what to do when power goes out?

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fishfamily

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 6, 2006
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Auburn, GA
A few weeks ago we had an ice storm and we had no power :swear: for about 20 hours. I was lucky this time and only lost an open brain :cry: . I have 5 tanks running right now but the most important is the 120 reef. How can I keep water movement and heat in the tank without buying a generator? I keep the tank at 82F and it went down to 64 before the power came back. I kept a fire burning in the fireplace all day and that didn't help but keep my wife and daughter happy.
 
get a UPS (battery backup) and it should sustain the tank for a while....depending on the size of the UPS vs load that the tank draws.
 
battery powered air pumps and since you have a fire place, boil water and place jugs of warm/hot water into your tank but keep a close eye on regulating the temperature.
 
actually, after doing some math it would probably be cheaper to get a generator to run the equipment for any amount of time. a UPS is great for short term, but long term would be expensive to get one large enough to do any good
 
Now I have ammo for the wife. I have been telling her we need to get a whole house generator for two years now. It makes sense when you have this much money tied up in fish tanks. Thanks all. :)
 
The Katrina storm knocked out power to the entire town and the 100+ tanks I maintain. After several sleepless nights hand-dipping and pouring water to aerate the tanks, I bought a 15kW automatic Generac generator for the fish building and a 12kW generator for the house. Now, not only will my fish be OK in the next blackout, I can still enjoy lights and A/C in the house. Er...I mean, keep power to the few tanks in the house, too. Not having $400 worth of fish and people food spoil is another bonus.
 
I was in Amhurst Virginia for work during that storm. It stranded me an extra day. I've never seen anything like that. In Chicago we're either covered in snow or it's raining. That was a strange day. Early in the morning it was snowing, then ice was falling from the sky then rain. That weather needs to make up it's mide and stick with something.
Guinness
 
Invest in a gas-powered generator... I did! Well worth the money, if you value your fish/tanks/collection? :) It feels really good to know that YOU got things overed, if ever another situation like that (power outtage, blackout, etc.) were to happen?!! Trust Me?!! :grinyes:
 
thanks every one for the advice bc here on the marine base power goes out at least once a week and i have 5 tanks
 
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