Power Outages - Aquarium Advice

Trameltanz · 08-24-2006, 10:02 PM

~OK...so tell me if I am the only GENIOUS that has thought of this~

I make my living by fixing computers. *wink*

So, the day that HurricaneIvan was headed for my home I relunctantly took the battery back-up (UPS) from my network room and moved it to sustain my filtering system just in case the power went out to the house.

I highly suggest anyone to seriously consider making a trip to the computer store and looking into an UPS for their aquarium. I no longer stress over thunderstorms hitting my neighborhood because they have a backup power source that could help out if I ever lost electricity. My idea was confirmed by an acquaintance that lost his 200gal Reef setup to construction contractors shutting off the power to his house before he got home. He asked them to not start any work and they foolishly did. The poor man eventually lost all of his stock over the next couple of days.

zacusmaximus · 08-24-2006, 10:30 PM

Haha! I have a nice big APC UPS for each main stand. It really is comforting to know you don't have to worry too much if the power konks out for a bit.

If you're very protective of your tanks, or just in a bad area as far as power/electrical storms/ice goes, I'd highly suggest it.

You can get cheap-o UPS's from about $30 and up. The higher the capacity, the higher the cost. The more capacity you can fit into your budget, the longer you can go without power. To squeeze every last drop of juice from the low-tech batteries UPS's use, I only put "tank-critical" devices on them. (filters, pumps, airpumps sometimes) The fish and plants can live a while without lights, not so much with some of the other powered stuff.

If you're a super nerd like me (or just a DIY freak), you can snatch a used UPS with a bad batt (read: uber cheap) and rig it to run on car batteries or any other high capacity ~12vdc battery. You can get some VERY impressive run-times with substantial loads on a decent car battery's charge.

Tex · 08-25-2006, 01:04 AM

Very clever. Maybe you could share some plans about integrating the car batteries. Wink wink. Low tech batteries in a UPS? You ain't just a kidding.

chelli · 08-25-2006, 03:03 PM

We just trumped all that and bought a huge generator to power everything. Down here we were without power for 5 days and there is no UPC going to last that long.. but the generator does.. let's hope Debby and trop depression #5 moves away from us..

Tex · 08-25-2006, 05:10 PM

Good point but of course you have to have enough gasoline to run the generator. If you store your gas long term be sure to use a fuel stabilizer like Sta-Bil.

08-24-2006, 10:02 PM	#1
Trameltanz Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 56	Power Outages ~OK...so tell me if I am the only GENIOUS that has thought of this~ I make my living by fixing computers. wink So, the day that HurricaneIvan was headed for my home I relunctantly took the battery back-up (UPS) from my network room and moved it to sustain my filtering system just in case the power went out to the house. I highly suggest anyone to seriously consider making a trip to the computer store and looking into an UPS for their aquarium. I no longer stress over thunderstorms hitting my neighborhood because they have a backup power source that could help out if I ever lost electricity. My idea was confirmed by an acquaintance that lost his 200gal Reef setup to construction contractors shutting off the power to his house before he got home. He asked them to not start any work and they foolishly did. The poor man eventually lost all of his stock over the next couple of days.

08-25-2006, 01:04 AM	#3
Tex Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Wichita Falls, Texas Posts: 226	Very clever. Maybe you could share some plans about integrating the car batteries. Wink wink. Low tech batteries in a UPS? You ain't just a kidding. __________________ 7 month old 100 gallon. Hopefully on my way to a great reef tank. A few small fish and a few small soft corals. T5 HO Lights and ro/di unit.

08-25-2006, 03:03 PM	#4
chelli Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Greenville, AL Posts: 77 Images: 3	We just trumped all that and bought a huge generator to power everything. Down here we were without power for 5 days and there is no UPC going to last that long.. but the generator does.. let's hope Debby and trop depression #5 moves away from us.. __________________ Got fish?

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08-24-2006, 10:30 PM	#2
zacusmaximus Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 196	Haha! I have a nice big APC UPS for each main stand. It really is comforting to know you don't have to worry too much if the power konks out for a bit. If you're very protective of your tanks, or just in a bad area as far as power/electrical storms/ice goes, I'd highly suggest it. You can get cheap-o UPS's from about $30 and up. The higher the capacity, the higher the cost. The more capacity you can fit into your budget, the longer you can go without power. To squeeze every last drop of juice from the low-tech batteries UPS's use, I only put "tank-critical" devices on them. (filters, pumps, airpumps sometimes) The fish and plants can live a while without lights, not so much with some of the other powered stuff. If you're a super nerd like me (or just a DIY freak), you can snatch a used UPS with a bad batt (read: uber cheap) and rig it to run on car batteries or any other high capacity ~12vdc battery. You can get some VERY impressive run-times with substantial loads on a decent car battery's charge.

08-25-2006, 05:10 PM	#5
Tex Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Wichita Falls, Texas Posts: 226	Good point but of course you have to have enough gasoline to run the generator. If you store your gas long term be sure to use a fuel stabilizer like Sta-Bil. __________________ 7 month old 100 gallon. Hopefully on my way to a great reef tank. A few small fish and a few small soft corals. T5 HO Lights and ro/di unit.