Storm and losing power - WP 10 only to keep things alive?

[l8_apex_it]

Hey Guys,
I have a nice APC UPS which normally powers my return pump and skimmer for upwards of 6 to 8 hours (no heater) on a 30 gallon tank. I'm concerned about losing power in this storm and if so I'm guessing it will be for longer. I'm thinking of changing things up to keep the tank running longer. I'm thinking about using only the WP10 in my 30 gallon tank. With that running alone, I'm guessing I can attain 10 to 12 hours if not more.

Would a WP10 pointed at the surface be sufficient to oxygenate the water and sustain things for that long or longer? In the past I know the skimmer and return pump are more than adequate and I've never lost anything.

I will likely wrap the tank in a blanked as well to hold the heat in.

Input appreciated.

 

[2peppers]

I can't answer you question about just running the wp10 but I have a small generator and a few gallons of gas on standby just in case. 1 gallon of gas can run your whole system for up to 12 hours. Let's just hope the power doesn't go out for too long!

 

[l8_apex_it]

I hear you about the generator. That may be the next on my list after the upgrade I'm working on. It would certainly give me more peace of mind. That being said, I've been very happy with my APC over the years. I'm hoping to tap into my neighbors generator if we lose power for an extended period of time. Hopefully he will be agreeable...

 

[bluecoyote79]

The power shouldn't be out for too long, so I'd think the return and skimmer running would be best; however, you should be fine with an mp10 too. I lost power for about 3 hours this morning. I'm thankful the outage hit early so they could fix it first...hopefully do there isn't another.

 

[l8_apex_it]

Well, left for the day with just the return pump plugged in figuring that would be more than enough if I did lose power. Fortunately, never lost power.

It is funny how the better your tank does, what you used to do no longer seems safe enough. Well, I may consider setting up the second battery to the UPS which would triple the run time, getting a cheap generator, or making a backup setup with batteries and an inverter...

 

[bluecoyote79]

Which backup power model are you using, and how maybe watts is your return pump?

 

[chinchalice]

I would say that with sufficient water flow you will be fine. I have heard of people keeping a tank alive with no skimmer and simply just had two circulation pumps.