Unattended Reef Without Power

[Hugh Mann]

I’m just wondering how long an aquarium might survive unattended, without power?

I am asking because my town is under evacuation alert, which is likely to turn into an order. Around here, once towns are evacuated, they shut off the power, presumably for safety reasons.

Anyways, I have a battery powered air pump, that is good for about 48 hours. Assuming my town doesn’t burn to the ground, about how long can I be away before I can expect to come home to a dead tank? It’s a 55 gallon with an 18” moray, marine betta and a 2.5” maroon clown. Small BTA, and a handful of CuC. Two 4” GSP. Ambient room temperature is in the mid 60s.

I mean, if I have to go, I have to go, but am just kind of curious, as some places have had orders rescinded in as little as a week or two, but many are much longer.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Take them with you! The fish might not withstand the cold. Corals can die in a day or two without flow because they use it to breath and metabolize

 

[Hugh Mann]

Take them with you! The fish might not withstand the cold. Corals can die in a day or two without flow because they use it to breath and metabolize

It would be the same problem. Every town around me is full of evacuees, hotels, camp grounds, parking lots, all full. Over ten thousand people have been displaced. Add another 10,000 if this town has to leave. Many places can’t take evacuees as they are under alert too. Wherever I end up is probably not going to have power either. It really is an awful situation here.

 

[KrisReef]

Do a water change now to make the tank as clean as possible. Cut feeding to reduce the biological demand, and say a prayer if you have to leave. Fish and coral in shipments get low temperatures and survive fine. Low O2 is more of a concern, hence the water changes. If you don't have to leave then the only issue will be the fish wondering why you put them on a diet?

GL

 

[laverda]

Hook up a larger battery to your air pump for extended running. You can get sealed batteries in all sorts of sizes. You could even use a car battery. Don’t charge a car battery indoors.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

It would be the same problem. Every town around me is full of evacuees, hotels, camp grounds, parking lots, all full. Over ten thousand people have been displaced. Add another 10,000 if this town has to leave. Many places can’t take evacuees as they are under alert too. Wherever I end up is probably not going to have power either. It really is an awful situation here.

I’m so sorry reefer, that’s a tough spot to be in. Are you able to check up on the tank? Just to keep that air stone going and add a few to the tank. Try to place them close enough to the coral so they get a little movement but not too close that the bubbles touch them.

 

[Hugh Mann]

I’m so sorry reefer, that’s a tough spot to be in. Are you able to check up on the tank? Just to keep that air stone going and add a few to the tank. Try to place them close enough to the coral so they get a little movement but not too close that the bubbles touch them.

Not if I am evacuated. They shut down all access to prevent looting. There’s already some poor folks from some areas that weren’t even allowed to go back for pets if they weren’t at home when the order came through.

I’ll see if I can rig up a longer term battery. I do have solar panels easily capable of running the airpump, but probably not heater with the ash in the air.

Sadly I was caught somewhat unprepared, between recent identity theft leaving me broke and the fire causing the alert only started this morning and was fueled by 40-50km/h winds all day long.

 

[Spieg]

Generator with large fuel supply would be best. If that's not an option, a car battery with power inverter would be the next best thing. You might also try to insulate the tank with some Styrofoam to help keep heat in.

 

[Ricksreeefs]

Wow dude im so sorry this is happening. Hope everything goes ok.

 

[dwest]

Oxygen First. Do make sure your solar can run the air pump. So sorry. I wish you the best of luck.

 

[dennis romano]

Here are the grim numbers. With no power for three days due to Superstorm Sandy, lost 90% of inverts and coral and 100% of fish. Power failure of two days last year cost 50% of both fish and inverts. Good luck.

 

[Hugh Mann]

Here are the grim numbers. With no power for three days due to Superstorm Sandy, lost 90% of inverts and coral and 100% of fish. Power failure of two days last year cost 50% of both fish and inverts. Good luck.

Wow, I never would have guessed a tank would die out that quickly. Appreciate the info.

 

[brandon429]

A reef with no sandbed will outlive one with a sandbed during a power outage event, thats the bet. The cost of carrying eighty times the required loading of oxygen sapping acid producing heterotrophic bacteria mixed in with detritus vs a low BOD low COD bare bottom reef becomes the final determinant in longevity I bet, before a technical crash in a power outage. That may not help now, it’s a design aspect to consider.


your live rock and it’s ability to skip cycle into a new tank can be preserved in most conditions: get it into clean shallow saltwater in a tote ASAP and it’ll sit there cycled a long long time, for the rebuild. Some corals may hold there too, there’s strategic disassembly before the big crash too. Fish aren’t expected to make the holding still condition but live rock and a few corals can, if separated from lost fish before the event. That’s the backbone of v2

 

[Revnobody]

Sorry to hear this. I hope you can stay safe and also save your reef. Sending good vibes.

 

[czoolander]

This is brutal the fires in our province right now. Have you reached out to any of the LFS out of the fire zone they might take your fish until you are back home safe ?