What to do when the power is out?
- Thread starter JNason11
- Start date
I usually don't do anything special, but I have a generator. However, I stuck a small battery-powered air pump on my most heavily stocked aquarium during a power outage when the generator broke down a while ago.
It might be a good idea to invest in a decent battery-powered air pump as well as an appropriate-sized sponge filter in order to ensure that your aquarium is both aerated & filtered during power outages.
Also, don't forget that gars & bowfins can breath air if need be, so they typically will do just fine during a power outage provided that the water temperature doesn't swing too fast and the water quality doesn't suffer too much.
It might be a good idea to invest in a decent battery-powered air pump as well as an appropriate-sized sponge filter in order to ensure that your aquarium is both aerated & filtered during power outages.
Also, don't forget that gars & bowfins can breath air if need be, so they typically will do just fine during a power outage provided that the water temperature doesn't swing too fast and the water quality doesn't suffer too much.
I have bichirs and snakeheads, so i do nothing
Snakeheads probably do not care but be careful about the bichirs. Cool water isn't good for them.
my snakeheads need cold water 
and my house is central heated, so even when the power goes out, water temp. of the bichir tank would not drop lower than 22 C. thats not comfortable for them but they can deal with it.
and my house is central heated, so even when the power goes out, water temp. of the bichir tank would not drop lower than 22 C. thats not comfortable for them but they can deal with it.
my snakeheads need cold water
+1 i have snakeheads and no heater and my water temp is always at around 22degrees
also depends on how long the power is out for if its only a couple of hours im pretty sure the temp wouldnt drop that fast anyway, powercuts usually oly last a few hours anyways
-will comment on just gars and bowfin since those are the topics of this forum:
when the power does go out, i just make sure the sumps don't overflow (your system should be set up to prevent this, but it doesn't hurt to check). other than that, don't worry about gars and bowfin...they are obligate air-breathers in most aquarium setups (no one is keeping them in coldwater), so they will go about their business. water has a high specific heat, so as long as the power comes back on in several hours or even a day, even tropical gar species will be just fine.--
--solomon
when the power does go out, i just make sure the sumps don't overflow (your system should be set up to prevent this, but it doesn't hurt to check). other than that, don't worry about gars and bowfin...they are obligate air-breathers in most aquarium setups (no one is keeping them in coldwater), so they will go about their business. water has a high specific heat, so as long as the power comes back on in several hours or even a day, even tropical gar species will be just fine.--
--solomon
even tropical tanks i dont mess with as long as the outage is only a few hours. longer, and i start doing 25% water changes every 4 hours or so depending on stocking. since my gar are kept with non air breathers this goes for them as well.
Considering this is the gar forum, I too will only comment on that. I dont do a thing. I sadly did learn to check well after the power comes back on. I lost 2 gar recently, including my precious spotted gar, to a filter not turning on.