Skirting Disaster A Series of Unfortunate Events

Really cold weather hasnt been much of a challenge until last night when my son-in-law reported that there was a fire in the greenhouse. This occurred because the propane tank we used had been overfilled at the gas station where we take our tanks to be replenished. The empty tanks were refilled to a proper level, but the partially empty tank received more than it could hold and still function properly. At any rate, instead of neatly heating the radiant area there were flames coming out of the top of the attachment that screws onto propane tank. The situation was caught before extensive damage occurred. One of the rain gutters used in the float system was slightly deformed by the heat and some of the primroses were wilted but not scorched. We have a back-up system of a small barbeque brazier, the tabletop kind that is about 18" in diameter, which burns charcoal briquets. We used it last night when the temperature dipped into the teens and it kept the greenhouse from a hard freeze, even though the tomato plants have likely met their end. The water in the system didnt freeze. One of my sons keeps the heater or the brazier going as needed and it is he who responded to the fire and diagnosed the cause. Today is cold, under 20 degrees until after 10 AM. He will be in the greenhouse burning off the extra propane while doing various

things to the system. Less than a week ago we woke after a late night and family party and discovered that there were only three inches of water in the fish tank. Eeeeeek!. Fortunately I store extra water in 50 gallon barrels, partially as a heat reservoir but also as an at need source of water that has sat long enough to degas the chlorine. I immediately added the water to the fish tank. Later we added additional water with a hose once the faucet and the hose were thawed enough to use. I add the chlorinated water through the plant beds and so far that seems to moderate the chemistry enough before it reaches the fish tank that the fish havent visibly suffered. Apparently whatever caused the loss of water was fixed in the process of messing around. So far we havent had to add more water once the normal levels were restored and the system was up and running, draining and filling through the bell syphons. At this point mint, strawberry plants, parsley, kale and primroses are standing up to the stress of winter cold and we havent lost a significant amount of fish, although I suspect that floaters are not a realistic indication of fish loss. There are signs that the larger trout, some of which are longer than 6 inches at this point, are predating the smaller trout. This is just as well since it keeps down the nitrogen from too many fish.