Turd Ferguson
Community Member
I’m installing GFI for the new aquarium, if you whole system is on GFIs, what do you do if it trips and your not going to be home for days or weeks?
What is your back if your GFCIs trip and your on vacation?
- Thread starter Turd Ferguson
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littlebeard
Active Member
I had this happen to me actually when I went to visit family right before Christmas. I needed to replace my ato pump so I bought a cheapy off amazon. Big mistake. GFI flipped due to cheap pump at 9pm, the person who checked my tank came around 1pm the next day. Lost all my fish. 
My new strategy is 2 fold. Monitoring and battery backup. I'm using a raspberry pi with ph and temp sensors to output params to the cloud where I monitor those stats. If they are out of range or not getting reported I get a phone call. This way if the power goes out on the gfi or in my house I get a call. I also plan on hooking up a battery backup to at least 1 powerhead to keep the water moving, and I'd like to hook it up to an airstone as air exchange is critical.
Also critical is having someone to call to take care of the tank (and hit the reset button on the gfi)
My new strategy is 2 fold. Monitoring and battery backup. I'm using a raspberry pi with ph and temp sensors to output params to the cloud where I monitor those stats. If they are out of range or not getting reported I get a phone call. This way if the power goes out on the gfi or in my house I get a call. I also plan on hooking up a battery backup to at least 1 powerhead to keep the water moving, and I'd like to hook it up to an airstone as air exchange is critical.
Also critical is having someone to call to take care of the tank (and hit the reset button on the gfi)
Tastee
Valuable Member
Apex controller running on UPS on both tanks, alert from either Apex about loss of local power (if GFCI trip) or Apex Fusion about loss of heartbeat (for bigger outages). After that it’s phone a friend time, most likely my son.
r20crazy
Well-Known Member
no vacations with aquariums... if you want them (vacations) don't have a tank. honestly. no way to reset tripped GFI except by human. Vacation is always when chit goes wrong. and its not a vacation if your always having to check on tank stressing about it
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It’s all about redundancy. Both my systems have 2 separate circuits from panel with separate gfi. So for each tank then has 2 return pumps, 2 heaters, 2 power heads, with one of each on each gfi. This way if a gfi pop system still runs on 1 return 1 heater 1 power head. Easy to do with apex just need 2 energy bars plug one into each separate gfi and half devices in one and half in the other. Good luck
rgulrich
Active Member
What ((FORDTECH)) said.
Been there, done that. Two separate circuits wherever possible. Plan to maintain water movement in the reef at a dead minimum with a battery backup (for complete power loss) on at least one power head or gyre, then plan your way to as much redundancy as you can implement throughout the system - on two separate gfi-protected circuits.
For being away more than a day, plan on having someone come by daily to check on the reef - provide them instructions on things to look for (with pictures to compare) and what to do if something is wrong (phone numbers included). In my case, the reef is pretty much set up to run "on auto" for about two weeks comfortably, and when we head out we bring in someone to care for the cats, dogs, and horses (yes, we have it all...). I ask them to take a quick look at the reef on their way through the house. I also leave instructions for what to do if the power goes out for the property (generator, neighbors' numbers to help wheel out the portable generator and hook it up, switchover, you name it).
Hope this helps a bit.
Cheers,
Ray
Been there, done that. Two separate circuits wherever possible. Plan to maintain water movement in the reef at a dead minimum with a battery backup (for complete power loss) on at least one power head or gyre, then plan your way to as much redundancy as you can implement throughout the system - on two separate gfi-protected circuits.
For being away more than a day, plan on having someone come by daily to check on the reef - provide them instructions on things to look for (with pictures to compare) and what to do if something is wrong (phone numbers included). In my case, the reef is pretty much set up to run "on auto" for about two weeks comfortably, and when we head out we bring in someone to care for the cats, dogs, and horses (yes, we have it all...). I ask them to take a quick look at the reef on their way through the house. I also leave instructions for what to do if the power goes out for the property (generator, neighbors' numbers to help wheel out the portable generator and hook it up, switchover, you name it).
Hope this helps a bit.
Cheers,
Ray
OP
OP
Turd Ferguson
Community Member
Thanks gents, I think 2 independent circuits is the way to go...it just means one energy bar will have to be on the otherwise of the room. It appears one can buy 30’ aqua bus cables !
Two circuits. Flow pumps and heaters in sump on one... maybe a skimmer and CaRx. Return pump and a single in-tank heater on the other - I do not use GFCI on this one since I don't need a fish fart tripping it. If I have a lot of lighting, I run a third for the lights and this one can be GFCI.
Basically split up your stuff across two, or more. Tank can run on either until somebody gets eyes on the tank - usually have a friend or dog sitter just look for lights on and swimming fish. I have a reefing friend on standby if something does fail. I actually had a sump fail, I switched off the main circuit with return pump, skimmers and in-sump stuff and the tank ran with just the flow pumps, in-tank heater and ATO for like 3 weeks but I did have to switch the CaRx feed pump and return over to the display.
Your Apex is likely less reliable than the GFCI, so keep the important stuff off if it like the return pump.
Do not underestimate how important having actually reliable equipment is... AC pumps, Ranco Temp controllers, Eheim Pumps on CaRx, AC skimmer Pumps, etc. Decade long equipment that makes me feel better about a vacation. Apex or any other hobby-grade controller will not be a part of my plan since they would be the weakest link in my deal and I would never let them control anything, maybe just monitor but it is funny how you don't need to monitor good stuff.
I build in this order... redundancy, time proven equipment, human backup, power/equipment backups (battery or generator for huge outages) and then monitoring. What good is a monitor if you cannot do anything about it, so an apex text while I am in the EU does nothing if I don't have a human on standby and/or extra equipment laying around.
Basically split up your stuff across two, or more. Tank can run on either until somebody gets eyes on the tank - usually have a friend or dog sitter just look for lights on and swimming fish. I have a reefing friend on standby if something does fail. I actually had a sump fail, I switched off the main circuit with return pump, skimmers and in-sump stuff and the tank ran with just the flow pumps, in-tank heater and ATO for like 3 weeks but I did have to switch the CaRx feed pump and return over to the display.
Your Apex is likely less reliable than the GFCI, so keep the important stuff off if it like the return pump.
Do not underestimate how important having actually reliable equipment is... AC pumps, Ranco Temp controllers, Eheim Pumps on CaRx, AC skimmer Pumps, etc. Decade long equipment that makes me feel better about a vacation. Apex or any other hobby-grade controller will not be a part of my plan since they would be the weakest link in my deal and I would never let them control anything, maybe just monitor but it is funny how you don't need to monitor good stuff.
I build in this order... redundancy, time proven equipment, human backup, power/equipment backups (battery or generator for huge outages) and then monitoring. What good is a monitor if you cannot do anything about it, so an apex text while I am in the EU does nothing if I don't have a human on standby and/or extra equipment laying around.
Or take reasonable precautions. It is 2021 and other than cost there is zero reason we cant monitor our tanks from almost anywhere in the world. For those who dont have someone they trust to call if things go south most should have a local LFS/service company that will for a price.
You can also leave an extension cord from another part of the house connected in front of the tank in case the GFCI fails. Makes for an easy swap out for your tank sitter. GFCIs can/do fail and need replaced... I just had to replace one in my garage the other day that was tripping when any non-light load came through it. Those cords with the three outlets in the end are good for this.
I leave a cord, return pump, heater, hose clamps, tools and usually a MH ballast in a box when I go.
Again, monitoring is worthless alone. Look at Natural Gas in Texas recently... their monitors worked and told them that they were F'd. Don't get lured into a false sense of security with a monitor.
I leave a cord, return pump, heater, hose clamps, tools and usually a MH ballast in a box when I go.
Again, monitoring is worthless alone. Look at Natural Gas in Texas recently... their monitors worked and told them that they were F'd. Don't get lured into a false sense of security with a monitor.
