Best Battery Backups: What's your opinion on the BBB?

[revhtree]

GENERATORS ARE KING but if you don't have one or can't have one then a battery backup is the next best thing.

It's always a good time to have a battery backup for your aquarium that could run a few key pieces of equipment during a power outage but which ones are the best?

Power outages are going to happen, and unless you have a generator as a backup, the next best thing is a battery backup for your pumps and powerheads. In just a little time without power dissolved oxygen levels start to deplete, which can result in livestock loss. Keeping water moving and encouraging gas exchange at the surface of the aquarium, you can buy yourself valuable time while waiting for restoration of power. But which batter backup are best and which one should you have for your pumps? Let's discuss it today by polling the community!

1. What is the BEST battery back up to have for your aquarium?

2. Do you have a battery backup just in case you lose power and what brand and model is it?

 

[Billldg]

I currently have a Ecotech battery back up on my MP pumps and one on my Gyre. In my upgrade I will be running Ecotech M2 return pumps, so I will also add 2 more Ecotech battery backs on both return pumps. I will get a generator also, but they are only good if you are home to turn them on and hook up the tank to it if you don’t have a generator hooked up to your house elec service panel.

 

[BlennyTime]

I have the Ecotech battery backup (pictured above). I like how much runtime it gives, versus a traditional UPS.

I plan to add a generator in the near future, but power outages here are very infrequent.

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

The "best" option is one that kicks on automatically with no intervention from the aquarist. If your power goes out the minute you step out the door to go to work or an hour after you go to bed, your tank could be without power for many hours.

If you have Ecotech pumps, the Ecotech backups are the way to go, although you're paying a ton of money for just a commodity 35 Ah battery. You could DIY something a lot cheaper if you were so inclined. It also assumes you have Ecotech pumps. While many reefers do, not all do.

An inverter/charger is a good option for a more DIY approach. It's basically an inverter, charger and transfer switch all in one. You buy the inverter/charger, a battery, hook it all up, and plug in your equipment. While the power is on, the unit charges the battery and powers your aquarium equipment. When the power fails, the unit draws current from the battery to power your equipment. When the power comes back on, the device reverts to normal operation. The only downside to these is they're expensive for what they are. If you can DIY a transfer switch with a relay and buy a charger and inverter separately, you'll save more than 50% over buying an inverter charger.

If you only have DC pumps, the best option is a direct DC to DC solution that avoids the inverter losses. This requires a full DIY solution though. No products exist that do this as of now.

In almost no situation are computer UPSs a good solution. They'll work, but they're very expensive for what you get. An inverter charger is a better choice for our purposes. That way you can customize wattage and battery capacity to suit your needs.

 

[TheHarold]

One significant issue with a lead acid battery backup is that they goes bad within ~3 years. Then it is just a false sense of security, as it can last <1 hour. Happened to me once on a used Ecotech backup, and then again with one I bought new after roughly 3 years .

Had a hurricane kill power, and the MP40wQD had under an hour of run time.... yikes. Now I put voltage meters on them, so I can gauge battery health pretty easily. Then one can replace the internal battery for $40!


.

 

[ectoaesthetics]

I have both. I have a battery backup and a generator (small) for when the battery starts to run out. When I fire up the generator I also charge the battery backup.

have a nano and running an echo tech (what I have) at 50% would litterally push the water out of my 4.5 gallon display... So using the ecotech battery is not an option. Thus, I have to use a UPS battery which only gives me 8 hrs of battery.

 

[Futuretotm]

Most outages are less than 5 hours = battery backup for pumps
Once a blue moon/hurricane outages is multi day = generator

Have both, you don't wanna pull out the generator and by the time its filled and turned on, the lights come back on...

 

[Han]

I have a cyberpower ups on each tank hooked up to a powerhead. I can get up to 12 hours or more with these. I also have a generator, the battery backups are mainly for if the power goes out when I’m not home to set up the generator.

 

[WIReefer]

My Honda generator, luckily the wife works from home so she is trained on what to do to start it! If I am sleeping and we are both away my apex shoots a message if lost power.

 

[Difrano]

You missed one option:

• Both

I have a DIY battery backup with this battery:



And also have a 1/2 house generator.

 

[Cell]

Not quite a battery backup per se, but it serves the function of automatically switching on and keeping your water aerated during an outage:

Cobalt Rescue Air DC pump

 

[Eagle_Steve]

We have a very large Generac that can power the entire house for as long as the natural gas keeps flowing, but I still have battery backups on the tanks. Generator takes time to cut on, panel has to switch, etc. Gas may also run out if the pumping station loses power. So the UPS can buy time for me to swap in a propane tank if needed.

For UPS type I prefer APC smart ups’s. Long run time and awesome protection. They also are not badly priced for the entry level ones. Batteries are also cheap for them when the time comes.

 

[prsnlty]

My 180 crashed due to a long power outage. Started slimers sliming and coral warfare. Now I have a generator! I also have battery back up bubblers. They don't turn on unless the power goes out. Wish they'd come up with a power head that would do the same. I also have an alarm on my apex if it loses power and have it set to send a text and email.

 

[Snoopy 67]

Battery operated air pump that goes on when power goes out.
Saved me a few times already.

 

[Greybeard]

I said 'Yes, Generator', and that's true, but there's more to it than that.

If you can, a whole house natural gas powered generator is probably the absolute best in backup... but it's EXPENSIVE, and for me, living where we cannot get natural gas, it's impossible. Oh, I could get a propane generator, but that stuff is way expensive. No, thanks.

So, I have a gas powered 6000w generator, and a 10kw PTO powered generator that I can attach to my little tractor. Either gives me electrical that can keep the main pump and heater running, that's about all I really need to keep the tank up and running.

Problem is, I have to go and get the generator, plug it in, get it started, etc. What if the power drops while I'm sleeping, or gone, whatever?

I have a Tunze 6040, connected to the Tunze safety switch, and a good SLA battery, with a battery maintainer monitoring it. Power drops, that Tunze keeps right on running, pointed at the surface of my tank. Plenty of circulation to keep the tank well oxygenated, which is really the main problem with short term power loss.

I've also got a battery powered air pump, bit of hose, and an airstone. Just in case

Point is, whatever your plan is, HAVE A PLAN, and know that it's sufficient to keep your critters happy.

 

[Shaummy]

I technically have a battery backup for my tank, however the combination that I use is for essential items only like the return pump. I use a car battery and an inverter for outages that are of any length. So I guess I have a fancy generator (car) that charges my battery backup. Fortunately I have only had 1 outage that was 14 hours, and the setup worked great for that. The only downside was that I started up the car every few hours to make sure I wasn't depleting it.

 

[rossco]

I have a Ecotech battery backup with a generator on standby for extended outages.

 

[BullyBee]

battery back ups are the reason I went with ecotech. I think they are very important

 

[Arabyps]

We installed the Tesla Power Walls in our house coupled with solar panels. If we lose power we wouldn't know since the Power Walls drive everything. Only potential issue is during a very hot summer day. We may have to reduce A/C use so as not to drain the batteries all the way. They recharge during the day from the solar panels.

 

[BullyBee]

We have a very large Generac that can power the entire house for as long as the natural gas keeps flowing, but I still have battery backups on the tanks. Generator takes time to cut on, panel has to switch, etc. Gas may also run out if the pumping station loses power. So the UPS can buy time for me to swap in a propane tank if needed.

For UPS type I prefer APC smart ups’s. Long run time and awesome protection. They also are not badly priced for the entry level ones. Batteries are also cheap for them when the time comes.

you can replace the Battery on the apc’s? With my bbu once it runs out that’s it.