My power went out yesterday, and the power company doesn't know when it will be back on.. I bought a backup air pump, so I have airflow in the tank now.. My question is will all my BB die off or will some survive with just the air pump going? I'm sure all the BB in the filters will die off, but will it survive in my substrate and rocks? It's a 75 Gal. with 10 African Cichlids in it.. I'm currently stationed in Afghanistan right now and my wife is the one taking care of the fish.. Any extra tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.. Thankx in advance..
Power outage please HELP!!
- Thread starter Addikted2Cichlids
- Start date
I'll have to buy one for the next time this happens, the problem is my home station is in Italy and a generator would be really expensive do to the euro not to mention gas is crazy exspensive .. Will all the BB die thats in the substrate and rocks as well..
A quick and cheap solution is to drive to a Best Buy/Walmart/Staples, etc and buy a cheap AC converter that plugs into a car cigarette lighter plug. I use the one in the picture; its 150W. That's enough to run the filters. Then run an extension cord into the house. That way you use your car battery as a UPS.
Best part is you can periodically recharge the car battery by running the car a few minutes ever so often.
Best part is you can periodically recharge the car battery by running the car a few minutes ever so often.
or go and get a power inverter and run it off a car battery...
or maybe try throwing the media in the tank and maybe it will live?>
or maybe try throwing the media in the tank and maybe it will live?>
Take a sponge filter and drop it in a bucket that fits inside the tank. Then throw your biomaterial on top of the sponge filter. You will keep water flowing over your bio material and keep your tank aerated at the same time.
If it floats, get a container with a snap on lid and pop lots of holes in the lid...
If it floats, get a container with a snap on lid and pop lots of holes in the lid...
I just had my power out for 30 hours or so. I didn't think it was a big deal since the temp wouldn't drop but from what you guys are saying a mini cycle would've started?
I actually have that car adapter, which will work great while my wife is home but she is at work all day, but the air pump should work while shes not home.. My biggest worry is that all the BB will die off, Does anyone know if the airpump will keep the BB thats in the actual tank and not the filters alive?
Addikted2Cichlids;4395821; said:
No, the bacteria in the tank isn't going to die. The bacteria in the filter PROBABLY wouldn't die in the span of a couple days.
You're fine with an air pump. Just put your media into the tank.
well, just to share my personal experience. My 75 gallon and 20 gallon, both housing different types of piranhas was out for a day and a half, i didn't bother with a pump or anything and now everything's back on and they seem fine. Been a day now since the power's been back on.