What to do during a power outage?

[SouthernGal0682]

The massive rain/thunderstorm system heading my way got me thinking...What do you for you aquarium if you lose power? I would think that it would be ok for a few hours, but what would you do for it if a power outage was to last a long time? I don't have a tank running yet, but just for future reference, I was wondering if anyone had any insight.

[Chrona]

The massive rain/thunderstorm system heading my way got me thinking...What do you for you aquarium if you lose power? I would think that it would be ok for a few hours, but what would you do for it if a power outage was to last a long time? I don't have a tank running yet, but just for future reference, I was wondering if anyone had any insight.

-Pour hot water into soda bottles and float them in tank to keep temperature roughly at where it was before. Even for a few hours, your tank temp will drop a lot.

-Take cups of tank water and pour them into the tank periodically to aerate it and circulate the water(if you have a non-planted tank that is)

-If it's a really long power outtage, like over a day, maybe a 25% water change?

-The best solution, is, of course, a backup generator :)

-APC also makes those battery backups, but they can't run heaters/lighting for very long, and they are expensive. For airpumps and small filters though....hmm...you'd have to take a look at the battery rating compared to the current your aquarium appliances draw.

EDIT: If your tank is planted and growing well, then you just need to keep the temp steady. The plants will eat up any excess ammonia assuming your tank is not terribly overstocked.

[SouthernGal0682]

We have a generator, but I think my husband would probablly power the TV and the fridge with it before he powered the fish tank :rolleyes:

Good idea with the water bottles though! I didn't even think about the temp dropping.

[Chrona]

We have a generator, but I think my husband would probablly power the TV and the fridge with it before he powered the fish tank :rolleyes:


Threaten to toss his beer out. That'll teach him.

[Lady Hobbs]

The fish lives are probably more important than TV? LOL And your food is insulated for hours and hours if you leave the door closed as much as possible. Keeping the house heated and an air supply would have to come first with me, I think.


There are portable air pumps sold for around $10-15 that run on batteries many hours.

[SouthernGal0682]

Threaten to toss his beer out. That'll teach him.


REALLY good idea!! Wow your advice just keeps getting better and better :hmm3grin2orange:

And Hobbs...Yes I agree about the fish being more important. I could live without a TV for the rest of my life and probablly be happier than I am with one.

[Cichlid_Man]

During the last power outage my generator failed.
When I lose power, I cannot use water because I am on a septic setup and you need electric to use water, so nix the hot water bottle idea.

I cannot heat the house because my house is all electric.

I found a neat back-up power supply that we used to use on hospital computers that last for 4 hours. Better than nothing!

They just plug into the wall, then you plug your tank and accessories into the box. If power fails, this box supplies power to the tank for 4 hours.

I lost one fish during the outage and I am suprised I didn't lose more. 14 hours without heat or electric!

[Lady Hobbs]

It's horrible to lose power!! I've been afraid with all these recent storms I might be experiencing the same thing.

The "portable air pumps" I previously mentioned come as those that plug into the wall or those you turn on yourself. I had a good link to one that run for 70 hours on 4 batteries that could go from tank to tank or be used when moving fish for a large distance.

Personally I'm more for the type you just turn on since I'm seldom away from the house and don't want to use up batteries until I really need to and already have toooo much stuff plugged into my outlets.

I ended up spending 21 hours removing water from my 3 tanks and pouring in rapidity back into the tank (from a chair)! to keep it aerated. Needless to say, after 21 hours of this, I was not a happy camper but the fishies made it.

http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_air_pumps_hagen_battery_operated.asp?Cart Id=
Here's one type that uses an airstone but there are several types.....all cheap.

[SouthernGal0682]

I found a neat back-up power supply that we used to use on hospital computers that last for 4 hours. Better than nothing!




Is this the sort of thing you would get at a hardware store or a computer store??

[cocoa_pleco]

petsmart had a 30$ air pump that charges itself and if the power goes out it lasts for like 4 hours

[Chrona]

Aerating the tank is easy. It's the temp that's hard to regulate, because the hot water soda bottle thing isn't exactly very accurate lol. With a 200w heater

It sounds like Cichlid_man either worked for a hospital or had connections to one though. You can definitely get a bad-a$$ battery backup, like this one here
http://www.apc.com/products/family/index.cfm?id=276
that will run your aquarium for like a WEEK, lol, but it's gonna cost a few grand. Battery backups are always many times more expensive for what they do than a gas generator. Get a nice one, like Honda. Approx. 500 bucks. It's useful for all kinds of things, not just for the fish. Telling your husband that he'll be able to watch football games during power outages is probably a good selling point.

[Cichlid_Man]

Is this the sort of thing you would get at a hardware store or a computer store??

I picked mine up in Office depot, Staples, etc.

They are pretty neat and much less than a generator

[Chrona]

I picked mine up in Office depot, Staples, etc.

They are pretty neat and much less than a generator

Do you know what brand/model it is? I'd be very interested, because if it can run a PC for 4 hours, then it can probably run a 200w heater for about 6. I did a search on APC's website a while back when I was looking into backups, but their residential battery backups were only rated to last like 15 min to an hour max at 200w draw.