Winter Emergency!

[Mikaila31]

Here is a UPS. Its a small one, but they are all basically the same. You plug it into the wall, inside the box is a battery that is kept charged. When the power goes out it instantly switches from the wall power to the battery power and thus anything plugged into it does not loose power suddenly. That one can do 330 max for 3 minuets, the less watts the longer its going to last. You could probably get a long run out of it if you just ran your filter. Filter uses probably less then 10 watts, your heater on the other hand uses a lot more.

 

[This Old Spouse]

lol@ old spouse It is really too nice over here huh? I work for a ski lodge in the winter and they just called the other day asking for my class schedule, winter can be that far away. I only have power outages in the summer, in winter they are rare. Even those blizzards where work closes and my road doesn't see a snow plow for 36 hours.

Hudson is like the tropics compared to the Boundary Waters! When we lose power here it's usually not for long. I live on the outskirts of Ely, Minn. and our street is one of the last to see the snow plow, and then it's usually some guy with a plow on his pickup that makes a quick run down the street to give us one clear lane.

 

[Noahs ark6]

whith regards to my last post, buy a camping stove with the biggest gas bottles you can buy for them to heat up the water.

 

[Mikaila31]

lol@ old spouse It is really too nice over here huh? I work for a ski lodge in the winter and they just called the other day asking for my class schedule, winter can be that far away. I only have power outages in the summer, in winter they are rare. Even those blizzards where work closes and my road doesn't see a snow plow for 36 hours.

Hudson is like the tropics compared to the Boundary Waters! When we lose power here it's usually not for long. I live on the outskirts of Ely, Minn. and our street is one of the last to see the snow plow, and then it's usually some guy with a plow on his pickup that makes a quick run down the street to give us one clear lane.

Yeah Ely is way north. I was actually up in the BWCA last summer for a college class. I want to make a trip to Ely sometime to go see some wolves since I think they are amazing. Was hoping to maybe hear some in the BWCA but it was just the loons. I like being near the twin cities though. Just close enough so that its a reasonable drive, but still able to head up north and get away from everything once and awhile.

 

[This Old Spouse]

Frankly I'd like to be nearer the Cities as well. It's where my family is.

As for your next trip up here to hear wolves: Let me know when you're coming up and I'll direct you to a spot near an established pack. If you go there at night an howl for a while, they usually howl back at you. It's an incredible experience.

Apologies, OP, for highjacking the post!

 

[RobberyinCSharp]

whith regards to my last post, buy a camping stove with the biggest gas bottles you can buy for them to heat up the water.

That's actually a FANTASTIC idea!!! Thanks!!!

 

[CrazyCichlaMomma]

ok, in ALL of my tanks, i keep sponge filters the brand i choose is ATI Hydro V pro. i buy them from American Aquarium products in Oregon. http/www.americanaquariumproducts.com/SpongeFilter.html

i run them when the power is on with Fusion air pumps. i used to use Millionair pumps, but they die quickly and i was always having to buy new ones. here is where i buy the Fusion air pumps. http/www.thatpetplace.com/pet/group/4743/product.web

when i have to transport fish, or when the power goes out i hook up my 12v air pumps to the sponge filters, here are links to two kinds i have used and where you can buy them. i like the brown one better, the batteries last longer also. the blue one, the air pressure is adjustable, but you have to replace the batteries daily. both of them take 2 D-cell batteries and run for 24hours minimum on one set of batteries. here are links to each of them. the blue one:http/www.aquacave.com/elite-battery-operatedbr-air-pump-by-hagen-1397.html
and the brown one: http/www.aquacave.com/life-air-50-battery-operated-brair-pump-206.html

i also bought a 10K watt generator for $629 on ebay in case of an extended power outage and so that we could move the fish long distance if we need to, because i was planning on moving to Alabama. but that might not be happening now.

and.. when the power goes out the first thing you should do, if the power doesn't come back on in about 30 minutes is to pull the bio media out of your canister or HOB filters and float them in the tank so that the beneficial bacteria doesn't die.

i realize that i live in CA but my tanks get cold too when the power goes off. me and my son have used the gas grill to warm up pots of filtered water. the filter still works during power outages because it only requires water pressure and not electricity.

 

[CezzaXV]

I meant to write a battery powered air pump. My dad used to have one for catching live sand eels to use for bait when he went fishing.

 

[Seed_Lord]

have anything sheltered outside? Even if its freezing with dry wood you'd be able to get a fire going, to heat water? if it came to that, and look into insulating your tank so heat loss is minimal, as for filtration your stuck without a genny or anything but just dont feed them (adult fish will go a while without food) and if you have a way of heating water then do reg changes. Sounds a bit horrible longest power outage i can remember we've was maybe like half an hour

 

[RobberyinCSharp]

ok, in ALL of my tanks, i keep sponge filters the brand i choose is ATI Hydro V pro. i buy them from American Aquarium products in Oregon. http/www.americanaquariumproducts.com/SpongeFilter.html

i run them when the power is on with Fusion air pumps. i used to use Millionair pumps, but they die quickly and i was always having to buy new ones. here is where i buy the Fusion air pumps. http/www.thatpetplace.com/pet/group/4743/product.web

when i have to transport fish, or when the power goes out i hook up my 12v air pumps to the sponge filters, here are links to two kinds i have used and where you can buy them. i like the brown one better, the batteries last longer also. the blue one, the air pressure is adjustable, but you have to replace the batteries daily. both of them take 2 D-cell batteries and run for 24hours minimum on one set of batteries. here are links to each of them. the blue one:http/www.aquacave.com/elite-battery-operatedbr-air-pump-by-hagen-1397.html
and the brown one: http/www.aquacave.com/life-air-50-battery-operated-brair-pump-206.html

i also bought a 10K watt generator for $629 on ebay in case of an extended power outage and so that we could move the fish long distance if we need to, because i was planning on moving to Alabama. but that might not be happening now.

and.. when the power goes out the first thing you should do, if the power doesn't come back on in about 30 minutes is to pull the bio media out of your canister or HOB filters and float them in the tank so that the beneficial bacteria doesn't die.

i realize that i live in CA but my tanks get cold too when the power goes off. me and my son have used the gas grill to warm up pots of filtered water. the filter still works during power outages because it only requires water pressure and not electricity.

This was great! Thank you! I bought the battery operated air pump on rush order and got the sponge filter from my LFS. My mother has power so she is boiling some water and putting it in a special thermos to help the temp issue. It's 53 in my house right now - I thought we had oil heat but I guess that's only our furnace room we have electric heat. The tanks are at 55*F right now. My fish are not good...she needs to hurry!!!

 

[RobberyinCSharp]

We have power!!! It was a close call and we are some of the few in the state who got it back, but my fish are okay! It was a close call though! Thanks everyone!!! :hugs:

 

[CrazyCichlaMomma]

that's great!! glad to hear the fish are gonna be ok. i think now is the time to consider getting a cheap generator while the power is on and all the fish are ok.

 

[RobberyinCSharp]

that's great!! glad to hear the fish are gonna be ok. i think now is the time to consider getting a cheap generator while the power is on and all the fish are ok.

Absolutely. Because there are still around 500,000 in Connecticut without power, there's no chance I'll be able to find one in a store any time soon

I *DID* however, pick up the supplies needed for a battery-operated air filter.

I know you have a really expensive and full-power generator in your house, but would you happen to know of any battery-backup systems or other power pack systems (besides a generator) that could run my heater for a few hours a day? Just in case we lose power again? It's certainly likely it'll happen to us this (ACTUAL) winter - the farmer's almanac is saying it's gonna be ugly and based on the fact we just got 6 inches of snow before Halloween, I'd say they weren't kidding!

 

[Tolak]

You can get a smaller generator for about $150, maybe less, that will easily power your tanks.

 

[Reret]

Lol my Gma said her moms fish froze and in the sprind they melted andwere fine