Is your tank prepared for a power outage? Good info here.

Here we go in the United States, a large snowstorm is crossing the country and going even to some places that don't usually get snow. Somewhere, there will be power outages. In Pennsylvania we're expecting up to 12" of snow and we will be prepared for the worst scenario, we've been there before.

This is a thread Lucy did long ago and many added ideas to it - it's a good read that will help newbies and oldies alike, sometimes we need reminders. Good luck to all affected in the next 2-3 days.

I have battery operated pumps that I'll dig out and have ready to use with a sponge filter in each tank. Going to use pint-sized glass jars for very warm water that will go into the 2 10 gallon tanks, not too hot but enough to help keep it warm until I change them out again. Using a plastic 1 gallon water jug to fill with hot water for my 40 gallon tank. I'll have large pans filled with water on the (gas) stove so can heat water that way, as we have well water and will only have what's in the water lines if we lose it. Getting blankets ready to cover tanks with to insulate. I'll also be reading this again for more ideas.

Thank you once again to Lucy for this - every winter someone asks what to do and here it is!

Prepare Your Aquarium For Power Outages | General Discussion Forum | 55586

 

I'm glad i have a generator and propane heat.

 

Generator here! Essential for fish keeping where I live. Bring on the storm!!

Oh, I need to go fill up the gas cans. Thanks for the reminder.

 

We got over 12 inches a week or so ago, so glad this one is going around us. Best of luck to you guys on the east coast.

 

Generator here! Essential for fish keeping where I live. Bring on the storm!!

Oh, I need to go fill up the gas cans. Thanks for the reminder.

I've wanted a generator for years, hubby for some reason is afraid of them. I think he heard a horror story once and that was all it took. I know they're safe if wired correctly and there are people who know how to do that! Maybe someday. Meanwhile a wood burning stove and a small gas heater gets us through and we have many other preps. We survived 4 days without power in a bad ice storm 2 or 3 years ago - wasn't easy but wasn't bad. The worst thing is that we have a sub pump in our basement without a battery backup and he had to keep baling it out - that gave us lots of water for flushing but was a PAIN!
And thinking back, it was 3 or 4 years ago, before I had an aquarium. I think I've had mine for 2 1/2 years.

 

Thankfully we have a generator. Our backup heat is gas so even if we don't run the generator during the night the gas heat will keep the tanks fairly comfortable for the fish. Cook stove and water heater are gas too although I need electricity to run the oven and a match to light the burners. I do have battery powered air pumps but hopefully I won't have to use them.

A bit of snow is predicted for us but I am sure it isn't going to be anything close to what others are going to get. We normally get more ice than snow here. A few years before we built this house an ice storm came through here. Lines and even poles were down at least 100 miles any direction from us. We were out of electricity for 28 days.

Thankfully we had gas heat and a small generator. We had no phone and since our well pump ran on electricity we had no water. We were more fortunate than some because we had a backup dug well. We were able to supply water for our neighbors.

As we were building this house we looked back on that 28 days with no power and tried to make sure life wouldn't be as difficult should that happen again. We are now connected to city water but still have a pump for the drilled well should the city water have a problem and if all else fails we still have the dug well. We have a bigger generator so if need be we can occasionally run the well pump.

Unfortunately in this day and time many homes are all electric. We that have a gas backup or in some cases wood heat won't suffer an outage as much as those that don't have these options. It sounds like it is going to get pretty bad out there for some folks. Let's hope and pray it isn't as bad as being predicted.

 

Marlene327.
Thanks for the timely reminder.

Along with our finned friends, be sure your furry pets have what they need and have your own emergency prep kit ready.

mattgirl, my house is electric but we have a wood fireplace and a hotel on speed dial (haha)

 

We have oil heat that backs up the electric heat pump. So if electricity is out, I can heat the house (and the 8 aquariums!) with oil. The generator allows me to start and control the furnace. We have had to live off the grid for weeks at a time, and the fish are all fine. I can even refill the hot water tank at night.

 

Thank you Lucy for your work in the above post.

12,000 watt dual fuel generator here. Over the last 20 years there have been several days long power outages. One in the dead of winter for three days. We have a pilot light gas stove that has been used as emergency heat (with proper ventilation of course). The new gas stoves will not work without electricity.

I have a 3,500 watt power inverter (from my days as an owner operator) that if it comes down to it I can hook to my pickup truck to power the aquariums.

 

Thank you Lucy for your work in the above post.

12,000 watt dual fuel generator here. Over the last 20 years there have been several days long power outages. One in the dead of winter for three days. We have a pilot light gas stove that has been used as emergency heat (with proper ventilation of course). The new gas stoves will not work without electricity.

I have a 3,500 watt power inverter (from my days as an owner operator) that if it comes down to it I can hook to my pickup truck to power the aquariums.

I've seen the Ford pickups advertised that can power up a house. We did a large build and remodel a year ago, so there's no new vehicles in our future for awhile. Back to mortgage payments again! You've got a great set-up!

 

I hope everyone here came through the night none to worse for wear and electricity is still flowing through the lines. It seems some have lost their power though. Lots of folks in the southeast are without it this morning. Hopefully all were prepared and will get their power back quickly. Looks like this mess is heading up the east coast.

We were right on the western edge of it and only got about an inch or so of sleet and then snow. Thankfully not enough for power outages so those that would have to restore ours will be able to go where they are needed. I applaud these young men and women for the very difficult job they do under extreme weather conditions. These folks often work out in the worst weather possible whenever and wherever they are needed until the job is done.

 

Thankfully we have a generator. Our backup heat is gas so even if we don't run the generator during the night

How do you run the blower if you have no power?

We have oil heat that backs up the electric heat pump. So if electricity is out, I can heat the house (and the 8 aquariums!) with oil. The generator allows me to start and control the furnace. We have had to live off the grid for weeks at a time, and the fish are all fine. I can even refill the hot water tank at night.

Right. The generator will run a blower fan. So if oil or gas, you still need the blower to work. A whole house furnace will not run unless it sees the blower on. A flag switch or other sensor is used in the supply duct work to verify its blowing air.

I've seen the Ford pickups advertised that can power up a house. We did a large build and remodel a year ago, so there's no new vehicles in our future for awhile. Back to mortgage payments again! You've got a great set-up!

Don't worry about a vehicle. These claims while true are not a good answer to power loss. The fuel alone to run everything is part of the problem.
A good standby generator is your best bet. Or if you have the money to spend on a whole house automatic generator, then that is the very best solution to extended power loss.

 

How do you run the blower if you have no power?

Our gas heaters don't have blowers. They don't keep the house as warm as the electric central heat but keep the house warm enough for us.

 

I hope everyone here came through the night none to worse for wear and electricity is still flowing through the lines. It seems some have lost their power though. Lots of folks in the southeast are without it this morning. Hopefully all were prepared and will get their power back quickly. Looks like this mess is heading up the east coast.

We were right on the western edge of it and only got about an inch or so of sleet and then snow. Thankfully not enough for power outages so those that would have to restore ours will be able to go where they are needed. I applaud these young men and women for the very difficult job they do under extreme weather conditions. These folks often work out in the worst weather possible whenever and wherever they are needed until the job is done.

It hasn't hit here yet, I'm north of Pittsburgh and it should start in about an hour. Going to do a WC now and will be glad to have it done no matter what the weather does! Expecting up to 12" of wet snow, and 30 mph winds through tomorrow.

 

Going to do a WC now and will be glad to have it done no matter what the weather does

Good advice ahead of the storm.

Ours fizzled out. Some wet snow, lots of rain. One of those yucky kinds of winter days.

Please stay safe everyone!

 

I have a ton of old comforters that I can use + towels

someone mentioned using them last year, so rather than toss them, I am saving them 'just in case'

Today, we got 1-2 inches of snow and some rain so it was slushy earlier in NW Georgia

below freezing tonight, so ice on ground. But I think it stopped snowing/raining for now

I really want a wood burning stove. I'll have to think on it. maybe next year. I priced them a few years back. JMO , but I like them better than a generator. Or I'll see if I can convert my gas fireplace to logs.

we get so little snow here, I just hate using funds towards it. But when my power went out a few years ago ( pre fish tanks) house fell to 55 degrees and power was out about 14 hours.

 

Our gas heaters don't have blowers. They don't keep the house as warm as the electric central heat but keep the house warm enough for us.

So you have portable gas heaters?

 

So you have portable gas heaters?

I suppose they could be portable but ours are permanently installed. Check these out and you will see what we have ProCom Dual Fuel Ventless Infrared Gas Space Heater w/ Blower & Base Feet, 30000 BTU, T-Stat Ctrl

this isn't exactly what we have. Ours don't have a blower. The radiant heat works well without a blower.

 

For heat a lot of the fish in my small tanks could go to large tanks which will not lose heat very quickly. When I had a boiler go out during the cold snap in January my house lost ~15 degrees in 5-7 days.
My big tanks will retain heat well.
Filtration is the most critical thing for me, so things like Nibble's filtration run off UPS.
UPS can be expensive so you may have to weigh the value of the fish, fiscal and/or emotional, against the cost of UPS(s). Also keep in mind you will have to replace the batteries in each UPS every few years (5?) those aren't cheap either. My most recent purchase was lead acid for ~80$.

 

Before we had back up power we lost power for 6 days. We had a kerosene heater for us and placed a small candle under the fish tank. It stayed at normal temp all 6 days. It worked great.

 

I keep all my car battery replacement cores and use them with power inverters to run heaters and filters in an outage. If it got really cold I'd heat water on my gas stove.

 

I keep all my car battery replacement cores and use them with power inverters to run heaters and filters in an outage. If it got really cold I'd heat water on my gas stove.

How does a bad core store any electricity? How are you doing this? How do you apply charging power to the batteries when you have no building power? And I may replace a battery every 10 years at most. So I would not have any cores laying around.
Please expand as I am interested in your method. TIA.

 

1. A battery that won't start a 5.8 liter V8 can still hold a lot of power to run a hang on back filter

2. I charge the battery when the power is on

3. I have 4 cars and generate enough used batteries.

 

1. A battery that won't start a 5.8 liter V8 can still hold a lot of power to run a hang on back filter

2. I charge the battery when the power is on

3. I have 4 cars and generate enough used batteries.

Must be junkers. The cars I mean. I have not bought a battery in 10 years. But I can understand a battery that will not start a car running a filter.