Leave The House For One Minute...

[dgwebster]

last winter we had a major power cut lasting for about 15 hours. The fish tank was surviving happily but I was watching a couple of grand worth of specialist reptile snakes get colder and colder and colder. I eventually managed to clobber together a portable gas heater & tank of gas as the room had dropped to about 4 degrees by then. I now keep those two items spare, ready for action!
 
Edit: Should mention, dont have mains gas so normal heating was also out.

 

[Mikey1]

if your power goes off frequently, get yourself a UPS (uninterupted power supply)
 
they are really intended for computers, but will do the job,
 
a good UPS can supply power for 4-6 hours after the power goes off

 

[Joshwainwright]

if your power goes off frequently, get yourself a UPS (uninterupted power supply)
 
they are really intended for computers, but will do the job,
 
a good UPS can supply power for 4-6 hours after the power goes off

Great tip! I think Techen is from the UK though if I remember correctly and it doesn't go off often here

 

[DrRob]

Even better than the UPS's, although tough to find, are second hand UPS's. They have a relatively short shelf life, as they're supposed to chuck out carefully regulated power so they don't bother sensitive computer parts.
 
Our heaters and pumps are generally a lot more forgiving than that, so if you can intercept one that's going to be recycled (they have good sized batteries in them) then they're often a bargin.

 

[cpwebsite]

A battery powered air pump can really help you during times like this. Imagine if you had been sleeping and it happened right after you want to bed. You could have lost them all sadly. Or you can get have a something like the vortech pump for marine tanks for freshwater, where you plug them in, but they have a backup battery just in case something happens.

 

[dgwebster]

Ok i have it: a battery backup powered raspberry pi PC to monitor the temperature and oxygen levels to operate a relay switching on/off air pumps and heaters when needed to prolong the industrial UPS all whilst connection to a cheap mobile unit to SMS you to alert yoh to the problem, receiving your GPS position in return from your smartphone that alerts your nearest emergency keyholder to come investigate the cause of the loss of power in the event you are further away than them....

 

[Shelster]

Would the battery powered air pump not just accelerate the rate in which the tank cools down?

Although I suppose they would prefer O2 over warm waters.

 

[cpwebsite]

Would the battery powered air pump not just accelerate the rate in which the tank cools down?

Although I suppose they would prefer O2 over warm waters.

 
That's my logic. They would rather be cold and able to breathe. Plus, the warmer the water, the more oxygen they need from what I've heard. But, yes assuming room temperature is cooler than the tank, and air pump would cause more agitation that would cool it down quicker. However, I doubt it would cool down significantly slower than otherwise.

 

[Joshwainwright]

Ok i have it: a battery backup powered raspberry pi PC to monitor the temperature and oxygen levels to operate a relay switching on/off air pumps and heaters when needed to prolong the industrial UPS all whilst connection to a cheap mobile unit to SMS you to alert yoh to the problem, receiving your GPS position in return from your smartphone that alerts your nearest emergency keyholder to come investigate the cause of the loss of power in the event you are further away than them....

You've really thought about that haven't you...