What To Do In A Power Cut?

[entersandman]

Ok i'm still a total newbie but have got my tank up and running now, still maturing but levels are good and i'm pleased with my progress, now one thing that keeps nagging me is what if i have a power cut?? My filter and heater and air pump will all stop working!!!
What do you experienced people do to avoid a total disaster in your tank?? Can you buy a battery operated heater that you could put in if a power cut happened?? what about filtration how would you get round that??
These are probably stupid questions to the experienced fish keeper here but i would like to have it covered and the procedures in place in case it ever happens to me!!!!

Many thanks

 

[sophos9]

My power has been off for over 5 hours today, so no filtration or anything. Filter is wrapped, tank temp is still ok...

Dont feed, you want to minimise pollution. I will think about buying a UPS which can run the filter in the event of a power outage.

Fish keepers nightmare really!

 

[entersandman]

Excuse my ignorance!!! but when you say the filter is wrapped what exactly do you mean by wrapped??? I have an external fluval 205 by the way!

 

[sophos9]

Wrapped in polystyrene to try and keep it warm

I'm gutted, power has been out for 8hrs now, soon the bacteria will start to die off then welcome to the mini cycle

 

[entersandman]

Damn that's real bad luck mate, this is exactly what i'm dreading!!!! Hope you get your power on again soon otherwise those fish will start to suffer

 

[sophos9]

Thanks, I hope so too! Will be looking to purchase a UPS, at least that buys a few hours...

 

[RadaR]

Oh no!
Something to do with the filter media is put it in a bucket of tank water and run a battery powered air pump underneath it. Main thing really is to provide a water current and oxygen for the bacteria.

 

[entersandman]

Can you buy battery operated air pumps and heaters thus giving you at least the heat and a bit of a current whilst the filter is down???

 

[chrisdoesntmiss]

With the volume of water in the tank it will take a long time to cool down to problematic levels. Also throwing a large blanket or duvet over the tank will insulate it.

You can purchase battery powered air pumps from most LFS' and even ebay.

Chris

 

[timmystood]

Really Useful Topic

 

[sophos9]

Thanks for the article, I have really bad news!

EDF Energy seem to be causing me massive problems

Power went off at 4am, told it would then be 9:00am
They then called me to tell me 9:30am
I called then, its now 10:30am
I then called them, its not 12:30pm
They called me, its now 3pm

I have a Ehiem external Pro 2, by this time I believe the bacteria will be dead and the tank will go into a recycle

This is the 4th powercut in 13days, will be writing to EDF Customer Service

I guess after this its just keeping eye on parameters and changing water accordingly?

 

[chrisdoesntmiss]

If you trusted your local LFS enough and tested there water accordingly you could also go and "borrow" a piece of their filter media and then pick up a battery powered pump. Either that or go to PC World and pick up a 500 Watt UPS. They come with an initial charge anyway and the wattage of a tank, minus the heater and light is tiny so it will last for hours. Or go to Maplins, grab a 12 Volt to 230 Volt inverter and connect a car 12 volt battery to it. That will give you a few hours anyway.

I have had this problem before and i am with EDF too. They Suck

Chris

 

[sophos9]

11hrs out of power... Bacteria has def died in the filter - ammonia at 0.25ppm, nitrites clear

Being pretty planted, the ammonia should go quite quick, conducted water change and added some Seachem Prime to the tank to help remove ammonia

Happy days, all fish seem fine

 

[Tolak]

The bacteria should regenerate rather quickly, a mini cycle at most. Too bad you started this at 2am my time. One trick is to take a cheap plastic cup, and punch some small holes in the bottom. Clip this to the inside of the tank, and pour tank water through it every so often. The cup & media is the filter, you are the pump.

 

[sophos9]

Tolak, Hi

Thanks for the tip... Problem was being told it would come on definitely at 9:30am, if I would have know otherwise I would have hired a generator or something so I went to work so was stuck!

Will be buying a UPS soon