Power is off at home! What should I do?

[freshy]

Hi guys I need some help,

I just got home from work and found no electrical power in my neighborhood. I have no idea for how long it's been gone, but I'm a bit worried
about the fishies. By the look of my refrigerator I reckon it's been around 1:30 to 2 hours.

How long can they hold up without filtration? The electricity company sucks! I know the bastards! It can take them hours (3 or 4) before power is restored.

I'm I freaking out with no reason? Is it necessary to do waterchanges? (I did my weekly waterchange this Saturday)

I know you are all busy people and don't want to cause any inconveniance, but my computer is running low on its battery so I beg you... please hurry with the responses before I go offline again!

Thank you, thank you, thank you

 

[handsomeboy]

uhh, try running to the lfs for a battery powered air pump, for circulation

 

[Mr Miagi]

Hey, i wouldnt stress too much over it dude......calm down....deep breaths.

Fish dont die if evrything off for a few hours, and im sure 3-4 hours will be fine. Mine have lasted along time without.....10hrs plus once.

Its lucky you did the water change on sat. You normally dont do water changes, this would just stress the fish out even more than they are now. There aint much else you can do in a power out.

Hang in there.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi freshy

Don't worry too much. The important thing is to keep the temperature from dropping to much, too quickly and to keep water flowing through your filter to provide food and oxygen to your beneficial bacteria.

Just pour a few cupfuls of tank water through the filter every hour or so, if you can. You can wrap the tanks with blankets and/or put jars of warm water in there to help keep the temperature up.

If power will be off for an extended period of time, you can do small water changes or take water out of the tank and pour it back in from a height. This will add oxygen to the water.

I kept my tanks going from Thursday afternoon to Monday during the east coast blackout by doing this.

 

[gaya]

I kept my tanks going from Thursday afternoon to Monday during the east coast blackout by doing this.

wow, I didn't even think of that when I heard about the black out.

 

[DannyBoy17]

Just thank God you dont have a sump. Sump - Pump = A lot of water on the floor.

DB

 

[CTS]

ive gone a good day with my filter not working before i noticed it. You should be fine.(but your power is probably back on by now

 

[littlefishie]

Just out of curiosity.. if your power is out at home, and you just got home from work, how are you posting?

As long as you pour dechlorinated water through the filter every couple hours or so, you'll be fine. The bacteria need water flow to live.

 

[freshy]

Power's back! B) Phew! Thank you all for the reponses and advice.
It's close to midnight now and power was off for about 6 hrs.
I'm running an undergravel filter with a 101 Aquaclear powerhead attached so I don't really know how could I pour water through it.
I ran to my LFS and it was already closed (almost at 10 pm, I'm in Mexico), but one of those battery powered airpumps sounds like a good thing to have in case of an emergency. I was already picturing myself waking up every 2 hours to make small waterchanges all night long!

Oh, and littlefishie I got online through my mom's laptop modem. Just needed a phoneline and a little battery power.

Cheers! And thanks again for the help

 

[littlefishie]

See, I'd thought of the laptop route cos I could still use mine when we had a power outage here, but the internet didn't work. Probably cos it was highspeed and the modem needed an electrical outlet.

Never even occured to me to try dialup..

 

[keane]

Just pour a few cupfuls of tap water through the filter every hour or so, if you can. You can wrap the tanks with blankets and/or put jars of warm water in there to help keep the temperature up.

Hi,

Inchworm.....don't mean to jump on you as you are a fountain of knowledge...correct me if i am wrong but.....

...won't pouring TAP water through the filter KILL all the bacteria??

if anything needs to be poured through then it should surely be tank water and not tap water?!

steve B)

 

[Angry_Platy]

Yeah, I woulda thought so to. I am thinking she meant to say to dechlor it first but just forgot.....

 

[Discomafia]

I think she meant tank water, I've seen her post the exact same thing somewhere else...

 

[Inchworm]

...won't pouring TAP water through the filter KILL all the bacteria??

if anything needs to be poured through then it should surely be tank water and not tap water?!

Hi thebaldranger

Thank you so very much for catching my error!

Indeed, I meant to say TANK water, not TAP water. Ugh! that would be a big mistake! It would kill the very bacteria you were trying to save.

I think I better edit my post. Thanks again!

 

[Jezah]

Ah, thats actually a funny coincadink! I just lost power last night up here in NH due to a snowstorm. I was panicking as I didnt have a nifty laptop to check hints online. My major issue was keeping it warm. I had to float bags of warm water in the tank for 7 hours! Dang electric company. All cause of a little snow...and I mean LITTLE, only 3 inches. You would think living in NH the power company would be PREPARED for this stuff...jeez.