Ice Storm Power Outage

[rob92]

Ok so i have a 35g FOWLR and our power went out yesterday at 5am and is still out and my tank is now close to 60F. I was wondering what is the lowest temperature i can let me tank get to before i start loosing livestock.

please dont suggest heating with hot water in a container or anything along those lines because we have no way of heating anything due to us having an electric stove and we dont even have a grill, plus the tank have been covered with a blanket and is still rapidly loosing heat. I also tried a computer batter backup that i borrowed from work (With permission lol) and that only lasted about 1.5hrs before it died.


livestock
2 oc clown fish, yellow tail damsel, honey dew damsel, purple & yellow dotty back, 2 hermit crabs, 2 turbo snails, 2 bumble bee snails and a horse shoe crab

 

[phillrodrigo]

Its already past that point its just time now. Can you get a power inverter for 30$ with a car or better yet a marine battery. I woupd definitely get one of those at a minimum it may be hard now that power is out. I ran mine like that during the hurricane lasted a few days. I really hope it works out.for you

 

[MrDJeep123]

Wrap your tank in newspaper. This will help insulate. You still have running water? Make it as hot as possible, put into containers that float and change them out when they no longer are heated. Keep check on temp as it shouldn't take too long, but be careful not to raise it too fast.

 

[rob92]

tried the hot water method but our water heater is electric and there is no more hot water due to mom just had to wash her hair.

 

[vlangel]

I am so sorry you are dealing with that. I can't answer your question definitively but I can tell you that my 36g got down to 50 degrees due to the controller on my chiller getting fried, (also due to a power outage) and it running at night while we were sleeping. Anyhow I amazingly didn't lose any inverts, including a blue crocea clam but sadly did lose 3 of my 7 fish. I very slowly warmed the water back up with warm WC, half gallon at a time over about 3 hrs til I got the tank back to 72 degrees and figured the heater could take it from there. A lot of my LPS gave off a real slime coating so I ran carbon to help with that. Hope that helps.

 

[rob92]

Its already past that point its just time now. Can you get a power inverter for 30$ with a car or better yet a marine battery. I woupd definitely get one of those at a minimum it may be hard now that power is out. I ran mine like that during the hurricane lasted a few days. I really hope it works out.for you

i have a power inverter that i can use but we dont have any extra batteries laying around i already though of that but my girl needs her car to get to school and parents need their cars to get to work

 

[vlangel]

Oops, my post isn't very encouraging now that I read more carefully that you have a FOWLR system. Sorry.

 

[MrDJeep123]

tried the hot water method but our water heater is electric and there is no more hot water due to mom just had to wash her hair.

Used up ALL of the hot water just for that? Go to your LFS, they may help if they have power.

 

[rob92]

Oops, my post isn't very encouraging now that I read more carefully that you have a FOWLR system. Sorry.

its alright lol

 

[rob92]

Used up ALL of the hot water just for that? Go to your LFS, they may help if they have power.

i thought about the lfs but the closest one is about 45 min away and i dont want their water infecting my fish with something although i may have to put them in a hospital tank once we get power again. at lease for the ones that make it

 

[justgotwet]

If you could get to a store and buy some sterno or rubbing alcohol you could. Heat water that way.

 

[rob92]

If you could get to a store and buy some stereo or rubbing alcohol and heat your water that way.

explain please lol

 

[justgotwet]

Sterno you can find in walmart camping supply it is used to heat food when you go camping. Or if you are a do it yourself kind of guy get a glass jar with a metal lid . Fill the jar with rubbing alcohol and poke a hole in the lid and run a shoestring into the jar leave a little bit above the lid that will be your wick. Light the wick and you will have heat.

 

[phillrodrigo]

Im a moron im a chef and never thought of a sterno. Its those little fire things that you see at some buffets. They are a gel in a can. You light it with a lighter. It will stay lit for 2 or 4 hours depending on the one you buy.

 

[rob92]

oh, i didnt even think about those, if the power is not on tonight when i get home from work ill need to get some of them.

 

[justgotwet]

Be careful if you use those you do not want to burn your house down.

 

[phillrodrigo]

Run a extension cord from the car with the inverter. Heat the tank back up. Start the car and let it run.

 

[cdness]

Generator, Inverter, stove, fire... You have options, just need to figure out which one will work. Shoot, even start a fire in the back yard and heat a pot of water. You can do something, just need to put your mind to it and figure it out. Be resourceful.

 

[Rob&Gab]

please subcribe to this guy he is amazing and you can learn allot from him. with heat or cooling the house.

hope these videos help . you dont need to go outside to make a fire. or heat up water.

[video=youtube;whygFig3epc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whygFig3epc[/video]

 

[Rob&Gab]

[video=youtube;ay7hc1juJEo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay7hc1juJEo[/video]