Poll: How do you plan for power outages?

[dbl]

Let’s discuss power outages as it can happen to any of us, for any number of reasons. The northeast is bracing for another winter battle so maybe it’s a chance to see how folks prepare for an outage. What do you use a backup power options, specifically for your tank(s). If you’re lucky enough to have a whole house generator with auto transfer switch, then you’re golden. But for others, what are your plans? If you're new to the hobby, you need to have a plan!

There are many, many ways to handle this and I've tried to include the most common methods. Feel free to discuss your plans in details as it may help others down the road.

 

[DancingShark]

Where is the irresponsible no option?

 

[Sierra_Bravo]

I have two ice cap battery backups wired into the gyres, two battery bait bubblers (helps that I fish), power inverters for the car, and a portable generator. It's not that I bought it all for the tank - it's that I'm from South Florida and it's standard hurricane equipment.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I used a huge industrial battery (class 4D, can barely move it) on a DIY UPS to supply an inverter for powerheads in the tank (Tunze Streams).

 

[mckinleyw]

we have a pretty good size generator and usually around 5-10 full gas cans around at all times if power goes out for more than 2 hrs we will hook it up to the dryer plug and run all the fridge and freezers, as well as almost everything on my system except maybe the chiller.

 

[dutch27]

I rarely lose power for more than a handful of hours. In the worst of times, I have brought a bucket of rock, any coral that was removable, and my fish, to my office at work as we have a generator that kicks in during outages. Also did the same with a spare 10g aquarium one time. One of the benefits of keeping a smaller tank and being close to work.

 

[Elegance Coral]

I live in Florida and was without power for a week with this past hurricane, that went directly over my house. I didn't lose a single creature. I've been through multiple hurricanes. My tank is set up to have a very small O2 demand. Other than the 12" vlamingii tang. 300 gallon tank, 100 gallon sump, very little rock, no sand, and a large area of surface water for gas exchange. Once or twice a day, I went in and moved the water around with my hands. Other than that, it was stagnant for about a week. My fish didn't even seem to care. Other than getting their days and nights mixed up because the lights weren't coming on.

 

[Neo Jeo]

I have done a lot of research the past week on this... after everything this is what I found.. You need a Generator, that's it.... Nothing else will last as long, nothing else will support your heater and pumps....

I live in COLD winters, Im going to modify my furnace to plug into a power source and get a Generator.

 

[AdamPhe]

I use a small APC ups with an 100 amp hour sealed lead acid battery. I have the return pump, heater and a small light hooked to it. My system is good for about 60 hours no power operation

 

[dbl]

Where is the irresponsible no option?

Added, but I wouldn't dare call it irresponsible! I simply called it "I do not have a power outage plan". I guess I could have added - but I hopefully will after this thread...lol.

 

[Lasse]

Oxidation and hydrogen peroxide.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[madweazl]

Reminds me that I need to do some checks to make sure things are in order. I actually have a few of the things on the list including, a 5.5kw generator, battery driven air pumps, and a Ecotech battery back-up. I've used the generator and battery driven pumps on the aquariums before but the battery back-up hasnt been used yet and has been sitting on the floor next to the tank for at least six months now...

I'll fire the generator up today and make sure it's all good and check the batteries on the air pumps.

 

[pelphrey]

My messy equipment cabinet. My system runs on a battery backup, won't run it for hours since the entire system runs on it. Luckily the utilities in my neighborhood are buried, which doesn't mean it can't happen. But the chances are reduced. I work 5 minutes from home and have someone there all day, so worst case scenario I run home and isolate equipment from the UPS and run a heater and a pump on it.

 

[andrewkw]

I have a 7500w generator and keep 24hrs gas on hand. Really gotta get an extra gas can, but in theory that should be fine. Longest power outage was 30 something hours, no issues other than one jebao pump doesn't really like the generator. Ran lighting, skimmer everything else like normal. As much as I dislike heating my house with wood it does not require electricity.

I would eventually like to add some battery backups too, just to return pump and maybe one powerhead. The only issue with the generator is I have to be home to set it up. I'm home 99% of the time but a big part of the reason I wouldn't go away for long in the brutally cold winter is I'd be too scared the power will go out.

 

[izzyishh]

I pray.... lol I have a chimney same room as the tank and just turn it on, tank stays about 74 last time the power went out. I use a portable battery jumper and connect a small return pump for a little flow.

 

[outeastreefer]

I use Echo Tech battery backup for mp 40. If I know the power will be out for a while I have a portable generator. The house might be cold but the fish will be happy.

 

[redfishbluefish]

I'm a portable generator user....and it was pure luck that I had one when Hurricane Sandy hit us pretty hard October, 2012. That generator that I purchased 4 - 5 months before Sandy hit was sitting in my garage, still in the box. That generator ran over seven days, 24 hours a day, fully powering my tank, boiler, refrigerator, television and a couple lights. After Sandy I decided to give it it's own home with a mini shed in the backyard...with all the necessities in that shed as well. So I'm ready!

 

[Rick Krejci]

Have a good size UPS and have my Apex set up to go into low power mode (everything off but runs the Vortech's on low and only runs the return pump for 5 minutes every half hour). Should last a few hours. Heaters would suck up too much juice, so I just have to hope temps won't plummet too quickly.

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

Portable 5,500W generator with a cable to backfeed the house through the dryer's outlet. Simply turn off the main, well, water heater, and A/C and the rest of the house has power. I'm in (north) Central Florida and was without power for 6 days thanks to Irma and didn't lose anything because the whole tank was up and running as normal 24/7 and only went through about 15-20 gallons of gas.

 

[happyhourhero]

Live on the gulf coast and have a generator. Have had to use it once so far.