Help - Building has a planned power outage for 6 hours.

KMS.Kyle · 11/24/2015, 11:19 PM

Hello - My building is doing some repairs on the emergency power systems here next month and it looks that the power will be down for 6-7 hours.. (MOST LIKELY only 1-3 they're probably just preparing for the worst)..

I'm pretty worried because it's planned for 11pm at night until 6-7am and here are my concerns.

A: My pump - If the power is turned off and turned back on my pump won't work without being re-primed - So if I'm asleep it won't start back up. (Maybe considering buying a pump that can prime its self)

B: My fish - Oxygen/circulation - Should I be concerned here and is there something I can get (battery ran) That will help me here.

C: The temperature - My place keeps my tank at a solid 25-26 degrees Celsius so I don't really see it dropping drastically and I have an apex which will hopefully come to the rescue. (once my power turns back on and my heater)

That said - Should I plan on staying awake all night or am I over worrying?

This is only my first month in the hobby so I appreciate any input.

Thank you!

SaltyDoug · 11/25/2015, 02:41 AM

B) should be your primary concern. Something like thisshould do the trickhttp://www.bulkreefsupply.com/silent-air-pump-with-battery-powered-back-up-sab11.html

KMS.Kyle · 11/25/2015, 03:14 AM

Thank you!!!

TangingOut · 11/25/2015, 03:34 AM

I just had this exact scenario and my power was set to be turned off for 4 hours. I didn't have money to buy a generator that I would want to keep, so I just ended up renting one from home depot. Saving up and buying a nice generator is on my short list.

KMS.Kyle · 11/25/2015, 04:00 AM

Great idea as well!

Thank you!

Xxero · 11/25/2015, 05:10 AM

On a much smaller time scale, I had the same thing happen just a couple of days ago. An electrician had to cut our main power supply, and you would have thought he had asked me for a kidney or something. I thought I was going to pace a bare spot on the living room carpet, and I'm pretty sure the electrician found me to be a madman.

Good luck!

gone fishin · 11/25/2015, 10:37 AM

You can put a blanket over the tank to help conserve heat, it is cold where you are. The blanket has the added benefit of making the tank dark and most fish unless nocturnal will go to their sleeping spots, using less oxygen. a cheap way to help oxygenate the water is to take a pitcher and dip some water out of the tank then pour it back in to agitate the water.

Personally I would not be to worried about 6 hours. The fish should be fine and if you have coral the may be a bit agitated but should settle back down once everything comes back on. Good luck just my 2 cents.

Sk8r · 11/25/2015, 09:20 PM

If you haven't overstocked, should be no problem. Let the tank cool down naturally with no heat, don't feed, and let it come back to proper temp and oxygenation once power-out is over.

11/24/2015, 11:19 PM	#1
KMS.Kyle Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 216	Help - Building has a planned power outage for 6 hours. Hello - My building is doing some repairs on the emergency power systems here next month and it looks that the power will be down for 6-7 hours.. (MOST LIKELY only 1-3 they're probably just preparing for the worst).. I'm pretty worried because it's planned for 11pm at night until 6-7am and here are my concerns. A: My pump - If the power is turned off and turned back on my pump won't work without being re-primed - So if I'm asleep it won't start back up. (Maybe considering buying a pump that can prime its self) B: My fish - Oxygen/circulation - Should I be concerned here and is there something I can get (battery ran) That will help me here. C: The temperature - My place keeps my tank at a solid 25-26 degrees Celsius so I don't really see it dropping drastically and I have an apex which will hopefully come to the rescue. (once my power turns back on and my heater) That said - Should I plan on staying awake all night or am I over worrying? This is only my first month in the hobby so I appreciate any input. Thank you! __________________ 66 Gallon Red Sea Max 250 Melanarus Wrasse, Sleeper Goby, Firefin Goby, Pajama Cardinal, Coral Beauty Angel, Coral Hogfish, Pair Clowns, Urchin, CB/Fire Shrimp, 6 Chromis, Clown Goby, 2 Skunk Shrim Last edited by KMS.Kyle; 11/24/2015 at 11:27 PM.

11/25/2015, 03:14 AM	#3
KMS.Kyle Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 216	Thank you!!! __________________ 66 Gallon Red Sea Max 250 Melanarus Wrasse, Sleeper Goby, Firefin Goby, Pajama Cardinal, Coral Beauty Angel, Coral Hogfish, Pair Clowns, Urchin, CB/Fire Shrimp, 6 Chromis, Clown Goby, 2 Skunk Shrim

11/25/2015, 04:00 AM	#5
KMS.Kyle Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 216	Great idea as well! Thank you! __________________ 66 Gallon Red Sea Max 250 Melanarus Wrasse, Sleeper Goby, Firefin Goby, Pajama Cardinal, Coral Beauty Angel, Coral Hogfish, Pair Clowns, Urchin, CB/Fire Shrimp, 6 Chromis, Clown Goby, 2 Skunk Shrim

11/25/2015, 05:10 AM	#6
Xxero Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Oklahoma City Posts: 1,054	On a much smaller time scale, I had the same thing happen just a couple of days ago. An electrician had to cut our main power supply, and you would have thought he had asked me for a kidney or something. I thought I was going to pace a bare spot on the living room carpet, and I'm pretty sure the electrician found me to be a madman. Good luck! __________________ "You Can Lead A Gift Horse To Water... But You Can't Make Him Look In Your Mouth." Current Tank Info: 65g Mixed Reef Display - 15g Macro Algae/Refugium - 40b Sump

11/25/2015, 10:37 AM	#7
gone fishin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Wyocena Wi Posts: 6,936	You can put a blanket over the tank to help conserve heat, it is cold where you are. The blanket has the added benefit of making the tank dark and most fish unless nocturnal will go to their sleeping spots, using less oxygen. a cheap way to help oxygenate the water is to take a pitcher and dip some water out of the tank then pour it back in to agitate the water. Personally I would not be to worried about 6 hours. The fish should be fine and if you have coral the may be a bit agitated but should settle back down once everything comes back on. Good luck just my 2 cents. __________________ Tony Current Tank Info: 180gal DT, BM NAC77 skimmer,3 Maxspect razors, Maxspect Gyre 150, 30g QT

11/25/2015, 02:41 AM	#2
SaltyDoug Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 140	B) should be your primary concern. Something like thisshould do the trickhttp://www.bulkreefsupply.com/silent-air-pump-with-battery-powered-back-up-sab11.html

11/25/2015, 03:34 AM	#4
TangingOut Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Scottsdale, AZ Posts: 1,511	I just had this exact scenario and my power was set to be turned off for 4 hours. I didn't have money to buy a generator that I would want to keep, so I just ended up renting one from home depot. Saving up and buying a nice generator is on my short list.

11/25/2015, 09:20 PM	#8
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	If you haven't overstocked, should be no problem. Let the tank cool down naturally with no heat, don't feed, and let it come back to proper temp and oxygenation once power-out is over. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.