Do you have a backup battery for your aquarium equipment in case of power failure?

[dmh41532]

It's tough in Florida, I hear everyone say the same thing. I'm in NC and we do get hit pretty decently but it's definitely nothing like what you all down there get on that awesome stretch of peninsula.

We’ve been fortunate here in south Florida, haven’t had anything since Irma, I hope we have another quiet season, but I told my wife we can’t take any chances. Some people think we’re crazy, but honestly, I wouldn’t trade living in Florida for less hurricanes.

 

[powers2001]

It is enough for me to keep the current pumps and circulation in the sump for 36 hours

I have generation 1 and 2 IceCap BBUs to be recharged by a cheapo generator bought brand new for $125 at Harbor Freight Tools. Generator not safe to power electronics like a Honda inverter genny but can refresh BBUs. I use the gen1 IceCap to backup my Apex’s 12V AquaBus system. I don’t skip a monitoring beat during an outage, it’s immediately up and running during and after the outage, and notifies me of an outage if I’m asleep or out of town as long as my internet router is on BBU as well. My first line of defense against outages is the gen2 BBU. If needed it powers my gyres. However I will replace this with an IceCap generation 3 BBU. The gen2 is strictly 24V while the gen3 is two phase: it normally is a go between the AC/DC power converter and the gyres at 24V. But when the power goes out, the voltage coming from the battery drops to 12V and flow from gyres drops accordingly thus preserving battery life.

 

[ajtomase]

I use a Honda inverter. Cleaner power and it won’t fry modern electronics.

Which Honda do you use?

 

[ajtomase]

After losing 300 dollars of marine fish and corals to the Texas freeze ,I bought a generator to run everything.Nice to have a backup power source.

Which one did you end up getting?

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

Which Honda do you use?

Eu2200. But I just switched to this one because my Honda is going to camping duty. A hair over a 1/3 of the cost for a Honda, more outlets (4amp 120v, I had an older version of the honda) and just as quiet. Literally arrived on the porch today.
With as high tech as our aquariums are becoming, I wouldn’t trust anything but an inverter generator. Much cleaner power will not ruin pumps and high dollar lighting. So long as you use an inverter, you can even put your local area network back up without internet; which means you can still talk to all of your WiFi gadgets like heaters and wave makers or even high end controllers.

 

[powers2001]

@Townes_Van_Camp what is the weight of the Ford generator?

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

It feels the same as my Honda. Give me a minute and I’ll find the weight in the manual.

I’m back. 46.3 lbs.

 

[CavalierReef]

It is enough for me to keep the current pumps and circulation in the sump for 36 hours

What I use as well. I keep it charged and test it every month or so. It has no real time experience, however.

 

[davidcalgary29]

Just wanted to thank everyone -- again -- who has posted their experience with power loss in this forum. The power went out suddenly this afternoon, but I was ready with the backup generator (and power transfer switch), and all the tanks came through without a hitch. I noticed that the furnace didn't even come on without the backup generator, and that's definitely something that you do not want to happen during a Canadian winter.

 

[mdb_talon]

Had to use my generator last week. Temps in teens and power out around 13 hours. Wife wanted to make coffee and plug in a space heater, but thankfully i convinced her we had to ration the power....and by "ration" i meant my fish room got it all. Every time i walked past her covered in three blankets i got a dirty look....but all my coral is good so worth it.

 

[Greg P]

Nothing like having a gas fireplace on a power-out relay to keep the Livingroom warm. Lights go out and the fireplace fires up. Tank is in the Livingroom. Sump is in my office on the other side of the wall but it only takes 5-10 minutes for the heaters to bring the water back up to temp once the power is restored.
3 power outages in the last 2 years haven't caused any tank deaths with the water temp dropping and then rapidly rising back to normal levels.

My fireplace has kept my Livingroom from dropping below 68F. Thankfully I've never had a power outage when the temps were below 0C/32F, but have had the outside temps close to freezing and all was good.

When the power goes out, the fish are happy, and the wife and cats get some snuggle time next to the fake logs.
The tank stays warm enough for 'so far' 24 hours.
I've never had a power outage longer than that in over 10 years.
The battery backups I built last beyond that for my MP10s

2 x 18Ah batteries keep my 4 x MP10wQD pumps running for days

 

[Freenow54]

I woke up 2 weeks ago to a power failure, tank was already at 23.5 degrees.
After panicking and running around like a chicken with my head on fire I remembered the 110 plug in my car. Hooked up a 100 foot extension cord and got the heater and the return pump going. All in all it was out for 11 hours.
Everything survived no problem but you're dang right I'm buying a generator at the next sale at Canadian Tire !

I am trying very hard not to laugh. F or C? You slept through? lol Icicles on your nose

 

[Freenow54]

Well I certainly want to follow this because there is more concern about flooding for me, as I have a sump. The 24V backups are huge expensive, and reviews have too many complaints about failing after a year. THE UNIT IS ABOUT $250 c AND THEN THE LITIUM BATTERY AS WELL. Sorry hit caps too lazy to change. I have a gas Genny if needed but want to bite the bullet for sure

 

[Bridgerdean]

I’m sorry for a slightly off topic question, I recently purchased a ecotech battery back up, after the fires in Colorado. What should I back up?
Options are mp40s or return pump?

 

[jiggysmb]

We found a larger battery, I believe it is a APC 1500, for free and bought new batteries for $100. The nice part is half of the plugs are just surge protection and half use the battery. 1 powerhead, pump and heater are on the battery and have run for 4 hours with very little loss to the battery. The surge half is used for another powerhead, protein skimmer, light.