Ecotech's new battery backup
- Thread starter Gary Majchrzak
- Start date
sg1838
New member
Isn't that why God made generators? So there's a power outage, and you have no return pump, no heaters, no lights, no filtration - but hey, at least the power heads are going strong!
Am I missing something here? Does all the other stuff not really matter short term as long as there is water flow in the tank?
Am I missing something here? Does all the other stuff not really matter short term as long as there is water flow in the tank?
sg1838
New member
Steve,
I realize that, and I LOVE the two VorTechs in my tank. My point is that the only time you would use a battery backup is if and when you were to lose power. So, what good does a battery backup do you on your powerheads, if you have no heaters, return pump, skimmer, lights, etc., due to the loss of power? And if you have a generator to run the rest of those things during the power outage (as I'd be very surprised if anybody were seriously trying to keep all those also going via battery backup), your generator probably wouldn't have much problem taking the extra amp or two from the VorTechs.
I don't know, maybe I've been looking at this the wrong way, but in power outages in the past, the power heads in my tank were the 2nd last item I would have been concerned about (lights being last). But again, maybe I'm totally missing something here.
It would seem to me that this is a cool "toy", and nothing else...
I realize that, and I LOVE the two VorTechs in my tank. My point is that the only time you would use a battery backup is if and when you were to lose power. So, what good does a battery backup do you on your powerheads, if you have no heaters, return pump, skimmer, lights, etc., due to the loss of power? And if you have a generator to run the rest of those things during the power outage (as I'd be very surprised if anybody were seriously trying to keep all those also going via battery backup), your generator probably wouldn't have much problem taking the extra amp or two from the VorTechs.
I don't know, maybe I've been looking at this the wrong way, but in power outages in the past, the power heads in my tank were the 2nd last item I would have been concerned about (lights being last). But again, maybe I'm totally missing something here.
It would seem to me that this is a cool "toy", and nothing else...
der_wille_zur_macht
Team RC
It's definitely a bit of a philosophical debate, and it'll probably vary from tank to tank, but powerheads would be near the top of my list, with heating/cooling second depending on the season and the home's ability to maintain a good temp without power.
Gas exchange is especially important when lights are out, because NOTHING in the tank is photosynthesizing. Everything is consuming oxygen and producing CO2, which means the gas concentrations in the tank are going to be off the charts in no time. Besides the direct impact (not enough oxygen) this will have secondary effects - pH will start to tumble, etc.
Waste products can take a few days to build up, especially if you're not feeding (who would during a power outage?) but gas exchange can cause problems in hours. I've never had an outage disaster with a reef tank, but I did lose power several times on my planted FW 60g (thank you, faulty GFI!) Even though I discovered these outages within a few hours, the CO2 concentration was already off the charts, pH was low, and fish were gasping at the surface. Temperature was only off a degree or two - nothing to worry about. Nutrient levels were spot-on - nothing to worry about. But a powerhead on a battery backup would have prevented the gas exchange problems and helped save the livestock.
Arguably the best solution is to just have a generator, and test your equipment on it so you know what will work and what won't work. Many cheaper generators and UPS's put out pretty clunky A/C and some pump motors won't run well or at all on them.
Though, a small portable generator won't automatically turn on if you lose power when no one's home, like a battery backup will. So maybe the best combination is both - the battery backup is a minimal life support system until the user can get a generator running or make other arrangements.
Again though, just my perspective, to each his own.
Gas exchange is especially important when lights are out, because NOTHING in the tank is photosynthesizing. Everything is consuming oxygen and producing CO2, which means the gas concentrations in the tank are going to be off the charts in no time. Besides the direct impact (not enough oxygen) this will have secondary effects - pH will start to tumble, etc.
Waste products can take a few days to build up, especially if you're not feeding (who would during a power outage?) but gas exchange can cause problems in hours. I've never had an outage disaster with a reef tank, but I did lose power several times on my planted FW 60g (thank you, faulty GFI!) Even though I discovered these outages within a few hours, the CO2 concentration was already off the charts, pH was low, and fish were gasping at the surface. Temperature was only off a degree or two - nothing to worry about. Nutrient levels were spot-on - nothing to worry about. But a powerhead on a battery backup would have prevented the gas exchange problems and helped save the livestock.
Arguably the best solution is to just have a generator, and test your equipment on it so you know what will work and what won't work. Many cheaper generators and UPS's put out pretty clunky A/C and some pump motors won't run well or at all on them.
Though, a small portable generator won't automatically turn on if you lose power when no one's home, like a battery backup will. So maybe the best combination is both - the battery backup is a minimal life support system until the user can get a generator running or make other arrangements.
Again though, just my perspective, to each his own.
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
when the power goes out my very first concern is water motion/oxygenation.
it takes many hours for my aquarium to heat up (or cool down) to lethal temperatures.
it takes many hours for my aquarium to heat up (or cool down) to lethal temperatures.
der_wille_zur_macht
Team RC
I suppose I'm a bit of a hypocrite on this subject. I don't have a battery backup OR generator of any kind and don't have serious plans to implement either. Though, in the ~8 years I've lived in this house, I have yet to lose electrical service, other than about 15 minutes in that "great northeast blackout" a few years ago. Worst case, two family members live close by, and there are three portable generators between them, so I'm covered by default. 
Conesus_Kid
Premium Member
I've got the Icecap backup battery for the Vortechs here at school. I know that they work, and I know that we've had power outages for several hours here at school when nobody was here.
The fact that I have never noticed a difference in the aquarium after a power outage tells me that these backups are worth it.
The fact that I have never noticed a difference in the aquarium after a power outage tells me that these backups are worth it.
sg1838
New member
I have a portable generator, but as you mentioned they don't go out and start themselves up when the power goes out. I travel frequently for work, and though my wife is home MOST of the time, it would certainly be possible that we would lose power for a couple of hours and my wife not be home during that time. We're in a notoriously bad part of town for power outages (lots of trees), and it is not uncommon for us to lose power for an hour or two a few times per year (one time last year we were without power for about 15 hours, and I had both my generator and EllieSuz's generator supply power to my house and tank).
Regardless, I realize that the battery backup isn't going to solve the prolonged power outage problem, but it would solve the issue of dealing with short duration power outages. So, I will consider it...
Regardless, I realize that the battery backup isn't going to solve the prolonged power outage problem, but it would solve the issue of dealing with short duration power outages. So, I will consider it...
RandyO
Active member
Not exactly. But flow is pretty vital. I made a terrible error a few nights ago. I forgot to turn my pump back on in my 120 tank holding my most prized corals. If I had not had a Koralia powerhead running in the tank, I think I would have had many losses. The tank got cold without the heaters, but with the powerhead still running, the 12 hours without everything else had no effect on the livestock.
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