WINTER precautions: powerouts and cold

Sk8r

Staff member
RC Mod
It can happen. The power goes out in an ice storm and take DAYS to come on again. In our case, a hurricane-force windstorm knocked down 40-year-old evergreens and threw a third of our city into the dark for 8 and more days.

How to survive with a reef tank.
1. own a generator. These are not quite plug-and-play. They're heavy, they're run on gasoline, so they can't be indoor, and the lighter they are, the less they can power. Research before buying and if this is a part of your plan, figure where you can put it, how to fuel it, and how you can prevent thieves from making off with it.
2. don't freak totally about the tank chilldown. The colder the better when things are going chemically wrong---down to about 62.1 degrees F. Below that, things die. And you may lose your snails and worms. You may have an ammonia spike, so have some Prime handy and dose it---but remember that bit about chemistry running slower in cold? Ammonia won't be near as extreme as a power-out in hot weather. Use sheets in the doorway to hold heat in the tank room, and have the family live in there: your body heat actually makes a difference. Oil lamps are a great boon to nighttime.
And here's the worst part: if you don't have battery powered bubblers (Penn-Plax, cheap) or the ability (generator) to turn over your tank every 8 hours (4 is better) you need to get a pitcher, stand on a chair, dip and pour as many gallons as you have in that tank. And you do that every 4 hours day and night.
The rocks and sand will cool down slower than the water.
But when power comes on, they will warm slower than the water. This is not a bad thing, but it means recovery will be slow.

Buy bubblers, have them accessible, have oil lamps, have LED lanterns, and have a pitcher and bucket---AND a generator. The one I got (this year) is a Honda that has an 'inverter,' which I'm told makes it nicer if you want to power up your computer or, better yet, your cell phone, which is one time an internet capable cell is a real nice thing. Having at least one (the rest of ours are burners) of those is a nice thing.

IT is something to think about and plan for, especially if you're young, and DON'T have a lifetime's basement accumulation of spare bits that can be pressed into service (we had over 200 candle stubs, and don't, now.)

Standing in a 'ration' line at Lowes for such essentials as power cords for the generator, generators, gas cans, and such is not fun. In this one thing, it's good to be a prepper, because you've got a big investment in that tank, and it all depends on electricity.
 
I have a panel in the house that runs out to a natural gas generator in my backyard :-) kicks on as soon as the power goes out then back off then the power kicks back on :) I have all my essentials ran to that panel (fish tanks are of course number 1 haha)


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New Honda huh...mine has saved my butt many times over in general. Mine is only 2kw, but that is enough for the TV, running both squirrel cages for central heat, Fridges, and some other minor appliances.

You will like it...but don't store it with gas in it over summer.

Also, Chevron makes test gasolines that store pretty well and make generators run much cooler and longer on one tank. I generally get 5-10 gallons (available locally) every year and store it in the garage. B25 or TT100 is what I use.
 
You can keep gas in the generator as long as you use a product called Stabilizer. I have done this for years for my generator, boat motor, snow blower, and power washer. I do bring them out about every 3-4 months and let them run for about 15 minutes to ensure everything is working properly.
 
own a generator.

Yep. Absolutely!! Of course, an inline one is preferable but if you can't get of those installed (for financial or other reasons) there are good portable ones you can get for a reasonable price! I have a Honda EU 7000.
Get at LEAST three or four 5 gallon gas canisters, load them up and put fuel stabilizer in them. And the time to do this is PRE-WINTER when it's quiet weatherwise, NOT when a storm hits!
I live in New England with a ninety gallon tank. My generator has saved my bacon MORE THAN ONCE now!

Also, if you get (or already HAVE) a portable generator it might NOT be a bad idea to start it periodically, just to give it some exercise and to enusre that it will be ready for you when you need it. Like once a month or so!
 
And just a tip WE thought of, being campers: if you're about to lose your fridge because you can't power it, AND its winter out there---Put the frozens outside and just protect them from bears. Chill the wine? NO problem. Your barbecue grill can serve in winter just the same as in summer. You can bake biscuits and grill hotdogs and get through quite nicely. I have a koi pond that lost its ice-hole-heater (gas exchange) with 5" of ice on the pond, so I'd once a day fire up the wire-bottomed bucket that is the Weber charcoal starter, tie a rope to the handle to prevent losing it, and have a nice round fish-saving hole in the ice in no time.
 
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