How to Prepare for a Power Outage?

[Stray32]

I read a thread recently about a guy who lost his entire tank to a power outage, and then I realized that I will be setting my new tank up in an older home, and even the electrical is updated, it is probably more likely here than in my apartment.

My question is, what kind of preventive measures should I take to avoid a flood or total loss of my tank in case of a power outage?

I have heard there is something that will break the syphon from the tank to the sump if the pumps stop working?

I just want to be as prepared as I can in case it happens to me.


Thanks!

[baitshopboy]

Drill a little hole on the return line just under the water level and when the tank level drops to that point to air will break the syphon.

[kzickovich]

acd buy a battery back-up air stone they sell them at petco and petsmart or online

[baitshopboy]

Also, make sure you leave enough room in the sump to hold the water that gets syphoned out before the syphon break kicks it. Dont want it to over flow.

[Stray32]

Do they make battery operated heaters?

[Caragol]

You can get a cheap computer UPS to run the heater and a battery backup air pump to keep some level of water movement in there and you should be good for several hours at least. Beyond that, you're looking at what generator to buy and how to integrate it into your home.

I want to note, bad things can happen to your tank that aren't just power related. Think about the cost of an extra heater in the tank vs coming home to a cold dead tank due to simple heater failure. You can live without lights for days, without that skimmer, sump, reactors, but you're going to need some backup water movement and temperature control at a minimum to stay safe. Brainstorm scenarios in general to try to prevent problems from failures, such as the overflow tip mentioned above.

[Flightpipe]

Hopefully the RC gods will not get to ticked for my putting this link up.

http://www.panhandlereefers.com/distribution/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=79

That is a Link to our local site Florida panhandle, no power happens to us constantly! With hurricane season in full swing there may be some useful info for ya there that others have posted on that thread.

[crvz]

yeah, the overflow and sump should be designed to handle a power outage, as it's an often occurrence. siphon holes will do wonders. other than that, I have battery airstones that kick on automatically when the power turns off, as depleted O2 levels are a big concern to a still tank.

[Stray32]

My new setup will have a heater in the tank and one in the sump just in case. I will definitely look into getting the UPS and battery air pump.

[Stray32]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13319014#post13319014 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by crvz
yeah, the overflow and sump should be designed to handle a power outage, as it's an often occurrence. siphon holes will do wonders. other than that, I have battery airstones that kick on automatically when the power turns off, as depleted O2 levels are a big concern to a still tank.

How do you have these programmed to come on automatically?

[Reefbox]

For flooding: test your system by turning off the power and see what happens to your setup,siphon, sump level, etc. So you know.

Oxygen is most important to supply. In survival mode creating flow with a battery powered air pumps can save a system.

[Caragol]

Stray32, the battery powered pumps actually plug in to an outlet, but the plug is mainly just to switch it on when the power is off. Most of the time, these just sit idle.

[Stray32]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13319066#post13319066 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Caragol
Stray32, the battery powered pumps actually plug in to an outlet, but the plug is mainly just to switch it on when the power is off. Most of the time, these just sit idle.

Cool, I will check them out, thanks.

[Sk8r]

One of the most important things you can do for your tank is have enough live rock/sand, and don't overstock!!!!

You never know when a tank will suffer an emergency. Two snails caused me an 8 hour power down, while I disassembled and cleaned pumps and lines looking for the problem. I had no losses, nor any impending signs of loss. I have had 8 hour power outs. But equipment problems do happen. If you have stocked your tank to the max it can be artificially sustained with the skimmer and downflow's aeration, but cannot survive without that, you can have a serious problem in a very, very short time. If your critters are well within the oxygen capacity of your tank's surface air exchange, given such small aids as gathering up a gallon pitcher of tank water and pouring it in again from the top of a ladder---(it does help)---you are much, much safer. Tangs and angels have a particularly high oxygen requirement. If anyone is going to have trouble first, it will be those fish; and of course they reduce the amount available for other fishes.

Oxygenation is the primary problem in a power out. Ordinarily oxygen reaches your tank from 1) surface gas exchange 2) the downflow/waterfall of your sump 3) your skimmer's bubble action. Your return pump accelerates 2 of these.

If you have a good tank balance of fishes/size, you can sustain your tank off a small battery backup by running the return pump for 5 minutes every hour. But you have to have somebody on hand to do that.

[Stray32]

Thanks Sk8r, I will make sure I make all the necessary updates before setting up my new tank.

[danielc316]

you could go buy a batter back up at bestbuy or some thing like that. those i see lasting about 2hr(i work there and that has been an option for me) or my buddy bougth a generator, we get really bad storms in chicago. longest i been with out power 4 days :(

[aww_419]

A generator is the best way to go. Those battery back ups never seem to last as long as they say they do. and even then most times its just not long enough.