How long have you been without power?
How long have you been without power?
I've never lost power for an extended period, but I've been thinking about the what-ifs since my recent hour-long outage with my Discus aquarium. Got me wondering, what's the longest you've gone without power? I'm curious to know how long we can go before things start to get serious.
Re: How long have you been without power?
Re: How long have you been without power?
Don't stress, just pull your media out of the filters and tanks. Let them sit in open air till the power's back on. The bacteria should stay alive, rather than being suffocated from lack of oxygen.
Don't stress, just pull your media out of the filters and tanks. Let them sit in open air till the power's back on. The bacteria should stay alive, rather than being suffocated from lack of oxygen.
Re: How long have you been without power?
Re: How long have you been without power?
I've dealt with my fair share of power outages and aquariums. digger's advice is spot on - pulling media out of filters and tanks is a good move. I also make it a point to hold off on feeding my fish until the power's back on, even if it takes several days. Living in hurricane country, I've learned to be prepared for outages. With careful tank management, I've never lost a fish due to a power outage. Having a reliable battery-powered air pump on hand is a good idea, though - they work great with sponge filters.
I've dealt with my fair share of power outages and aquariums. digger's advice is spot on - pulling media out of filters and tanks is a good move. I also make it a point to hold off on feeding my fish until the power's back on, even if it takes several days. Living in hurricane country, I've learned to be prepared for outages. With careful tank management, I've never lost a fish due to a power outage. Having a reliable battery-powered air pump on hand is a good idea, though - they work great with sponge filters.
Re: How long have you been without power?
Re: How long have you been without power?
I've only had a few power outages, but a friend in Seattle had a week-long outage and lost all his Discus - that was a wake-up call for me. I decided to invest in a Tripp Lite Power Inverter, 3000 watts, and two Optima Yellow top gel batteries. This setup will keep my two large air pumps running for quite a while.
If my batteries run out, I have a backup plan - I can hook the inverter up to my truck to keep it running, or recharge the batteries from the truck. I feel much safer now in case of a power outage. I actually had the batteries on the charger all weekend, getting them ready. One thing to note is that gel-type batteries can't be charged with a standard charger - they require an AGM-compatible charger, especially if they're completely dead.
I've only had a few power outages, but a friend in Seattle had a week-long outage and lost all his Discus - that was a wake-up call for me. I decided to invest in a Tripp Lite Power Inverter, 3000 watts, and two Optima Yellow top gel batteries. This setup will keep my two large air pumps running for quite a while.
If my batteries run out, I have a backup plan - I can hook the inverter up to my truck to keep it running, or recharge the batteries from the truck. I feel much safer now in case of a power outage. I actually had the batteries on the charger all weekend, getting them ready. One thing to note is that gel-type batteries can't be charged with a standard charger - they require an AGM-compatible charger, especially if they're completely dead.
Re: How long have you been without power?
Re: How long have you been without power?
I spent the entire night in the dark, and let me tell you, it was a real challenge. I was up all night, trying to keep my tank stable by floating 5-gallon jugs of hot water in it. It wasn't exactly the most enjoyable experience. It's a good thing I made it through the night, but it definitely reminded me that I need to invest in a reliable battery-powered air pump for emergencies like this.
I spent the entire night in the dark, and let me tell you, it was a real challenge. I was up all night, trying to keep my tank stable by floating 5-gallon jugs of hot water in it. It wasn't exactly the most enjoyable experience. It's a good thing I made it through the night, but it definitely reminded me that I need to invest in a reliable battery-powered air pump for emergencies like this.
Re: How long have you been without power?
Re: How long have you been without power?
About 6 years ago, I went through a 5-day power outage during a brutal 115-degree heatwave. Unfortunately, I lost all my tanks except for my reef. I was using a generator to power the pumps and chiller, but it just wasn't enough. That experience was pretty devastating, and I ended up selling everything and taking a break from the hobby for a while. It wasn't until about a year ago that I decided to get back into it.
About 6 years ago, I went through a 5-day power outage during a brutal 115-degree heatwave. Unfortunately, I lost all my tanks except for my reef. I was using a generator to power the pumps and chiller, but it just wasn't enough. That experience was pretty devastating, and I ended up selling everything and taking a break from the hobby for a while. It wasn't until about a year ago that I decided to get back into it.
Re: How long have you been without power?
Re: How long have you been without power?
We've gone a week without power a few times, always in winter. Trees around here mean we lose power fairly often. Our gas generator runs during the day, and I use a battery-powered airstone at night. Heavy blankets or insulation wrap around the tank, and the canopy on my tank really helps keep the heat in. Temperature only drops 2 degrees at night, unless it's below freezing – then I can lose 3-5 degrees.
We've gone a week without power a few times, always in winter. Trees around here mean we lose power fairly often. Our gas generator runs during the day, and I use a battery-powered airstone at night. Heavy blankets or insulation wrap around the tank, and the canopy on my tank really helps keep the heat in. Temperature only drops 2 degrees at night, unless it's below freezing – then I can lose 3-5 degrees.
Re: How long have you been without power?
Re: How long have you been without power?
We've been fortunate in south Denver - 17 years at this address, and our longest power outage has been about half an hour. My wife and I recently discussed getting a backup generator, given my renewed interest in discus. We've since purchased one, which is stored in the shed. I've also invested in an automatic battery backup for my central airpump, providing some peace of mind in case of a power failure.
I'm planning to set up a system that will allow me to easily connect the generator to our main power box when the weather warms up. This will enable me to selectively run different circuits if needed. While I can appreciate the convenience of whole-house auto backup generators, they're not a feasible option for me at this time.
We've been fortunate in south Denver - 17 years at this address, and our longest power outage has been about half an hour. My wife and I recently discussed getting a backup generator, given my renewed interest in discus. We've since purchased one, which is stored in the shed. I've also invested in an automatic battery backup for my central airpump, providing some peace of mind in case of a power failure.
I'm planning to set up a system that will allow me to easily connect the generator to our main power box when the weather warms up. This will enable me to selectively run different circuits if needed. While I can appreciate the convenience of whole-house auto backup generators, they're not a feasible option for me at this time.
Re: How long have you been without power?
Re: How long have you been without power?
I was out for 5 hours. Luckily I had my trusty air pump battery backup, so the water kept circulating. No heat though, that would've been a different story.
I was out for 5 hours. Luckily I had my trusty air pump battery backup, so the water kept circulating. No heat though, that would've been a different story.
Re: How long have you been without power?
Re: How long have you been without power?
I recall a 3-day power outage in my apartment a few years back due to an ice storm. Thankfully, my fish survived, but I was on edge the whole time. I was fortunate to be staying with relatives who had a wood-burning fireplace.
When I was choosing options for my current house, I opted for a natural gas fireplace and a natural gas water heater. A couple of friends with natural gas water heaters had no issues during that same ice storm, which influenced my decision.
I recall a 3-day power outage in my apartment a few years back due to an ice storm. Thankfully, my fish survived, but I was on edge the whole time. I was fortunate to be staying with relatives who had a wood-burning fireplace.
When I was choosing options for my current house, I opted for a natural gas fireplace and a natural gas water heater. A couple of friends with natural gas water heaters had no issues during that same ice storm, which influenced my decision.