Oxygenating your tank with Hydrogen peroxide

[stdreb27]

I live in hurricane country, and was reading some prep material about the subject. Anyway they said you could dose your tank with hydrogen peroxide in absolute emergencies, to oxygenate your water,
Have any of you ever done that? And is it a viable emergency option?
They had tons of CYA, made it very clear that this is an absolute last option.
Second they said you can resaturate your water by pouring a gallon of water over 2 feet back into your tank to reach normal o2 levels.
I knew this worked but did not think it was that effective. Is it?
Also, they said that this would work for a while but the marginal utility would diminish?
Why would it?

 

[Ooulophilia]

I would invest in a few battery powered air pumps - that is going to be by far your best option

 

[acrodave]

it will work but u have to be carefull because u can overdose it and have to much o2 in the tank.should only be used in a emergency

 

[Jamokie01]

Hydrogen peroxide + beneficial bacteria = hydrogen peroxide

 

[stdreb27]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10656921#post10656921 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ooulophilia
I would invest in a few battery powered air pumps - that is going to be by far your best option

I agree, I'm just curious about this. The problem is finding batteries. When rita came in I worked at a radioshack near houston. Rita came in on friday. We ran out completely out on the Tuesday before, we had literally just reordered and doubled up on normal inventory levels a week earlier. It was nuts.

 

[stdreb27]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10658083#post10658083 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Jamokie01
Hydrogen peroxide + beneficial bacteria = hydrogen peroxide

So u don't think that this would work? Because of the bacteria?

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

Better yet, just swirl the water in your tank with your hand. Pouring in water is nice, but it's a lot more work. And pouring it from 2 ft above the water is sure to push the substrate around.

 

[Jamokie01]

Oh Im not saying it wont work, its water with an extra atom of oxygen, so it will definitely add oxygen to your system. Im saying it would have to be one Hell of an emergency before I poured a well know antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal agent into my tank. Ill be stirring my tank with a big wooden spoon before that happens.

Really, its like watering your garden with a firehose, there are much better ways of doing it that are neither costly nor difficult. Mix/stir/pour the water. Buy battery powered airpumps and go to a wholesale store and buy a big box of batteries, dont wait until theres a hurricane on the way and then wonder why batteries are sold out.

 

[stdreb27]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10660278#post10660278 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Jamokie01
Oh Im not saying it wont work, its water with an extra atom of oxygen, so it will definitely add oxygen to your system. Im saying it would have to be one Hell of an emergency before I poured a well know antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal agent into my tank. Ill be stirring my tank with a big wooden spoon before that happens.

Really, its like watering your garden with a firehose, there are much better ways of doing it that are neither costly nor difficult. Mix/stir/pour the water. Buy battery powered airpumps and go to a wholesale store and buy a big box of batteries, dont wait until theres a hurricane on the way and then wonder why batteries are sold out.

LOL that is actually a good analogy. I agree, I was just curious to see if anyone here had actually tried this. I'm going to use air pumps and pouring water in for sure.

 

[eskymick]

Back in the day, I used hydrogen peroxide regularly in my FOWL tank. A the time, it was considered an "offbeat" method to break down the build-up of organic substances in the water (ones that caused green slime algae).

I used it about once a month ... a couple ounces in a 125 gallon aquarium.

No ill effects were ever noticed.

 

[michaeldaly]

Would doing this on a regular basis be harfull for the inhabitants of a tank?

 

[snulma1]

Plus, if you are pouring the water from a height of about 2 feet, you are also cooling the water, and if the power is out, thats kinda hurting more then helping.

 

[stdreb27]

I don't think it is safe to dose the stuff on a regular basis. I think it would be like you breathing pure O2. it will kill you in a few hours.

 

[stdreb27]

why would cooling your tank be harmful, if we lost power for a few days. I think my water would get over 90 degrees rather quickly. especially with days over 100 degrees.

 

[Justjoe]

My friend who is a chemistry guy saved his tank during an extended power outage by dosing it. He would watch the fish, and if their breathing was labored, he would dose 1ml/ 2 gal of tank water. This is just a base line dose, and each tank will be different depending on its bioload.

 

[ginger7286]

i live in Florida. When the 2005 season came through we were without power for 8 days. I did not have a tank then (I have a generator now) but I did have my Koi pond though. Everyday I went out with a bucket and bailed water out and poured it back in just to aerate the water. I did not lose one fish and with all the debris that was blown in and no electric I know they went though shock, but they all survived. Stock up on batteries.

 

[stdreb27]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10693813#post10693813 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Justjoe
My friend who is a chemistry guy saved his tank during an extended power outage by dosing it. He would watch the fish, and if their breathing was labored, he would dose 1ml/ 2 gal of tank water. This is just a base line dose, and each tank will be different depending on its bioload.

I was reading your signature and it says you have a 20,000 gallon tank. What are your contingency plans for extended power outages? And what do you have in your tank?

 

[Hvacow1]

My exp with power outage

My exp with power outage

I have a 72g reef tank and this last winter I had a 7 day power outage. I live in down town Seattle, and power has never been out before at my place, and never thought I would need a generator. Well it took alot of labor and love to keep everything alive. All I did for o2 was every few hours give the tank a really good stir with a big plastic spoon. (everyone was out of battery powered air stones) It was also freezing inside my house at 35 degrees, I wrapped my tank in hot packs (the kind you use for sore backs) and blankets to keep it warm. Held out for 7 days and everything survived.

 

[Justjoe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10696079#post10696079 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by stdreb27
I was reading your signature and it says you have a 20,000 gallon tank. What are your contingency plans for extended power outages? And what do you have in your tank?

We have a large diesel generator that can run the entire building for two days on one tank of diesel, so we'd just need to arrange diesel deliveries if it was any longer then that.

Here are two overall shots of the tank which is about 7 years old.

This is the right side of the tank:

This is the left side of the tank:

 

[stdreb27]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10700886#post10700886 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Justjoe
We have a large diesel generator that can run the entire building for two days on one tank of diesel, so we'd just need to arrange diesel deliveries if it was any longer then that.

Here are two overall shots of the tank which is about 7 years old.

This is the right side of the tank:

wow, I went to your website for the aquarium, those are some awesome pictures. I feel like I should pay you to talk to me.
Can you tell me about your puffer tank? I have a dog face and he is by far my favorite fish in the tank.