What do People do when the Power Goes Out?

[The Masked Shadow]

Hey guys, on Monday, the power in our neighborhood is going out for 5 hours. Scared for the well-being of my fis. The filter will stop, and they can live with that, but the heater will stop working as well. I don’t know the time it will go out. Will my fish be ok? Is there Anything I can do for them?

 

[Deadeye]

I stopped using the heater on my ca/sa tank. It’s been going for a few weeks like that as hasn’t dropped below 74. It depends on how cold it gets by you, but I think they will be fine for a few hours.
You could get some warm water before power goes out and periodically put it in the tank to try to keep it a bit warmer.

 

[Gourami Swami]

I would be more worries about the filter and aeration than the heater. Water retains temperature pretty well, 5 Hours should be no problem as long as your house isn't an ice box.
You can get a battery powered air pump that will keep water flowing while the power is out. I lost power overnight a few months back and lost one of my favorite fish, a mimic filefish. I believe it was the lack of oxygen. I was out of town at the time so nothing I could have done unfortunately.

 

[tlindsey]

I agree with the above keep the water agitated by every halve our filling a pitcher or aquarium safe bucket with the aquarium water and just pour the water back in. Battery Operated Pumps will be the best option. Also remove your bio media and toss it in the aquarium that's if in a bag. The media must remain moist.

 

[The Masked Shadow]

Okay. Will look for one over the weekend

 

[duanes]

When I lived in Wisconsin, I kept styrofoam panels cut to fit the sides and fronts of all my tanks (about 15 tanks of warm water species), and a roll of tape to attach the panels during power outages in winter.
I usually already had the back, some sides, and the bottoms covered with styrofoam panels, taped on, to conserve energy anyway.

Here in Panama I don't worry about heat, but I had a pump fail, and it took me almost a month to get another because of my remote location, (I now have back ups) so I would remove at least a couple gallons of water every daylight hour, and replace it gradually with new water, with the method below helping to agitate the surface, and overflowing some to the sump to keep the bacterial colony going.

I only lost one fish during the month long lapse, it was a large and more of a rheophillic species than the others, requiring highly oxygenated water.
Another reason to always stock lightly.

 

[The Masked Shadow]

Unfortunately, I think I will be in school most of the time. Should I turn the heater up a knotch to 80-82? And I will get a battery-powered sponge filter.

 

[Rocksor]

Unfortunately, I think I will be in school most of the time. Should I turn the heater up a knotch to 80-82? And I will get a battery-powered sponge filter.

5 hours no heater is no big deal. I had no heater on for 12 hours, and temperatures dropped to 70F in the tank when it was 77F and 55f in the garage. No issue with the bichirs.

 

[Kolton13]

I came back home from the beach and we had no power. No idea how long it had been out. Everything lived and was fine, although no reptiles at the time ?

 

[The Masked Shadow]

Ok! Sounds simple. Battery-powered filter just in case. Thanks for all your help!