AndynSarah
Member
In case of a power outage how long can corals and fish go without light and water flow? Just curious, wondering if we need to invest in a generator, or some sort of backup power supply.
Andy
Andy
Power Outage
- Thread starter AndynSarah
- Start date
EvilMel
is a serious goby fanatic
Basically you can get by for a good while without power (like hours or possibly a day at the most), but it's best if you can supplement with oxygen in some external way.
When your tank sits in the dark what happens is that oxygen in the tank gets depleted. This doesn't sound like such a huge deal at first, but your fish will start to have trouble and the pH will drop like a rocket. I have a deep cycle battery that I use when the power goes out, that I hook up to three double outlet air pumps. This gives me six airstones in the tank that are all pretty large. I got this stuff at wal-mart one night when my power went out. If you can't afford power then you probably can't afford a deep cycle battery, so I would start to make arrangements to move your stuff.
When your tank sits in the dark what happens is that oxygen in the tank gets depleted. This doesn't sound like such a huge deal at first, but your fish will start to have trouble and the pH will drop like a rocket. I have a deep cycle battery that I use when the power goes out, that I hook up to three double outlet air pumps. This gives me six airstones in the tank that are all pretty large. I got this stuff at wal-mart one night when my power went out. If you can't afford power then you probably can't afford a deep cycle battery, so I would start to make arrangements to move your stuff.
I keep a generator in case of power failure... But I plan on moving further out than Oak Ridge in the somewhat near future... I know when I lived in Morgan County, there was a time I went 3 days without power... Which would be disasterous for a Reef tank... Dave (cee) knows all about that... But he had a generator as well... 
AndynSarah
Member
Mel, its not that we can't afford power like i said in the PM we made a careless descion with our money about a month ago (non-reef related) and we are getting our selves out of this hole and we are this bill away from being out and we will have the money more than enough to cover the power bill but it will be a day after the cut off date. Another life lesson learned here, the lesson don't miss-calculate your finances.
Got to thinkin after I posted about not having the money in time for power, that what if power goes out and it is not b/c of something I did, could my corals go for a day, how soon afterwards would I need to be getting power to the tank. It was making me wonder.We have had the power go out here for like 7 hours before and I was cringing for about 9 hours b/c I didn't know if anything was hurtin'. I am sorry if it seems like we are poor, b/c we are not that poor just are learning money management. Something I have never really been good at. Have a great day everyone.
Andy
Got to thinkin after I posted about not having the money in time for power, that what if power goes out and it is not b/c of something I did, could my corals go for a day, how soon afterwards would I need to be getting power to the tank. It was making me wonder.We have had the power go out here for like 7 hours before and I was cringing for about 9 hours b/c I didn't know if anything was hurtin'. I am sorry if it seems like we are poor, b/c we are not that poor just are learning money management. Something I have never really been good at. Have a great day everyone.
Andy
EvilMel
is a serious goby fanatic
I posted what I did before we talked in PM and it was in response to the way that your post was originally worded. Sorry for the confusion now that yours has been edited. I sound like a jackas* the way it's worded now, hah hah.
Anyways...a generator is always a very sound investment but I think you are supposed to run it outside. That's one more thing to consider. With the number of tanks you are quickly accumulating you may want to really think toward a generator.
Anyways...a generator is always a very sound investment but I think you are supposed to run it outside. That's one more thing to consider. With the number of tanks you are quickly accumulating you may want to really think toward a generator.
FWIW I use those battery powered Penn Plax air pumps that come on when the power goes off. They are only $11 each and a couple will keep my 120 in good shape for a few hours assuming temps aren't dropping or rising dramatically. This gives me time to hook up and start my generator when the power is going to be out for a while or lets me not even worry about it when the power is out for just a couple of hours.
Chris
Chris
AndynSarah
Member
hadn't thought about running the generator inside or outside but if we would have to keep it outside then I doubt our neighbors would appreciate it very much, well probablly not even if it was run inside. LOL. Its all good Mel. Chris where do you get the Penn Plax air pump.
Oh and for all the tanks we are accumulating none of the new ones will be set up for a while, just can't pass up tanks for a good buy, and we are only getting a 40 breeder with sump, and possibily a hex tank.
Andy
Oh and for all the tanks we are accumulating none of the new ones will be set up for a while, just can't pass up tanks for a good buy, and we are only getting a 40 breeder with sump, and possibily a hex tank.
Andy
AndynSarah
Member
oh and an update, my mother-in-law helped us out just incase I don't get my paycheck tomorrow.
Here you go. Looks like they have gone up $1. Still pretty cheap for peace of mind and they willl run several hours(>10 the best I can remember) on one set of D batteries. You can also get them at Petsmart I believe.
http://www.thatpetplace.com/MainPro/Itemdy00.aspx?T1=F01AB+0291+0045
Chris
http://www.thatpetplace.com/MainPro/Itemdy00.aspx?T1=F01AB+0291+0045
Chris
cee
New member
Do not run a generator inside, the carbon monoxide will kill you! You can buy quiet Honda generators, but they are quite pricey. The cheaper ones are very loud and will not make you a popular neighbor, unless you live in the country like me. You can go several hours w/o any power, but IMO circulation is as or more important than oxygen addition, as it keeps anerobic zones from forming and you'll get quite a bit of oxygen exchange at the water surface if the water is well circulated.
Dave
Dave
AndynSarah
Member
what about the back up batteries they sell for computers? (kept well out of the damp zone) would one of those work? does any one know about how much they are or where a good place to get one is?
Andy
Andy
imsqueak
Premium Member
I think your neighbors would be jealous, not mad, if you had a generator running during a power outage. they just wouldn't realize that you are not saving your frig, you're saving your tanks. Even if they complained to the police that you had a noisy generator running during a power outage, do you think the police would charge you with anything? I think not. Now if you had a noisy generator running when the power was on, you might have a problem.
AndynSarah
Member
very true Don. maybe we could save up and buy two generators and rent one out during an outage. LOL nah I would save my fridge if we had two. lol
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