd get inland - it's pretty certain that the bulk of Richmond would be underwater, given that it's below sea level!


Well i guess that depends on the epicenter...the strait of georgia is probably not wide enough to generate any sort of Tsunami unless there was a major plate shift in the strait, but my limited understanding of the geotechnical zone around vancouver is that the fault line lies off of the west coast of vancouver, which is good cause the island would protect us from any pacific tsunami unless it was a thousand feet high or higher...although Richmond being river delta sand based the fear of liquifaction rings true where it could be shaken to the point that water would come to the surface...all I know is that a good friend of mine lives one block off the Steveston **** and when the tide comes in his back yard gets squishy when you walk on his grass! So that just shows you the water content of the land that Richmond sits on! That new 28 storey high rise they just built would be a 3 storey walk up with several underground suites and very deep underground parking!

As stated earlier if you spend your life worrying about when the "big one" will hit you should move into a tent in the middle of 100 acres of land!


----------

