Where to buy a battery powered aquarium heater...

[new2betas]

With all of the wacky weather we have been having lately I have been thinking about what would happen to my tanks should I lose power....eeeeks! I am having trouble finding battery powered heaters online. I have been able to find battery powered air pumps, but not heaters.....anyone have experience with these???

 

[jonnythan]

Heaters use a lot of power. Way more watts than anything else in the aquarium. Typical batteries won't power a heater for very long.

Your best bet, actually, is a computer UPS. You can plug your filter and your heater into it. Depending on the size or your tank, the wattage of your heater, and ambient conditions in case of a power outage, even a smaller UPS could last for hours or more, especially if you turn the heater down a notch or two.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7033417&type=product&id=1099395267085

 

[bs6749]

Your best bet would actually be a generator. Most UPS packs only have a run time between 10-60 minutes. The 60 minute ones are generally rated for 60 minutes at half load or somewhere near 150W. Most heaters are at least that or more. I've got two 300W heaters in my 100g tank so the UPS you recommended might run for 5-10 minutes tops. Actually, now that I look at it, it's only rated for 330W so I'd be able to plug in a single heater and maybe a filter to circulate the heat. $65 for 10 minutes of power? No thanks, a generator would be a far better purchase, even at $400-600+. At least I'd have lights in the house too and could be online while I wait out the storm and keep my many tanks operational.

 

[jonnythan]

Your best bet would actually be a generator. Most UPS packs only have a run time between 10-60 minutes. The 60 minute ones are generally rated for 60 minutes at half load or somewhere near 150W. Most heaters are at least that or more. I've got two 300W heaters in my 100g tank so the UPS you recommended might run for 5-10 minutes tops. Actually, now that I look at it, it's only rated for 330W so I'd be able to plug in a single heater and maybe a filter to circulate the heat. $65 for 10 minutes of power? No thanks, a generator would be a far better purchase, even at $400-600+. At least I'd have lights in the house too and could be online while I wait out the storm and keep my many tanks operational.

That's why I said it depends on the tank and the heater.

Remember the heaters don't run continuously, though. My heater is on maybe 1/3 of the time. That UPS would run my tank with the 100 watt heater for several hours.

A generator is a good option if you are willing to invest the money in owning and servicing it. Generators can be pains in the butt, especially gasoline ones. A generator is a big investment.

If you only regularly experience short power outages, then a UPS is a good option. If you want to prepare for something longer, then think about a generator - but do your research and invest wisely.

 

[bs6749]

I realize that the heaters aren't on all of the time but still they are only rated for up to 60 minutes on 150 watts of power. Assuming that you have a 150W heater that would give you 3 hours max if they are only on for 1/3 of the time. After those 3 hours the temp of the tank begins to go down. Now think if you have the power out for 2 days at a time. You'd need many of the UPS packs to keep the tanks running but only 1 $600 generator that would allow you to do other stuff as well.

 

[jonnythan]

I wouldn't count on a $600 generator running for 2 days and starting when you need it. You really get what you pay for with generators.

In any case, a generator and a UPS are solutions to different problems. The OP should clarify the problem and the appropriate solution can be provided.

 

[jsoong]

For a heater, you best bet would be a power box made for power tools .... costs maybe $200 but has a big battery that is like 600 AmpHr ... so should run a heater for many hours.

However, if you are running just a 5 gal betta tank or something small, you can get by with a smaller powerbox at half the price or less. I wouldn't use a computer UPS, because for the same price, you can get a power box with much higher capacity.

 

[bs6749]

I wouldn't count on a $600 generator running for 2 days and starting when you need it. You really get what you pay for with generators.

In any case, a generator and a UPS are solutions to different problems. The OP should clarify the problem and the appropriate solution can be provided.

Used Honda generators.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

With all of the wacky weather we have been having lately I have been thinking about what would happen to my tanks should I lose power....eeeeks! I am having trouble finding battery powered heaters online. I have been able to find battery powered air pumps, but not heaters.....anyone have experience with these???

As others have said, you're not going to find any battery powered heaters. But depending on your needs, what I describe in this post here...

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f14/anyone-use-a-ups-to-protect-their-tank-90310.html

... might do the job for you.

I've since supplemented the Xantrex unit with a Honda generator for the longer outages, but the Xantrex is good piece of mind for those times that the power is out and I'm not home.

 

[new2betas]

Thanks all who replied. I think after reading all the posts I am more inclined to worry about the filtration aspect of things instead of heat...since I am in a more southern state. We do get the occasional power outage, usually by the random ice storm or something like that. I think wrapping my tanks would defintely help keep the tank warm until power could come on. I think I am now mainly interested in the battery powered air pumps, which would allow me to connect some sponge filtration to my tanks in an emergency. My biggest tank is only 29g, so I don't think I would have some of the problems you guys with bigger tanks would encounter. I do appreciate all of the posts, however. I have found some battery powered pumps online and plan on ordering some to have on hand....

 

[jonnythan]

Be aware that if you let your main filter sit off for a couple of hours, the bacteria inside will start to die off. Then when the power comes back on, you'll release a lot of dead bacteria into the tank plus your biological filter will be compromised.

I'd suggest a UPS (or powerbox) to keep your main filter running during a power outage.

 

[bs6749]

Be aware that if you let your main filter sit off for a couple of hours, the bacteria inside will start to die off. Then when the power comes back on, you'll release a lot of dead bacteria into the tank plus your biological filter will be compromised.

I'd suggest a UPS (or powerbox) to keep your main filter running during a power outage.

That's not true. I spoke to a microbiologist and he said that the nitrifying bacteria are capable of living for a much longer period of time without a source of food. He says they can come back after months without food.

 

[BillD]

They might survive without food, but not without oxygen, which is why they die off.

 

[LandGhoti]

But if you have a battery-powered airstone, wouldn't that take care of oxygenation? Also, agitating the water several times a day?

I bought a UPS about a month ago because we were supposed to have an ice storm, and I lost all my fish two years ago during one (the power was off for 3 days and the apartment temp dipped into the 20s). I have not had to use it yet. If you Google "ups backup aquarium" you'll find several entries from different forums about how well these work depending on your heater and filter sizes.

ETA: I paid $60 for it at Office Depot.