Power outage and 4 tanks. What to do?

[SushiRoll]

I have four tanks, one in our den and 3 in my bedroom. Two 10g with 6 danios and 12 guppies in total, one 29g with an angel pair ( I'm most worried about them) and a 55g with 12 angel "fry" (they are all bigger than a quarter). I also have a major storm coming (worst case scenario a cat. 2 hurricane or bigger) in 2 days. What do I do? I was thinking of getting 3 battery powered air pumps and using the sponge filter in the 29g for that tank and the others I'll take the filter media out and put an air stone under it. Also I asked my mom about temps and she said that the house probably won't get below 75F maybe higher so one less thing to worry about (thankfully). Anyway, anything else I need to do? I'm so worried. I don't want to lose anything

 

[fish wrangler]

I would be concerned about high temps. If you can freeze some water bottles and if the power goes out leave the freezer closed as much as possible.

Another thing is gas exchange on the tanks. A few battery powered air pumps and air stones take care of that. I'm assuming you meant you will use battery pumps for the media, but just in case you didn't.
You are going to put the media into each tank and the airstone under it then correct?

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[ImACoolguy]

I would be concerned about high temps. If you can freeze some water bottles and if the power goes out leave the freezer closed as much as possible.

Another thing is gas exchange on the tanks. A few battery powered air pumps and air stones take care of that. I'm assuming you meant you will use battery pumps for the media, but just in case you didn't.
You are going to put the media into each tank and the airstone under it then correct?

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

+1 as long as it's not huge temp swings and aeration is provided then you should be okay


Caleb

 

[SushiRoll]

You are going to put the media into each tank and the airstone under it then correct?

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

Yes, correct. Also is there a way to insulate like, with styrofoam, to help with temp swings?

 

[Andy Sager]

Yes, correct. Also is there a way to insulate like, with styrofoam, to help with temp swings?

For something like this, I use the polystyrene from the building department of Home depot/ Lowes. Cut to size and tape the sheets to the tank so they are insulated. I use a towel over the top at nights to prevent heat loss at night but keep it open during the day to get some light and temp into the tanks.
Your best bet is the battery powered airpumps. I have one I purchased at a store that plugs into the wall then runs on battery if the power goes out. You just set up a duel airline to include your regular air pump and the backup. You use a check valve to the backup so that the air doesn't escape through there when it is not running. Then it is all automatic.

Hope this helps.

 

[brennae]

For something like this, I use the polystyrene from the building department of Home depot/ Lowes. Cut to size and tape the sheets to the tank so they are insulated. I use a towel over the top at nights to prevent heat loss at night but keep it open during the day to get some light and temp into the tanks.
Your best bet is the battery powered airpumps. I have one I purchased at a store that plugs into the wall then runs on battery if the power goes out. You just set up a duel airline to include your regular air pump and the backup. You use a check valve to the backup so that the air doesn't escape through there when it is not running. Then it is all automatic.

Hope this helps.

Andy do you have a generator for the fish building to keep the tanks aerated? I don't imagine you have to worry about the temps as much as us yanks. Personally I'd be happy with one of those whole house generators that hooks into the gas line. We have too many outages over the years in winter.

Back on topic. I see the battery powered aerators all over now. For awhile I was only seeing them where fishing equip was sold to aerate the bait. OP if you don't find them at the lfs check bait shops and such. Good luck! Power outages are no fun!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Andy Sager]

Andy do you have a generator for the fish building to keep the tanks aerated? I don't imagine you have to worry about the temps as much as us yanks. Personally I'd be happy with one of those whole house generators that hooks into the gas line. We have too many outages over the years in winter.

Back on topic. I see the battery powered aerators all over now. For awhile I was only seeing them where fishing equip was sold to aerate the bait. OP if you don't find them at the lfs check bait shops and such. Good luck! Power outages are no fun!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

No I don't. I have a neighbor with a generator and I have really long extension cords.
As for the temps, I did have my fish outside during the 2 years that FL got to freezing and the fish and fruit farms were losing their stocks. I didn't lose a fish during that whole period by using the styro method I described. The only fish I brought inside were the Bettas i was breeding but that was it. The Angels and Guppies were outdoors.

As for the airpumps, the ones I was describing are not sold in bait shops but in pet shops ( and probably online.) The ones in the bait shop need to be turned on and off while the other plug in one I got did it automatically when the power went off. It was not all that expensive either. Maybe $20.00 if I remember correctly. I highly recommend that one over the bait ones for that reason. If the power goes off in the middle of the night and you are asleep, it will be hours before someone turns on the pump and that may be too long. I ran 7- 10 gals off that one pump.

 

[brennae]

So you keep the aerator plugged in and connected to the tank at all times and then when the power cuts out the air pump automatically turns on? This is not something I've seen before. I'm going to have to check these out.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[1972ford]

I recently went a couple weeks without power I bought a power inverter and ran my 200 2 55s and a 30 on a small power inverter from my car just unplug the heaters and lights the inverter will take care of the filters and airpumps.

I actually took a car off the market I was going to sell so I don't have to buy a generator. I even had power left over to watch tv

 

[Delapool]

I recently went a couple weeks without power I bought a power inverter and ran my 200 2 55s and a 30 on a small power inverter from my car just unplug the heaters and lights the inverter will take care of the filters and airpumps.

I actually took a car off the market I was going to sell so I don't have to buy a generator. I even had power left over to watch tv

That's a tempting idea. Would you have any links on the stuff you bought - just to get a rough idea?

 

[SushiRoll]

Good news!! No hurricane! Yay! Just 3-6 inches of rain and 30-40 mph winds so there will be some flooding but not to bad. So even if the power goes out it won't be too long. I would just do a few pwc. Sound good?


Sent from my iPod touch using Aquarium Advice

 

[Andy Sager]

So you keep the aerator plugged in and connected to the tank at all times and then when the power cuts out the air pump automatically turns on? This is not something I've seen before. I'm going to have to check these out.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

Yes, it's a plug in that works off of 2 "D" batteries when the power goes off. ( It's a Penn Plax model Silent Air B11) The unit is not aerating when there is power. That's done by your main pump. The plug is just to know when the power goes off. Then this unit starts to work. The whole key is to have 2 check valves set up so that when one pump is running, the air cannot go out through the other pump.

 

[brennae]

Ah ok. I get it now.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk