What do you use for a backup to protect your tank when the power fails?

[Ratherbeflyen]

After the mass power outage in Texas it has brought new attention to what we use if the power fails. For my 220, I use a battery backup on a gyre wavemaker and keep a small generator on hand if the power outage lasts a long time.

What do you use?

 

[Jekyl]

5500w portable generator. Shut my main breaker off and run the 220 line to a plug in my garage. Powers my whole house.

 

[miyags]

I use this.Funny thing is, it's cheaper than a protein skimmer...But the skimmer has good plastic.

 

[Gtinnel]

I have a Generac whole house generator. It is great that when the power goes out within about 10 seconds my power is back on. I feel sorry for my neighbors though not having power and having to listen to my generator run, because it is not quiet.
They're pretty expensive but in the long run a great investment.

 

[SuncrestReef]

@revhtree posted a poll about this same topic a couple weeks ago, with nearly 800 votes and 180 replies:

QUESTION OF THE DAY - STORMS: Do you have a generator for your reef tank?

With so many major winter storms popping up lately there has been a lot of discussion on preparing for power outages and having power back up plans! So let's talk about generators today and see who's ready and what generator your using! 1. Do you have a generator for your reef tank for...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Mical]

+1 on Generac whole house generator. I hated pulling portable out, running extension cords, making sure it had fuel (and fuel was available) and drudging through snow or inclement weather.

 

[Jim Fox]

My EcoTech M2 is on 2 Ecotech battery backups. I can get about 10 plus hours out those. I have 2 Tunze 6095s on two 12v scooter batteries and I have yet to use the full battery capacity even after a 21 and half hour power outage. I do plug the essentials into my generator though after 4 hours of power loss.

 

[LeftyReefer]

I have a 8500w portable generator that will power my whole house, and then I also have a smaller 2000w portable generator just in case... I also have a few 12v batteries and a few various inverters laying around, also just in case.

We lose power quite a bit. I generally just go for the small generator first and run an extension cord to the tank panel. if its going to be an extended outage, I fire up the bigger one and hook it up to the house 220v.

I did just finally get a real generator lockout switch/panel so I can do it the right way... just need to hire an electrician to hook it up for me. Waiting till spring/summer for that though.

 

[Ratherbeflyen]

@revhtree posted a poll about this same topic a couple weeks ago, with nearly 800 votes and 180 replies:

QUESTION OF THE DAY - STORMS: Do you have a generator for your reef tank?

With so many major winter storms popping up lately there has been a lot of discussion on preparing for power outages and having power back up plans! So let's talk about generators today and see who's ready and what generator your using! 1. Do you have a generator for your reef tank for...

www.reef2reef.com

Thanks, I did see that thread, but it is specific to having a generator or not. I'm wondering what other methods reefers are using.

 

[garbled]

I have a tunze safety connector hooked up to a giant 12v AGM Blue top Optima.

 

[DinoMagnet]

Generac gp6500

 

[Tastee]

Cyberpower UPS to run the important equipment on both tanks (including the Neptune Apex) for a few hours. Apex to alert me to outage. Portable generator to run the tanks longer term.

 

[Reefahholic]

I have a portable Honda EU2200i. A few power Inverters. A few AGM batteries. Battery charger plus my generator charges my batteries if needed. I have jumper cables to charge off my truck too if needed and can also run equipment from my power inverter from my truck or inside. I’m fixing to convert my Honda Generator to propane too. So when gas isn’t available I can switch over to propane or start with propane and switch to gas.

 

[Reefahholic]

Ohh, and I just picked up a 10 gauge 75 foot extension cord. It’s a beast!

 

[Shon]

I have a portable generator for day use, battery bubbler at night. Deep freezer has frozen water bottles. 1x 2 liter bottle will keep the 75g 80ish for 4-5 hours when the house reaches mid 90's.

Florida, hurricanes. Don't think I will have to deal with freeze issues like Texas did.

 

[Gtinnel]

Florida, hurricanes. Don't think I will have to deal with freeze issues like Texas did.

That's what people in Texas thought too

 

[laverda]

Seversl battery powered air pumps. 3 UPSs 2 modified with 12 volt DC ports to run DC pumps directly one large one with additional hot swappable battery pack. Additional batteries. 2 power inverters and long extension cords. One generator.

 

[vlangel]

I use a cheap Penn Plax battery back up aerator for the short term. It has a plug to go in an outlet and starts automatically when it senses the electricity is off.

For a long term outage I have a 1000 watt inverter that I run off our car battery. I used it for 4 days about 3 years ago when we had a 4 day black out. It ran the power head and lights, plus our fridge and computer.

I learned then that the battery back up could go 4 days on the same batteries because I moved it down to the basement sump tank. Everything did just fine during that outage.

 

[rusty hannon]

Yes, we have a short term plan ( a few days). First an old, well cared for home computer battery back up and battery operated air pumps w diffusers and air line.

 

[Lollyloves]

I have a Generac whole house generator. It is great that when the power goes out within about 10 seconds my power is back on. I feel sorry for my neighbors though not having power and having to listen to my generator run, because it is not quiet.
They're pretty expensive but in the long run a great investment.

Can you give us an idea what "pretty expensive" means? Im a no tech savvy older female who has no idea what t get or what i need to spend to keep my two tanks ( 32 gal and 16 gal Biocubes) up and running should we have a storm or loss of power. Thanks much!!