We are supposed to be getting a “once in a lifetime” snow and ice storm starting tomorrow. They are warning that we might be facing extended power outages due to high winds. I have 3 fish tanks running with filters and heaters and no way to power them if the electricity goes out. How long can my fish live without the pump/filter aerating the water? I’m not so worried about the heaters as we have gas heat that will keep the house warm so, they shouldn’t go below air temperature. Any help would be appreciated. I don’t want to lose any of my guppies!
Power outage..
- Thread starter ccross
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
I have used an inverter for power outages. In case you’re unfamiliar, it’s a device powered by a car battery, so you’ll have to haul a battery inside. And never forget those once in a lifetime storms sometimes fail to materialize as forecasted. But best to think ahead & be prepared.
Andy Sager
Aquarium Advice Addict
If you notice your fish starting to breath more heavily, you can oxygenate the water by taking a cup and scoop the water into it and dump it back into the tank repeatedly. The more surface area you disturb, the more oxygen that will be exchanged into the water.
I charged my little jackery 300w. I figure I can move it from tank to tank every so often to circulate a bit of water and let the heaters turn on. Then I can just charge the jackery back up with the car. Hopefully that will keep them happy.
Andy Sager
Aquarium Advice Addict
We kept a whole warehouse of marine fish alive after hurricane Andrew by doing this until they could be shipped to another facility. We were a 24 hour facility so each shift had designated dippers ( or "Splashers" as we called them.
) .
Colin_T
Aquarium Advice Addict
Clean the filters now. Was filter media in a bucket of tank water and re-use the media. Then if there is a power failure, there will be less gunk in the filter using the oxygen.
During a power failure.
If you have external canister filters, you can take the outlet hose and put it in a bucket next to the filter. Allow the bucket to fill with water and then put the outlet hose back in the aquarium. Pour the bucket of water back in the tank. Do this every few hours and the filter will be fine. Alternatively, take the filter media out of the filter and put it in the tank. Then aerate the tank water with a battery air pump or by blowing air through airline into the water.
With HOB (hang on back) style filters like the AquaClear, just get a bucket of water from the tank and pour it in the filter. Do this every few hours. Again you can take the filter media out and put it in the tank but that's not as necessary as it is for canister filters that are sealed up.
------------------
Insulate the back front and sides of the tank to help trap heat.
Make sure your gas heater is flued because the gas fumes are toxic to people, animals and fish (carbon monoxide poisoning).
Don't feed the fish during a power failure. They can go a week without food.
During a power failure.
If you have external canister filters, you can take the outlet hose and put it in a bucket next to the filter. Allow the bucket to fill with water and then put the outlet hose back in the aquarium. Pour the bucket of water back in the tank. Do this every few hours and the filter will be fine. Alternatively, take the filter media out of the filter and put it in the tank. Then aerate the tank water with a battery air pump or by blowing air through airline into the water.
With HOB (hang on back) style filters like the AquaClear, just get a bucket of water from the tank and pour it in the filter. Do this every few hours. Again you can take the filter media out and put it in the tank but that's not as necessary as it is for canister filters that are sealed up.
------------------
Insulate the back front and sides of the tank to help trap heat.
Make sure your gas heater is flued because the gas fumes are toxic to people, animals and fish (carbon monoxide poisoning).
Don't feed the fish during a power failure. They can go a week without food.
Caliban07
Aquarium Advice Addict
I’ve been warned previously about those pump in a bucket (canister filters) becoming deoxygenated quite quickly when there is no oxygenated water flow passing through them which could result in ammonia spikes when you turn them back on. I wouldn’t worry too much about the lack of surface movement if its only for a few days.
Power is out. I’ve been moving from tank to tank every couple hours with the Jackery and letting them run for 15 minutes at a time. Have them covered with heavy towels for insulation. The tanks are pretty heavily planted so I thank that is helping a bit. The fish seem find so far, fingers crossed.
I’m about 275 miles away and under blizzard warnings. Light snow & temperatures expected to gradually rise over next several days. I really like Andy’s way of oxygenating the water. We have both a gas water heater & gas furnaces, but they all require electricity to work. The gas fireplaces are in other rooms without tanks. I had the bright idea to keep the tank water warm by pumping in the same temperature water, but the husband just said it won’t work. When asked what I should do if the power goes out, he said: Hope it comes back on fast. We will be able to manage somethings with the inverter
Hope it comes back on fast. We will be able to manage somethings with the inverterColin_T
Aquarium Advice Addict
Plants won't do anything to help filter the water or produce oxygen unless they get good light and that won't happen when there's a power failure
Caliban07
Aquarium Advice Addict
Plants won't do anything to help filter the water or produce oxygen unless they get good light and that won't happen when there's a power failure
Plants take nutrients in 24/7 although there is no carbon fixation.
Not an option for everyone, but I thought I’d toss this into the mix because it’s new to me & fascinating. We are on the waiting list for an EV. There are ways to use the vehicle’s huge battery capacity to power the house. It requires additional power setups & I barely understood a word when the husband explained it. But I got the bottom line. He’s already looking around for an electrician to do the job.
Similar threads
