Power Out!!!

[KillerReef]

Just found out my power is going to be out tomorrow for up to 6 hours. Wife forgot to tell me sooner. I'm a bit worried. Fortunately I am off work so I will be home the whole time. I'm thinking if I take water out of the sump every now and then and dump it into the display, this will help with the surface agitation. Also, will taking a straw and blowing into the DT help? I can also stir the surface up well. Temp should be ok but if it gets too warm, i can drop in some bags of ice.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks,
Dave

 

[Frankie]

Hello Dave,
Is it possible for you to go to a pet store tomorrow and pick up a battery operated air pump? That would help a lot and give you plenty of time if the temperature is easy to maintain.
the air pump would create surface agitation and provide oxygen exchange.
What time is the power going out?

 

[KillerReef]

It's supposed to go out at 9, and i don't think the pet smart opens til after ten, but they may be still open now. I'll check into that. LFS definitely doesn't open til 11 or later...

 

[Frankie]

Everything is closed here on the east coast. Don't know where you live.
If you could get the air pump that would help a lot.
What size tank is this? One hour will be ok if you need to get it in the morning.
There are other ways to provide oxygen but I think this is the best way.
Your just using the air bubbles to make the water surface move. They are used for the mechanical purpose.
The rock will filter the tank fine.
Do not feed from now until it is over also. To bring stress down for the inhabitants you could cover the tank and keep the fish calm.

 

[Octoman]

Don't blow bubbles into the DT with a straw, that will introduce CO2 instead of O2. Any bait/tackle shops nearby? They usually open early and might keep battery powered air pumps in stock.

 

[sbutts]

Maybe you can get one of those battery operated pumps for some circulation.

(now I feel dumb, got busy and posted my replay from my "OLD" screen, when there was no replays, now I see it has already been answered)

 

[Skyreefer]

Go to Walmart and check the fishing and tackle department. They carry battery operated air pumps at most locations, and a lot of walmarts are open 24/7. I would seal the top of the tank with saran wrap when the power goes out as well.

Good luck.

edit: If you find a store with an airpump, get a few. Some for the tank and sump.

 

[Gfoot2000]

how much stock do you have in your tank? if your worried about your corals, theyll be fine, in tfh they talked about corals being intertidal meaning sometimes get exposed to air at low tides. and as inverts they consume less oxygen, im sure heat wont be an issue cuz you wont have light neither, maybe leave your windows open so theres some photosynthesis going on for oxygen, imo youll be fine, i had a power surge for a whole day b4 and mine were fine, thats if your not overstocked, manually stir up the tank every hour or two, youll be fine, save some money haha, but if moneys not an issue then buy one to feel confident hahah

 

[cindyp]

go to Lowes and get a generator or bestbuy and pickup a battery backup.
I have both the battery backup is always on incase I am not here when the power go's out and if the power is out any longer then the backup can handle the generator is ready and waiting plus the fact I never have to worry is an amazing relief.
I figure between the 2 tanks I have around 10 grand in them so it makes the cost of a battery backup or generator cheap

 

[steved13]

+1 on the battery backup. If you're going to be home you can even swap the plugs and turn on different items for awhile.

Generator is great if you can spend the $$$ and have the room.

 

[cindyp]

generators are not all that expensive when you consider how much $$$ we all put in our tanks. I guess Im lucky the garage is directly under my tank so if I need to use the generator for long outages I toss the cord out the window and plug it in and run the generator with the garage door open.

 

[McTeague]

It depends on how much money you are willing to spend really.

If it is going to be six hours I think you could get by with doing nothing.

However a battery powered air pump is good cheap insurance.

Buying a computer UPS would be a bit more expensive but would be nice to have on the tank especially if you have metal halides they do not like brief power interruptions since they need to cool down before being turned back on. You will need a very large UPS they are at Staples and such.

Or you could get a generator which would also come in handy in the future as needed but this would be the most expensive and could require the services of an electrician to connect it to your home safely depending on size and type of installation.

If it was me I would get a battery powered air pump or three and monitor the tank closely.

I would absolutely not "cover the tank with saran wrap" what the hell is that about Skyreefer? Why would you suggest that???

 

[cindyp]

if youre willing to spend the money to setup a reef than a little extra money to make sure it stays alive and well should be very important look at all the equipment people buy a good skimmer will set you back 500-800 or more but spending 400-600 on a good generator is too much thats silly IMO.

battery backups are not expensive at all.

who's knows for sure how long a power outage will last? 6 hours? maybe?maybe not!

a battery backup is not gonna run MH anyway.

you do not need an electrician to use a generator.

I have to add one thing I guess if we are talking a nano or other small tank then yeah why not get a cheap air pump and hope for the best. my tank is a big investment and one that I love there for I would rather be absolutley sure my inhabitants are safe and well cared for.

 

[McTeague]

if youre willing to spend the money to setup a reef than a little extra money to make sure it stays alive and well should be very important look at all the equipment people buy a good skimmer will set you back 500-800 or more but spending 400-600 on a good generator is too much thats silly IMO.

battery backups are not expensive at all.

who's knows for sure how long a power outage will last? 6 hours? maybe?maybe not!

a battery backup is not gonna run MH anyway.

you do not need an electrician to use a generator.

If you hook the generator into the main breaker then yes you need an electrician. I said "could require the services of an electrician to connect it to your home safely depending on size and type of installation".

Understand what I posted before attempting to correct me.

Also, you are saying that no UPS in the world is capable of running a MH? Seriously?

 

[cindyp]

I didn't say no UPS would. there are ones big enough to run MH but for the cost of one of those you could buy a few generators.

I have a simple API backup that is always on the 180 when the power go's out it takes over the powerheads and heaters it cost 150 bucks.

I figured you were referring to a whole house generator.

 

[redneckgearhead]

6 hours shouldnt be a problem. What size tank do you have and what fish do you have?

Don't blow bubbles into the DT with a straw, that will introduce CO2 instead of O2. Any bait/tackle shops nearby? They usually open early and might keep battery powered air pumps in stock.

And yes you could use a straw to blow o2 in your tank because your body only uses a small percentage of the o2 in the air. (thats why mouth to mouth works) BUT theres really no need to do it just agitate the surface to intoduce o2 into the water.

 

[PIMPALA]

Good discussion going on here.

I am also curious about the seran wrap statement... seems to me that you want the OPPOSITE to occur.

I'm of the opinion that the tank will be 100% fine, especially if its only for 6 hours. (of course, depending on size of the tank) but i think a larger tank wouldnt have any problems. Like said... a simple agitation of the surface water every hour or so would solve any issues. or like you said, just scoop up some water, then dump it back in. Its 6 hours, not 6 days.

 

[steved13]

6 hours shouldnt be a problem. What size tank do you have and what fish do you have?





And yes you could use a straw to blow o2 in your tank because your body only uses a small percentage of the o2 in the air. (thats why mouth to mouth works) BUT theres really no need to do it just agitate the surface to intoduce o2 into the water.

Correct...most of what we exhale is o2, but I think you'd pass out before yougot enough into the tank to make a difference :drooool: :zzz:

 

[redneckgearhead]

^very true

 

[Octoman]

You are correct, you would be blowing roughly 17% vs. 21% atmospheric O2. But you would also be blowing 4% CO2 which is much more soluble in water than O2 (~ 40x more). So the net result would be increasing the CO2 in the tank much faster than the O2.