What to do in a power out.

[m and m]

So im just laying in bed as a rain storm is about to hit us in new jersey. So im pondering what should i do if the power where to ever fail? I would take some general problems would be lack of o2 in the tank, and temp. Is there anything you can do? The only thing i could possable think is use a turkey baster and blow off the coral very friquently. I due think i will order a power thing from bulk reef now for atleast a power head or heater. What would you guys do in the case of a power outage?

 

[Murfman]

You could get an 12 VDC inverter and power a pump off of your car battery.

 

[m and m]

You my freind are amazing, i already have one. A tank of gas cost 55 dollers or the lose of my chalice collection in the thousands. i'll pick gas, any other saggestion?

 

[ReeferRob]

A plastic paint mixer in a cordless power drill can help with flow and gas exchange.
Also I have three emergency blanket to wrap the tank in case of power outage in winter.(Can be found at a mountaineering store, paper thin!)
May want to drop the coin on a VorTech pump with 36 hour battery back up too.
Battery powered air pumps are cheap but don't last long.

 

[alien_frag_farm]

back up power supply for a desktop computer can run a single powerhead for up to 3 hours. also battery powered air pumps are good to have in case of emergencies.

 

[m and m]

I always thought about vortec, but i live my tunzi to much and the way my tank is set up i can. Vortecs can't work for me, i have a three way visable tank, and the only side i could put them on is the back side but the over flow is exteriol so no luck there, so i have some 6105's on the back wall on the overflow.

 

[Ian]

You're ready to buy an $1800+ frag and you don't have back ups for your tank?

Maybe a generator would be a better investment...

 

[jtl2]

I use a 400W portable power inverter from WalMart. It will run my skimmer (Aqua C MJ 1200), main pump (Koralia 3) and heater (250W). So far it has outlasted my power outages and was only $89.

 

[Pizzapro83]

i have a optima yellow top deep cycle battery with a 12v DC to 120v AC converter that hooks up to the pumps. When the power goes out all i have to do is plug the pumps into the converter and the battery will power them for a efficient amount of time, well enough for the power to be returned on.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Well very simply if you don't have anything at the time for power then use something like a glass scraper or anything really to every once and a while stir the water.

 

[m and m]

I use a 400W portable power inverter from WalMart. It will run my skimmer (Aqua C MJ 1200), main pump (Koralia 3) and heater (250W). So far it has outlasted my power outages and was only $89.

About how long does it last for?

For the my miami comment, it was a lac of thought was put in this area of my tank. I have always have a little generater that would last about a hour with my tunzi but im thinking of a 4+ hr area

 

[m and m]

Well very simply if you don't have anything at the time for power then use something like a glass scraper or anything really to every once and a while stir the water.

Right now i have a power sapply that lasts about a hour and a car converter.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Yea I myself am unprepared because where I live we rarely ever have storm issues whether it be rain or snow.

I am going to get prepared though. I think I am going to get a portable generator. :)

 

[Ian]

you can buy the Tunze 6105.50. It will swich your power to a second source(car battery) in the event of a power outage...

 

[BlazinNano]

I use to build boats and I have two 500 GPH bilge pumps that run off a 12v DC (car) battery. Now I work for a fire alarm company and all fire alarms have 12v DC batteries in them in case they loose power. So I have the 2 pumps and 6 batteries sitting in my garage. If the batteries die I can go out to the car and hook them up to my battery and recharge them real quick. I have looked at the bilge pumps and they have no copper. They are just a ugly powerhead, white and red......

 

[Braves Fan]

My power is always going out, went out last nite for 1 1/2 hours. I bought a 5700 watt generator, best money I ever spent and it will run my 125g system and all the lights. It cost $700 , but thats no money compaired to what I have innvested in the tank.

 

[Reeferdood]

I live in Florida so it is a generator for me...

 

[JR's Reef]

Where I live we dont get power outages often but have a UPS just in case.

 

[Murfman]

We have blizzards out here all the time. A generator is on my list but as was previously stated, I can burn gas in the car and power the tank with 300 watts of elect. I can turn on the fire place to heat the room. I think my Snapper return pump and a power head could run off the inverter.

 

[Harry_Y]

I have had a 4 day power out before when I had a 72 gal tank.

Everthing made it, but a shrimp that someone had for a snack.

I kept the room dark, and used a turkey baster to blow air
into the tank every few hrs.


I now have a 180 and bought some battery powered air pumps.

From my experiance It seems like it can take getting cold a lot better than
getting hot. I have a fireplace so it will never get too cold in the room

I think they can handle more cold than you would realize.

I plan on adding a 12v battery and a small solar panel to power
my Tunze pumps someday (Tunze pump sare DC).

For Heat since I have a Gas HW heater I thougth about taking about
25-50 foot of tubeing like on a RODO unit and a faucet adapter that
I coul run hot water through.

I would hook the input of the hose to the kitchen faucet, and the output
would run down the drain. Then throw the tubing in the tank turn on the
faucet and watch therometer. Crude but it would work, and the wasted
hot water would be a small price to pay.

I tend to shy away from generators, in a long term power outage
gas is very hard to get.