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

[scottsweet]

I actually have both battery and generator. I have two Ecotech batteries (in parallel) on my main recirculation pump. I also bought a mobile generator that I can plug the major components in to within about 20-30 minutes.

 

[Aheinz]

No battery back up but 2000w honda generator that got dedicated to my tank

 

[Russell G]

I have a pair of deep cycle batteries wired in parallel and connected to a 1500w power inverter. There’s also a solar charge controller in the system that I can hook up some solar panels to and recharge the batteries if the outage drags on for an extended period of time. I live in SoCal sooutages are very infrequesnt and short when they do happen. Things like hurricanes are never an issue so the solar is plenty to keep the batteries topped off.

The system was built to power our camp site when we were going out to the Coachella music festival the weekend. It can run the coffee maker, toaster oven, lights, and charge phones easily so the tank should be no problem at all. I may just have to be selective as to what equipment to actually run.

It would be nice to have a powerwall... we already have solar on the house.

 

[sprice]

Our whole house is protected by a Generac 22 kw generator running on natural gas. The generator has an auto transfer switch when there is a power failure but it still takes time for the genie to start. While the genie starts power is protected by (2) 1440VA, 1200w Tripp Lite SMART1500TSU UPSs. I use (2) 600w heaters to heat the system and when you include the pumps, lights, and rest of the gadgets, I’m pulling about 1000w per 15 amp circuit. Each 600w heater is on a different circuit.

One of the more frustrating aspects of this build is how sensitive the newer CH GFCI and AFCI breakers are. We’ve had the transfer switch for the generator trip the circuit breakers a couple times. Of coarse it’s always the (2) GFCIs that power the fish room.

 

[GerryDavies]

What about Tunze? I have their DC pumps and protein skimmer. They offer a $50 hot-swap switch that swaps my protein skimmer over to a small 20ah AGM battery from Amazon which cost me less than $40. I figure the protein skimmer will aerate the water and if necessary I could piggyback my small Tunze dc pump off the same unit too. I live in Florida so a generator is there for extended periods but a few days without lights should be fine and I think the battery will last a couple of days.

 

[Robertellis30]

Do the ecotech back ups even control other pumps? Like a reef wave?

 

[RobMcC]

Is it possible to change the poll so that you can pick two answers? I have both battery back up, solar and a generator.

 

[BeckyW]

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?
I have a vortech back up for my MP 40’s but need a back up for return pump. We are prepared to use generator if needed too. Just purchased an alarm to let me know if power goes out while I’m asleep. Not sure how exactly it works.

 

[Straasha]

I am using the Battery CoralBox PowerCell to power my Jebao DCP-3000 pump. When set at 50%, it will last for for 2 1/2 hours.

 

[SMSREEF]

I have multiple backups.

First is a battery powered air pump that has a line to display and the sump. Turns on automatically when power goes out


Second is small battery backup that would run one of my powerheads for a few hours.

Third is a generator in case of a hurricane outage for a day or two. But if longer than that I think my tank would be toast because the water would get too hot or I would run out of gas for the generator.

 

[BCSreef]

A bank of AGM batteries for return pumps only and a Honda 2000 for periods longer than 6 hours.

 

[jpnegrete14]

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.

+1 same exact battery backup and future plan.

 

[BCSreef]

Is it possible to change the poll so that you can pick two answers? I have both battery back up, solar and a generator.

Same here

 

[DBR_Reef]

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!


.

You can and should replace the batteries every 3 years

 

[ichthyoid]

Battery backups-

2x Ecotech
2x Icecap’s, on backorder. Whenever they are shipped, I may buy a 3rd.

I’m also looking into building a diy version.
We live near a substation, so not too worried about long term outages.

 

[725196]

I have both a battery back up, the Ecotech one, and 2 generators. One for the house and one just for my tank. The Ecotech runs my 2 MP40s and is great for unexpected situations and the generator is great for long term and emergency situations.

To be honest, I wish there was a battery backup for the Neptune Cor pumps. I am a bit surprised there is not to be honest...

 

[TheAngryReefer]

I have the ecotech battery backup. Does anyone know if the connector from the battery to the pump is suppose to stick out this far? That is all it will go. Seems like a fire hazard to me.

 

[bryanr]

I have a Generator for long outages, but problem is it's usually raining or snowing when I lose power so I can't use it until the rain/snow is over. So in the interim I have Ecotech battery backups on each tank and then a spare just in case any fail. I have replaced batteries in 4 of my 7 Ecotech backups (I have 5 tanks, going to 3). Then I have the cobalt rescue air pumps on each tank ready to add extra oxygen, I put the airstone near the MP40 or MP60 I have on the backup. I also have some of the jump start inverters to run my return pumps, they seem to run the DC pumps for a couple hours. I am also looking into a coralbox backup for my DCP pump now that the second version supports them. Ideally I'll get a whole house generator or solar with battery backup...but still saving for those.

 

[Metcho]

I just built my own backup battery system using two deep cycle sealed lead batteries hooked the together to make 24v and wired them into the 24v return pump that I’m running and when power goes out it didn’t skip a beat can’t even tell when it switched. If it were 12v the pump would lose half the power and only run at 50% that’s why I opted for 24v batter. All together I spent little over $200 but it a little more than the store bought crap that only runs 12v.

 

[NYBumkin]

I have the Icecap V2 on my Varios-4 return pump. Primarily because I can’t let that shut off as I didn’t realize the loclines and return bulkheads allow water to drain back regardless of the location of the locline output ‍
Love the Icecap V2 so far though. Good price point and works.