Advice needed: Water movement in a blackout

[Punchanello]

Hi all, grateful for any advice! I have just installed a Cade Pro Reef 1500. It's a 5ft DT (500lt) with a total system volume of 700lt.

We have trees falling on power-lines and power outages in heat waves so it's highly likely I'm going to have to deal with it at some point.

I don't have Ecotech powerheads (I chose the Maxspect Gyres instead) but I will be running the Ecotech return pump (L1). I was wondering if rigging up the return pump with the Ecotech battery back-up to run in a blackout would provide enough water movement for a few hours to get the tank through the outage?

 

[Ryan Darilek]

I think a tank that size would be okay without for a few hours during an outage... If anything, just a battery operated air pump with an air stone on the end to keep the water oxygenated and circulating just a little... But thats just me

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[LobsterOfJustice]

Advice needed: Water movement in a blackout

Get one of these and plug your gyre into it. Different sizes are available based on your budget, a larger unit will last longer. You can find a calculator online to estimate how long each will last at a given wattage draw.

APC Back-UPS 550VA UPS Battery Backup & Surge Protector (BE550G) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0019804U8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_2PIszbNHYX1FW

Using a return pump for circulation in a brief power outage is not efficient as they draw far more watts than a powerhead. A battery backup isn't strong enough to run any heating and cooling equipment anyway so for anything lasting longer than a few hours you would likely want a generator. At that point is when I would run the return pump to allow heating and cooling equipment to function as well.


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[Gorgok]

I'd stick some bottled water in the fridge for cooling the tank if you lose power. Just think of them as large ice cubes that won't melt into the water.

 

[Voodoojar]

Just so you know the Ecotech battery backup only gave me around 20 minutes of run time on my return pump only and that's with it running on the lowest setting. On the other hand I'm now running a CyberPower 2000va UPS $399 on amazon. This runs my Cable modem, wifi, Neptune Apex, Vectra return pump, and 2 Jebao powerheads for 3 hours. This is plenty of time for me to get home and plug up the gas generator.

 

[johnike]

Water movement is not as important as oxygenation.
Get these.
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/product-penn-plax-silent-air-battery-operated-air-pump-b11

 

[ClownsRCoo]

Gyres have their own battery backups too I thought. Why not just get one of theirs? I think hey are cheaper than ecotechs too


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[Punchanello]

Water movement is not as important as oxygenation.
Get these.
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/product-penn-plax-silent-air-battery-operated-air-pump-b11

Ah, yes. I should have been clearer. I was interested in water movement for surface gas exchange.

 

[Punchanello]

Gyres have their own battery backups too I thought. Why not just get one of theirs? I think hey are cheaper than ecotechs too


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Do they?! :beer:

Problem solved

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/battery-backup-icecap.html

Need to see if I can get them here in Australia.