Power Outage! need help ASAP

Frost_Hydra · 03/13/2018, 04:17 PM

I live in San Fransico, so power outages didnt seem to be a concern for me when setting up my tank. I dont no why but the power in my district went off, and that includes everything for my tank.

I was wondering how dangerous is it for the fish to be in cooler water, as the heater obviously isint working, or how fast will the water cool down in a 55g

Anything right now would be really helpfull, and I doubt this power outage will last long. suggestions for the future would be welcomed to.

Tripod1404 · 03/13/2018, 04:37 PM

How cold is your home? I would worry about suffocation before cooling. Unless there is surface agitation, oxygen will be depleted pretty fast.

I would pout tank water into a pitcher and pour that into the tank for 5-10 times very 15mis or so.

Frost_Hydra · 03/13/2018, 04:41 PM

Thanks, getting a pitcher now, and its 62 degrees in my house right now. The tank is glass to.

Frost_Hydra · 03/13/2018, 05:07 PM

Okay powers back on, but now theres a new problem; The filter is not turning on. My lights, powerhead, and heater are on, but the filter isint working. I tried plugging it back in and out but theres no sign of it working

Anemone · 03/13/2018, 05:24 PM

Okay, for the future, you'll want a battery backup of some sort. You can get a computer battery backup and plug one of your circulation (or filter) pumps into it. Do not plug your heater into it, or it will last very little time.

You can also buy a battery backup air pump that comes on when the power goes out. I have used Penn Plax B2 air pumps for years. They run on a single D battery, plug into your power source, and only come on when the power goes off. They last more than 24 hours, so they are useful for a longer-term outage. I used to keep one in my main tank and one in my biofilter/refugium area.

As for the heat, heaters take quite a bit of voltage, so you'll need a larger backup battery or small generator to run a heater for any length of time. The first thing you'll want to do is wrap the tank in blankets or towels to help keep insulate the tank and keep the existing heat in. I got some large bungee cords to wrap around the tank (and the blankets), as this seemed to me the easiest way to secure the blankets to the tank.
If desperate, you could always heat water on a gas stove and mix back into the tank, or get one of those old-style rubber hot-water bottles that you could fill with hot water and place in the tank to radiate heat into the surrounding water.

HTH,
Kevin

Tripod1404 · 03/14/2018, 12:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frost_Hydra

Okay powers back on, but now theres a new problem; The filter is not turning on. My lights, powerhead, and heater are on, but the filter isint working. I tried plugging it back in and out but theres no sign of it working

Probably the propeller got jammed. You need to open the pump and clean it.

homer1475 · 03/14/2018, 04:44 AM

I lose power at least weekly here in upstate NY. If its not over 4 hours I don't do a thing to my tank. Have never had an issue due to power outages. If your tank can't last a couple hours without power, it might not be setup properly.

Jonviviano · 03/14/2018, 07:59 AM

Homer, I could not disagree with you more. How do individual tank setups have an effect on how long they can go without power? Besides some sort of backup power. Typically we do not plan for power outages. Your 4 hour outage could turn into a 24 hour outage. I have Vortechs, geissman lights, Apex, Dosing pumps. How would this help my tank compared to a few DIY leds and Jebao powerheads? When power goes out ALL tanks suffer the same fate. Lack of oxygen and cold temperature. Throwing $$$ at your system wont make a damn difference.(besides a generator). The idea is keeping parameters stable through the outage. With the money i have into my reef, and Refrigerator a Generator was one of my first purchases for my home.

homer1475 · 03/14/2018, 08:17 AM

I have a genny also and only use it when the power has been out longer then 3 hours. Our tanks pretty much run at saturated oxygen levels(assuming you don't have it sealed up tight and run a skimmer), and should be able to withstand a 5 to 10 degree temperature difference. Yes all tanks are setup differently, but still should be able to handle a couple hours without power.

I also have an apex, dosing pumps, vortechs, ATI t5's, etc, etc, I and most reefs could still withstand a couple hours without power(temps on the reef are not constant like our tanks tend to be). I think you underestimate your tanks ability to withstand a couple hours without power.

Notice I did not say more then a couple hours? Sk8r has a nice write up in the NTTH section about loosing power. She pretty much comes to the same conclusion I have, unless temps get dangerously low(forget her number but I consider 70 getting to low), and your fish aren't gasping for air, wait it out.

I might have been a little hasty in saying a definitive 4 hours.

Jonviviano · 03/14/2018, 08:20 AM

Touche, Maybe some of it my obsessiveness to maintain perfect parameters!

d0ughb0y · 03/14/2018, 08:22 AM

I live in SF Bay Area and keep my house / ambient temp around 60-64 and my tank temp 75. With 10-15 degree difference it takes 45 minutes to an hour to drop 0.5 degrees (data from Apex temp chart). Conservatively if say it takes 1 hour to drop 1 degree, I have about 3 hours to get gas for my small generator to power the tank and cell phones. People in my house can’t survive a minute without their cell phones.

ca1ore · 03/14/2018, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by homer1475

If your tank can't last a couple hours without power, it might not be setup properly.

Agreed, all but the most absurdly overstocked tanks can last two hours. O2 is the problem more than temperature.

homer1475 · 03/14/2018, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by d0ughb0y

I live in SF Bay Area and keep my house / ambient temp around 60-64 and my tank temp 75. With 10-15 degree difference it takes 45 minutes to an hour to drop 0.5 degrees (data from Apex temp chart). Conservatively if say it takes 1 hour to drop 1 degree, I have about 3 hours to get gas for my small generator to power the tank and cell phones. People in my house can’t survive a minute without their cell phones.

This. ^^

A couple hours will not destroy your tank or have any detrimental effects. Kids without their cell phones on the other hand........

I honestly have seen the temp get to low before the fish even seem affected by the lack of oxygen. I'm lightly stocked though.

03/13/2018, 04:17 PM	#1
Frost_Hydra Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 151	Power Outage! need help ASAP I live in San Fransico, so power outages didnt seem to be a concern for me when setting up my tank. I dont no why but the power in my district went off, and that includes everything for my tank. I was wondering how dangerous is it for the fish to be in cooler water, as the heater obviously isint working, or how fast will the water cool down in a 55g Anything right now would be really helpfull, and I doubt this power outage will last long. suggestions for the future would be welcomed to.

03/13/2018, 05:24 PM	#5
Anemone Cloning Around Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Valencia, California Posts: 25,267	Okay, for the future, you'll want a battery backup of some sort. You can get a computer battery backup and plug one of your circulation (or filter) pumps into it. Do not plug your heater into it, or it will last very little time. You can also buy a battery backup air pump that comes on when the power goes out. I have used Penn Plax B2 air pumps for years. They run on a single D battery, plug into your power source, and only come on when the power goes off. They last more than 24 hours, so they are useful for a longer-term outage. I used to keep one in my main tank and one in my biofilter/refugium area. As for the heat, heaters take quite a bit of voltage, so you'll need a larger backup battery or small generator to run a heater for any length of time. The first thing you'll want to do is wrap the tank in blankets or towels to help keep insulate the tank and keep the existing heat in. I got some large bungee cords to wrap around the tank (and the blankets), as this seemed to me the easiest way to secure the blankets to the tank. If desperate, you could always heat water on a gas stove and mix back into the tank, or get one of those old-style rubber hot-water bottles that you could fill with hot water and place in the tank to radiate heat into the surrounding water. HTH, Kevin __________________ Back in the pool, swimming with the sharks... Current Tank Info: Red Sea 425XL w/Kessil AP700, Vertex 180i Skimmer, 2 x Vortech MP40s

03/14/2018, 04:44 AM	#7
homer1475 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 5,313	I lose power at least weekly here in upstate NY. If its not over 4 hours I don't do a thing to my tank. Have never had an issue due to power outages. If your tank can't last a couple hours without power, it might not be setup properly. __________________ 80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256 Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht: "He's just taking his lunch to work"

03/14/2018, 08:17 AM	#9
homer1475 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 5,313	I have a genny also and only use it when the power has been out longer then 3 hours. Our tanks pretty much run at saturated oxygen levels(assuming you don't have it sealed up tight and run a skimmer), and should be able to withstand a 5 to 10 degree temperature difference. Yes all tanks are setup differently, but still should be able to handle a couple hours without power. I also have an apex, dosing pumps, vortechs, ATI t5's, etc, etc, I and most reefs could still withstand a couple hours without power(temps on the reef are not constant like our tanks tend to be). I think you underestimate your tanks ability to withstand a couple hours without power. Notice I did not say more then a couple hours? Sk8r has a nice write up in the NTTH section about loosing power. She pretty much comes to the same conclusion I have, unless temps get dangerously low(forget her number but I consider 70 getting to low), and your fish aren't gasping for air, wait it out. I might have been a little hasty in saying a definitive 4 hours. __________________ 80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256 Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht: "He's just taking his lunch to work"

03/13/2018, 04:37 PM	#2
Tripod1404 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 1,821	How cold is your home? I would worry about suffocation before cooling. Unless there is surface agitation, oxygen will be depleted pretty fast. I would pout tank water into a pitcher and pour that into the tank for 5-10 times very 15mis or so.

03/13/2018, 04:41 PM	#3
Frost_Hydra Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 151	Thanks, getting a pitcher now, and its 62 degrees in my house right now. The tank is glass to.

03/13/2018, 05:07 PM	#4
Frost_Hydra Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 151	Okay powers back on, but now theres a new problem; The filter is not turning on. My lights, powerhead, and heater are on, but the filter isint working. I tried plugging it back in and out but theres no sign of it working

03/14/2018, 07:59 AM	#8
Jonviviano Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 417	Homer, I could not disagree with you more. How do individual tank setups have an effect on how long they can go without power? Besides some sort of backup power. Typically we do not plan for power outages. Your 4 hour outage could turn into a 24 hour outage. I have Vortechs, geissman lights, Apex, Dosing pumps. How would this help my tank compared to a few DIY leds and Jebao powerheads? When power goes out ALL tanks suffer the same fate. Lack of oxygen and cold temperature. Throwing $$$ at your system wont make a damn difference.(besides a generator). The idea is keeping parameters stable through the outage. With the money i have into my reef, and Refrigerator a Generator was one of my first purchases for my home.

03/14/2018, 08:20 AM	#10
Jonviviano Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 417	Touche, Maybe some of it my obsessiveness to maintain perfect parameters!

03/14/2018, 08:22 AM	#11
d0ughb0y Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: sf bay area Posts: 5,165	I live in SF Bay Area and keep my house / ambient temp around 60-64 and my tank temp 75. With 10-15 degree difference it takes 45 minutes to an hour to drop 0.5 degrees (data from Apex temp chart). Conservatively if say it takes 1 hour to drop 1 degree, I have about 3 hours to get gas for my small generator to power the tank and cell phones. People in my house can’t survive a minute without their cell phones.