battery backups

[Susan Ehrlich]

At the meeting yesterday the conversation came up of battery backups and it got me thinking. So what do you use as a backup? That is the next step in the 300 build. Thanks

 

[leepink23]

I have a mp40 with the Ecotech battery. Gives me 36 hours. My return pump is on a ups that gives me 100 minutes. I have a portable generator for extended outages.

 

[Dogtown]

There are lots of choices for you. Here are a few more.

Tunze offers a Safety Connector for Battery/Solar Backups on their nano pumps. With that, you can use any sized backup battery you want and get as many hours of backup as you like.

Maxspect/Icecap offers a proprietary battery backup that reduces power on a gyre to 30% automatically so that you get more hours out of their batter. You have to use their gyre controller and batter to get the 30% power control.

Another simple option is https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/silent-air-pump-with-battery-powered-back-up-sab11.html. It will work with any tank but isn't as robust.

There are several more options to keep your display tank oxygenated during a power outage. Its a matter of your budget and what you want to get out of it. Notification for example.

 

[Susan Ehrlich]

Funny thing. We don't usually lose power, but power just went out. So i went out and got a small generator on clearance to at least keep the 75 running. Bit still need battery backup in case i'm not hone. What is ups? Budget isn' an issue but I don' want to spend 500 bucks for a backup. What I want is to keep the tank oxygenated.

 

[Dogtown]

You must be reading this on your cell phone.

If you are without power for an extended period of time, you can manually oxygenate your tank by stirring it up with a large spoon every 15 minutes or so. Its a good thing you are home.

 

[acer]

The cheap battery air stone backups work pretty well. I have two , they plug into the wall/power strip and only turn on when no power from the wall socket is being sent to them. They take 2 double D batteries - last 3-4 hours. If power is still out , change out batteries. UPS= uninterrupted power supply- used and marketed for electronics like a computer.

 

[Susan Ehrlich]

Thanks for all the replies. Good info, will definitely look into all options.

 

[Fritzhamer]

The icecap battery backup works with just about every DC pump. It includes four or five adapters that allow you to plug just about any pump into it. You can also daisy chain them together for extra time in a blackout. I’ve been using them with my Tunze pumps for two or three years now.

 

[Fin]

I will use a couple of the Eco-Tech batteries and one of my MP-40s on a 125. The batteries will be daisy-chained on one of the pumps for extended water movement.

Looks to me that you were inquiring about backup power for a 300 gallon tank - a tank that could be filled with many thousands of dollars worth of livestock - I might have to at least look into a whole house standby generator for a tank that size. That, or never leave home for more than a few hours.

 

[Dogtown]

The icecap battery backup works with just about every DC pump. It includes four or five adapters that allow you to plug just about any pump into it. You can also daisy chain them together for extra time in a blackout. I’ve been using them with my Tunze pumps for two or three years now.

I wasn't aware that I could use the icecap battery with the Tunze pumps. Thanks for the heads up!

 

[Jet915]

I was thinking of getting a backup as well, is there any benefit in getting the icecap vs ups backup? UPS is a little more but seems to have more options....also, if u are out of power for a prolonged period of time, will one dc pump be enough to keep the tank going (i have a 100 gallon reef) if the other dc pumps and return pump are off?

 

[Dogtown]

One pump is enough to provide basic water turnover and oxygenation for your animals during a power failure. The less power you use, the longer your battery backup will last so you want to keep it to one pump for your sized tank.

 

[glb]

The cheap battery air stone backups work pretty well. I have two , they plug into the wall/power strip and only turn on when no power from the wall socket is being sent to them. They take 2 double D batteries - last 3-4 hours. If power is still out , change out batteries. UPS= uninterrupted power supply- used and marketed for electronics like a computer.

I used these after Hurricane Irma and the batteries actually lasted 3-4 days. I had bought a bunch and only had to replace them once during an 8 day power outage. They saved my fish, but were very noisy.

 

[acer]

yep- noise is definitely a negative, but a great cheap way to keep fish and corals alive in a crisis.