bsimon615
- #1
We lost our electricity at 6 pm on August 29th (2021) as the winds of Hurricane Ida raged outside. Our neighborhood has underground wiring so power was lost later than most. This was a concern as we do not have a generator of any kind to keep things going, particularly just air/water circulation and filtration. I do have several large sealed batteries as a result in my need for remote power to run my telescope mounts in a remote location. I also have two inverters that allow me to convert dc power from the batteries to ac power so that I could run several air pumps for water movement and oxygenation. I also had 2 bubblers (d cell powered) and I was able to borrow 3 more from a friend who fishes.
I was particularly concerned about the tanks (a 38, 29, 15 and 10 gallon that had young fish in each), the 38 had/has about 175 Electric Blue Acaras ranging in size between about 1 inch and 1.75 inch, another 75 or so of these in the 15 gallon, plus about 125 angelfish in the 29 gallon tank and maybe 40 to 50 in the bare bottom 10 gallon tank. The angels have slightly smaller than dime size to slightly over dime size bodies. All of these tanks were getting 25% water changes weekly.
In my community 40 gallon long I had too many fish but they, prior to the storm, were doing great, with both a 75 Tidal, and a 70 AquaClear hanging on the back along with two Jungle type undergravel sponge filters and an airstone. This tank houses a breeding pair of angelfish, 3 Kribensis, 4 Clown Loaches (all about 3.5 to 4 inches long), 3 Firemouths, 3 Blue Acaras (1 male and 2 females that the male alternates between, breeding with both), 4 corys, 1 male Pearl Gourami, 3 fish that really did not fit, but were doing well - 3 Brichardi as well as 2 Siamese Algae Eaters and (drum roll) 9 Roseline Sharks/Denison barbs. Before I could hook up some air to the tanks, I lost 4 of the 9 Roseline sharks, 2 of the Brichardi plus 1 Siamese Algae Eater in the 40 gallon tank. All the other guys in here were breathing heavy so I got an airline via a pump, inverter and 37 amp hour battery hooked up. One other tank with smaller fish, mostly tetras, had a similar problem with the loss of 3 Black Phantom Tetras, 1 Cardinal, 1 Neon, 1 smaller (half dollar body size) angelfish, and 1 Black Neon tetra. I fed air into most tanks as best I could using what resources I had and I rotated rechargeable batteries across the street to a neighbor with a whole house generator.
We left for 2 nights to a location with all ammenities, mostly electric and a/c, and conveniently located with gasoline in the area and a WalMart, where I got more D batteries, 3 more D cell operated bubblers, and a 101 amp hour Deep Cycle battery. We returned after 2 nights out and I had only lost 1 more Denison barb, probably due to the heat in the house and the tank (about 83 degrees Fahrenheit). Surprisingly the male Electric Blue Acara and one of the female EBA's had laid eggs and the pair was guarding the eggs. Batteries were changed out, and the big battery was put into service. All the young angelfish and Electric Blue Acaras were doing well. We then left for another location, a true motel (Courtyard Marriott) where we stayed for 4 nights. I had real concerns about how long the batteries would hold out. I was prepared to face lots of losses upon return home. We were able to return home after these 4 nights out as we got electricity back a few hours before we got back. Nothing had been left on at home other than a few lights so a/c had to be rebooted when we got back and it was hot in the house.
Surprisingly all batteries supplying air to the tanks were still running like a Pink Rabbit with a drum! More surprisingly all fish except for 1 more Roseline had survived and the young angelfish and Electric Blue Acaras seemed more interested in food than anything else. I cleaned all hang on back power filters and in addition did 25% water changes on my 40 gallon, 38 gallon and 29 gallon tanks. This was on this past Monday, with the other tanks getting their water changes on Tuesday. All seems well.
Lessons learned -
1) Be prepared for the worst, it seems to be happening more and more frequently.
2) Back off on the fish population in some tanks. The 3 Roseline sharks in the 40 gallon are doing well. They interact well with each other and do not bother other fish. There are fewer of them but their good behavior is no different from their good behavior before the storm. The Siamese Algae Eater, which except for color, looks like one of them and the S.A.E. and the Roselines all hang out together.
3) I probably should rehome the EBA's and the Firemouth ciclids as well as the remaining Brichardi and most reading this would be ok with my stocking of this tank with them removed. The Clown Loaches interact well with everyone else, but I do realize that when they get to about 6 inches I should trade them in for some smaller ones that are maybe about 2.5 inches long. I think they are about the perfect size right now. The angelfish are acting like they are ready to lay eggs again and they are not being bothered by any of the other fish and they leave the other fish alone.
I think I lucked out. Gotta go and clean up the mess outside!
Barry
I was particularly concerned about the tanks (a 38, 29, 15 and 10 gallon that had young fish in each), the 38 had/has about 175 Electric Blue Acaras ranging in size between about 1 inch and 1.75 inch, another 75 or so of these in the 15 gallon, plus about 125 angelfish in the 29 gallon tank and maybe 40 to 50 in the bare bottom 10 gallon tank. The angels have slightly smaller than dime size to slightly over dime size bodies. All of these tanks were getting 25% water changes weekly.
In my community 40 gallon long I had too many fish but they, prior to the storm, were doing great, with both a 75 Tidal, and a 70 AquaClear hanging on the back along with two Jungle type undergravel sponge filters and an airstone. This tank houses a breeding pair of angelfish, 3 Kribensis, 4 Clown Loaches (all about 3.5 to 4 inches long), 3 Firemouths, 3 Blue Acaras (1 male and 2 females that the male alternates between, breeding with both), 4 corys, 1 male Pearl Gourami, 3 fish that really did not fit, but were doing well - 3 Brichardi as well as 2 Siamese Algae Eaters and (drum roll) 9 Roseline Sharks/Denison barbs. Before I could hook up some air to the tanks, I lost 4 of the 9 Roseline sharks, 2 of the Brichardi plus 1 Siamese Algae Eater in the 40 gallon tank. All the other guys in here were breathing heavy so I got an airline via a pump, inverter and 37 amp hour battery hooked up. One other tank with smaller fish, mostly tetras, had a similar problem with the loss of 3 Black Phantom Tetras, 1 Cardinal, 1 Neon, 1 smaller (half dollar body size) angelfish, and 1 Black Neon tetra. I fed air into most tanks as best I could using what resources I had and I rotated rechargeable batteries across the street to a neighbor with a whole house generator.
We left for 2 nights to a location with all ammenities, mostly electric and a/c, and conveniently located with gasoline in the area and a WalMart, where I got more D batteries, 3 more D cell operated bubblers, and a 101 amp hour Deep Cycle battery. We returned after 2 nights out and I had only lost 1 more Denison barb, probably due to the heat in the house and the tank (about 83 degrees Fahrenheit). Surprisingly the male Electric Blue Acara and one of the female EBA's had laid eggs and the pair was guarding the eggs. Batteries were changed out, and the big battery was put into service. All the young angelfish and Electric Blue Acaras were doing well. We then left for another location, a true motel (Courtyard Marriott) where we stayed for 4 nights. I had real concerns about how long the batteries would hold out. I was prepared to face lots of losses upon return home. We were able to return home after these 4 nights out as we got electricity back a few hours before we got back. Nothing had been left on at home other than a few lights so a/c had to be rebooted when we got back and it was hot in the house.
Surprisingly all batteries supplying air to the tanks were still running like a Pink Rabbit with a drum! More surprisingly all fish except for 1 more Roseline had survived and the young angelfish and Electric Blue Acaras seemed more interested in food than anything else. I cleaned all hang on back power filters and in addition did 25% water changes on my 40 gallon, 38 gallon and 29 gallon tanks. This was on this past Monday, with the other tanks getting their water changes on Tuesday. All seems well.
Lessons learned -
1) Be prepared for the worst, it seems to be happening more and more frequently.
2) Back off on the fish population in some tanks. The 3 Roseline sharks in the 40 gallon are doing well. They interact well with each other and do not bother other fish. There are fewer of them but their good behavior is no different from their good behavior before the storm. The Siamese Algae Eater, which except for color, looks like one of them and the S.A.E. and the Roselines all hang out together.
3) I probably should rehome the EBA's and the Firemouth ciclids as well as the remaining Brichardi and most reading this would be ok with my stocking of this tank with them removed. The Clown Loaches interact well with everyone else, but I do realize that when they get to about 6 inches I should trade them in for some smaller ones that are maybe about 2.5 inches long. I think they are about the perfect size right now. The angelfish are acting like they are ready to lay eggs again and they are not being bothered by any of the other fish and they leave the other fish alone.
I think I lucked out. Gotta go and clean up the mess outside!
Barry
