High Key Panicking - Dealing With Power Outages

I'm not a beginner, but I didn't know where to put this, so it's here lol. We are scheduled for a large windstorm which will very likely cause power outages. I'm now panicking and scrambling to buy my battery powered air pumps, which I can't order until tomorrow and the storm is in 2 days . So hopefully I'll get those in on time, Amazon prime always delivers in that regard (delivers, get it????) Okay enough joking around, I'm most concerned about the heating in my tropical tank (5 guppies, 1 dwarf gourami, 3 nerites) I keep their water a little under 80. Unfortunately, with the storm it is also predicted that we will have temps in the 30s, which won't be good news to those fish without a heater. My other fish are Goldies, so they could handle cold more than those guys (it will probably get to around 50, maybe less inside my house, assuming I do lose power for some time). How in the world would I keep them heated? Of course this is all assuming we will lose power. Before I kept fish we had a storm like this and we lost power for quite some time, so just a bit worried. Yeah just a tiny bit.

 

I keep the oxygen tabs that fisherman use in their bait buckets. I have a battery pump but never can find batteries when I needed it. Your guppies and gourami are subtropical fish so the heat thing will be less of of issue. Last winter I lost power for 2 days. House got down in the 30's and my tank fell to 60 which is frigid for betta and glowlight tetras. No issues other then lazy fish till the tank warmed back up. Fish are much more resistant then we give them credit for. Especially if its short term. Now a long time being cold like a few weeks that is different.

 

Last time I lost power, it was out for maybe a day or so, but other people in my neighborhood it was out for around 2 weeks, so there's a possibility. But my city is pretty good with power management these days so I wouldn't count on it being too long, but still the possibility. But then again, don't even know if I'll lose power. It's just predicted the gusts will be able to knock out power

 

A properly stocked tank will easily go a day with nothing done to it. A few years ago we lost power for 4 days in the summer and I still didn't have any problems. Just dropped an oxygen tab in every day was all I did. 2 weeks would be tough. With no power I wouldn't even have water. I have a generator too if needed. I live in a rural area and sometimes we get forgotten about.

 

If you're so concerned about the heat, you can cover your tanks with aluminum or styrofoam to try to keep the heat for as long as possible. You can also fill water bottles up with hot water and float them in the tank.

 

A heavy blanket would work too.

 

I'm a fan of aquarium coop in most aspects, this video pretty much sums up what's already been said, but just figured I'd throw it out here

 

Okay thank you guys! Where I am we don't have much in terms of storms, so preparing for all this is new. Appreciate the advice

 

You can also cover the tanks to help minimize heat loss. If needed, scoop of a bit of water and heat it (over fire or a propane camping stove) and add it back to the tank. Do this slowly and insuring the water doesn't change temps to dramatically

 

Are your tanks all in the same room? If they are, you could get a propane-powered indoor-safe heater and just keep that room warm. These things come in many different sizes suitable for any room or space, don't require ventilation and just use disposable propane cylinders. I've used them in the past for protecting reptile rooms from low temperatures during winter storms, and they would be just as suitable for fish rooms. The little portable jobs are well worth keeping around for all kinds of other uses like camping, ice fishing, etc. Mine are Mr.Heater brand, but there are a few others as well.

Good luck with the storm!

 

2 of them are in the kitchen, one in my room. Thank you for the suggestion!

 

Kinda reviving this thread a bit. In the storm I mentioned in this post, I didn't lost power. However, about an hour ago, for some reason I randomly woke up and the first thing I did was listen in on my filter. When I heard silence that's when I knew the storm I'm in now had caused me to lose power. So the first thing I did without even thinking like pretty much instinct, I checked all my fish and they were fine. I set up the bubblers no problem, covered the hot tank, and now waiting for power to come back however long that will be. I think I woke up right when the powerwent out because the hot tank hadn't cooled down too much so I think we're good! Have to go to school in an hour and a half so we'll see what's up

 

Kinda reviving this thread a bit. In the storm I mentioned in this post, I didn't lost power. However, about an hour ago, for some reason I randomly woke up and the first thing I did was listen in on my filter. When I heard silence that's when I knew the storm I'm in now had caused me to lose power. So the first thing I did without even thinking like pretty much instinct, I checked all my fish and they were fine. I set up the bubblers no problem, covered the hot tank, and now waiting for power to come back however long that will be. I think I woke up right when the powerwent out because the hot tank hadn't cooled down too much so I think we're good! Have to go to school in an hour and a half so we'll see what's up

I think if your bubblers are still working you should be fine

Keep an eye on parameters and do some water changes if you see a spike

For the tropical tank, maybe fill up some some bottles with hot water and put it in them in there to warm up the water, if you still have hot water

 

Unfortunately when the power is out we don't get hot water. The bubblers I used were the marina battery powered and I quite like them. Thankfully, after a little over 6 hours the power came back on while I was at school. But I will definitely keep your suggestion in mind for the future

 

Hi, here's a thread of interest: Prepare Your Aquarium For Power Outages