Power Out?

[sugarloves]

Im just curoius, what happens when the power goes out and the heater and the pump to the take no longer work?

 

[oscarbreeder]

This can make alot of problems.

In the summer the heater isnt such a problem but having no filtration or air stone to agitate the water surface is bad.
They make a battery operated pump to run air stones or you can do it yourself with a large cup.

Just fill the cup with the tank water and hold it above the tank and pour it back in.
Do this every so often to keep the water agitated.

In winter you can wrap your tank in blankets to keep it warm till power comes back on.

 

[Keeper]

well, if the power stays off too long, you lose the biological media in the filter(all the good bacteria die) and the temp may fall to stressful levels in the tank. I know that last year in the big power outage on the eastern seaboard, alot of people lost their fish.

 

[Bearfan]

It would have to be off for a while. If it's a short blackout, I don't worry.

 

[Chevy_Cowboy]

In the spring storm season around here the power's out a couple times a month... I've got a trusty 2500watt gas generator I bought a few years ago (to keep the freezer/refrigerator running) that I plan to use on the fish tank durring these outages. You can get small generators for a couple hundred bucks... this one was $400. Most hardware stores rent them out too... but good luck finding one for available durring a big power outage.

 

[Christmasfish]

It really depends on the ambient temp in your home and how long it lasts.
We found that most of our tanks don't start showing major heat loss until about the seccond /third hour.
I have has fish loss from the 6+ outs. My house is normally in the 60's WITH heat.
One morning there were tanks in the 50's. Unfortuneately, we keep tropicals. Not just semi-tropicals..full blown I- want- it- just- like- your- bathwater tropicals...
Fish are hardy despite us..I lost very few considering.
It is worth getting some heat packs form auto zone or a camping store or the like.
At least if you are awake and home you can ziplock them and toss em in to keep the tank temp stable longer. Or stick your fish in a smaller tub of water if you expect it to be long(like a pole down) and keep them warmer longer that way.
Either way if there is no air and it get real cold, you will lose your biological media and prolly a few fish.