What are you going to do?

[ClownMan727]

When the power goes out. Do you have a generator ready to go if you lose power for a week? Hurricane season is fast approaching.:worried2:

 

[Nwest]

I do have a generator at the house for the fridge and tank!

 

[CrazyEyes]

Im gonna blow bubbles into the tank via a straw.

 

[zeminabr]

Got a generator for the tank. I'll figure out my own personal food supply after my fish are happy!

 

[CrazyEyes]

On a serious note though, I might pickup a battery backup that you'd use for a computer to keep the tank running.

 

[Redsox Nation]

have a battery backup already...lets knock on some wood that we dont get hit this season...:debi:

 

[juscalmej]

I currently use a large computer battery backup. it'll keep the return pump and heater going for about an hour.

 

[CrazyEyes]

have a battery backup already...lets knock on some wood that we dont get hit this season...:debi:

Whenever NOAA says the year is going to be bad it never is, this year they're saying it's going to be a calm year so, might need to get a couple more backups lol.

 

[Nwest]

I have a small Tunze 6105.5 if anyone needs one. Plugs into any tunze return pump and automatically switches it to the battery when power goes out.

Brand new in package $30

 

[BlueCoast]

I have multiple tiers setup that provide pretty good coverage.

First is a pure sine-wave computer battery backup, the pure sine wave is important since many AC pumps don't like stepped sine-wave in the cheaper backups and will chatter and not run well. I keep an MP-10 and a Jaebo RW-4 plugged into it along with a battery powered air bubbler, NO return pumps, no lights, bare minimum to keep display and frag tank water circulating. This is a 1500VA unit and gives an hour to 2 hours runtime depending on pump settings.


When that runs out, the battery bubbler senses the outage and kicks in to keep some oxygenation going for the fish. Hopefully by then I can be home and use the ghetto generator AKA my car with an inverter hooked up. Once my car runs out of gas, out comes the pitcher to provide manual aeration as a last ditch effort.


Also, water bottles are kept frozen in the freezer that can reduce temps when the A/C dies and temps start rising. (this has come in handy when the A/C had problems and room temps hit high 80's.

If all this fails, I have to concede defeat and realize I did about as much as I could within my budget.

 

[take2]

How much would a small generator run? Might not b a bad idea... Although I don't think my system will b up and rubbing any time soon

 

[Safir]

You can get a small generator for a few hundred dollars - It will be noisy, and the power won't be very clean, but at least it will keep some circulation going.

A generator is on our to-do list, but for now I've got an inverter in my truck that can run the whole system if need be.

http://www.harborfreight.com/900-peak800-running-watts-2-hp-63cc-generator-epacarb-69381.html

http://tampa.craigslist.org/search/...1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1&sort=date&query=generator

 

[installman]

The biggest problem I had was the ac going out while we were on vacation. These tanks really don't like temps in the 90s

 

[CuzzA]

Here's mine. Post #19 gives a detailed explanation.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2440002

 

[Chicago Kopka]

How often does Tampa get hit by hurricanes? Do they ever evacuate? This is all new to me.

 

[CrazyEyes]

We honestly don't get hurricanes all that much, we've actually been pretty lucky for awhile (knocking on wood). The last direct hit to the bay area was in 1921, though it doesn't take a direct hit to knock down lines and lose power for days, there was a couple storms in 2004 that caused enough damage to knockout the power for a bit, not if but when take a direct hit from a major storm, the tank is going to be the last thing on my mind.

 

[CuzzA]

What are you going to do?

Yeah, due to the location of Tampa Bay the probability of a direct hit is much less and would likely happen early in the season when storms form in the Southern Gulf. Most of the time we get hit by weakened tropical storms or hurricanes coming from the other side of the state.

That said, if Tampa Bay were to ever take a direct Cat 3 or higher.... I'll just say it would be really, really bad. Much of the area would be underwater especially if high tide coincided with being hit. Be prepared, not just for your tank, but for your survival.

Here's a simulation project of Tampa Bay being hit.

http://www.tbrpc.org/tampabaycatplan/scenario.shtml

 

[sirrealism]

I have a 2 gen. Large and small. I also have a few small window shakers because i cant sleep in 90 degree heat with 100% humidity so I dont expect my tanks to like it. I learned my lesion the hard way. In 04 I was without power for 11 days. Not going through that again. Do yourself a favor. Buy a Gen. put it away and dont use it. Then if you ever need it its ready. My large one, I put enough gas in it to start it once then removed the tank and cleaned it then removed the carb bowl and cleaned it. Then put it away. Its been in my garage for 4 years. Hope I never need it

 

[Reefpilot11]

I have a 5500w generator to power the necessities. Plus the room my tank is in has a portable a/c unit that will keep the room plenty cool.