How To Keep Reef Tank Alive During A Power Outage

In that location are two words which will send the majority of aquarium owners into a state of pure panic "Ability Outage".

To the owners who have prepared, the vast majority of power outages cause zero business organization! Why? They accept planned and tested their power backup systems! I most learned the difficult way and with my summers getting to +100°F and winters dropping to -35°F, I'chiliad as prepared as I can exist! Hither is how yous tin can go prepared too.

Dropping oxygen levels, changing water temperature and rising ammonia are all issues that volition occur one time the life support systems cease working on an aquarium. Battery backups, generators, stirring and heating h2o are curt-term alternatives to ensuring livestock survival.

Protecting your aquarium from the loss of power can be dealt with by a few simple solutions or if mother nature decides to unleash her wrath you may accept issues!

Read on to find out some great ways to help keep your tank alive…

How to Maintain Aquarium Health During a Ability Outage

There are 3 categories to embrace here:

Costless Means To Aid
Cheaper & DIY Ways To Help
Expensive Means To Help

Gratis Solutions:

In addition to the solutions mentioned above hither are a few more to try:

Stirring the Water

Using a large plastic serving spoon and manually stirring the aquarium water will ensure adept gas commutation at the surface of the water and will keep the water oxygenated. It also helps to keep the temperature mixed throughout all levels in the aquarium and provide water movement for your corals.

You will become tired and needs stirring a few times each hour!

Jugging the Water

Similar to stirring but this involves using a measuring jug or loving cup and scooping up aquarium water and then pouring it dorsum into the tank. This has the same benefits as stirring merely will allow your water to cool. This could be a do good if you are trying to reduce the temperature of your tank.

Cheaper & DIY Solutions:

The $3 Air Pump Using a Potato and Hydrogen Peroxide!

I'm non kidding! I was amazed when I get-go saw this! Check out his awesome video for a super uncomplicated manner to keep your tank supplied with oxygen for hours!

"NOTE that even though this produces the bubbles in the tank at a tiresome charge per unit… we are calculation PURE 100% oxygen. This is 5Xs more concentrated than regular air bubbles, so it doesn't need to be a massive corporeality of bubbling. Keep this in mind. "
Joey Mullen – Male monarch of DIY

Battery Powered Air Pumps

Manually Operated – This is a simple battery-powered air pump that yous tin can turn on and driblet the airstone into the h2o. Nevertheless, this one requires you lot to install and operate but is a lifesaver for effectually $10. Check it out HERE at Amazon.com

Automatic Monitoring – This battery-operated air pump plugs into the wall to monitor the homes' electricity supply. When the power goes out this pump automatically starts up and pumps air into your aquarium until the batteries get flat. A nice fiddling set-and-forget unit of measurement for effectually $20. Cheque it out Here at Amazon.com

Exist sure to have replacement batteries on hand to continue these pumps running!

These pumps are likewise very useful for transporting fish long distances!

Solar Powered Air Pumps

These lilliputian pumps are great to have on hand to work alongside the battery-powered air pumps. I would not rely on just i type as your batteries may go flat or it could be dark, simply having both running and acting as a secondary oxygen supply to the other is adept practice.
You can observe a great kit Here at Amazon.com

DIY Battery Dorsum-Upwards Systems

There are some awesome systems out there that tin can really help save your tank. If you are not practically minded or don't have a DIY bone in your trunk I would stay away from these options.

Getting it wrong tin seriously injure yous! I take no responsibility for your actions! There are numerous write-ups in the many forums on the systems fellow aquarists take designed and installed. There is too a good Wiki on DIY emergency power backup systems 😉

Solar Maintained Organisation – This involves using a solar panel to charge and maintain an AGM battery or batteries linked in parallel to supply ability to an inverter. The inverter will and then supply power to your wavemakers, heater, chiller or lights.

Powering wavemakers and render pumps are the devices that are unremarkably maintained, but items like heaters, chillers, and lights are power hogs and volition speedily drain your batteries unless y'all have designed the system correctly.

Battery Maintainer Organisation – This is identical to the system above except a bombardment charger/maintainer unit of measurement keeps the AGM battery maintained, rather than the solar console.

Manufactured Battery Dorsum-Upwards Systems:

In that location are 3 products I actually like and depending on your equipment in that location is a solution to fit.

EcoTech Battery (Around $250 at Amazon.com) – Designed purposely to be used with Ecotech's range of wavemakers and DC return pumps.

Icecap Battery (Around $140 at Amazon.com) – A backup battery that comes with a range of connectors to connect to many of the commercially bachelor pumps and powerheads.

Tunze Rubber Connector (Around $55 at Amazon.com) – For use with Tunze'due south range of controllable pumps and allows you to connect any sized 12vdc bombardment of your choice to ability your Tunze powerheads.

UPS Battery Backup – Unfortunately I do non recommend these. They are designed to run for 10-20 minutes to allow a computer to shut down. They are constantly charging, which kills the batteries and therefore they only terminal a couple of years. They are as well expensive!
There are far better solutions available for a lot less money.

For even more information on installing your own Battery Backup Systems be certain to check out my commodity:

Aquarium Bombardment Backups -Your Ultimate Guide

Expensive Solutions:

Portable Generators – There are some awesome generators out there to run your tank and having ane that is fuel-efficient, quiet and easily maintained is a must.

At that place are 2 types of generators that I really recommend:

Gasoline Inverter Generators at Amazon.com – come in a range of sizes to encounter your wattage demands and are inverter generators which in my stance is needed with today'south digital electronics and controls. Some pumps can run backward when non-inverter generators are used!

Dual Fuel Inverter Generators at Amazon.com -These dual fuel generators can run on gasoline or propane and are my personal selection. Propane does not get bad like gasoline and having a fifty/100lb tank sitting ready to go is bully to have. But like above, these are inverter generators that keep everything running good.

Here is my trusty steed, a Honda 1000i inverter generator and it has served me well! I'one thousand getting the bespeak where I need more wattage so ill definitely be looking to ready up a dual fuel inverter generator with a 100lb propane tank and a transfer switch to ensure my aquarium is fully protected fifty-fifty when I'm not home.

Portable Generator Automatic Transfer Switch – These great little devices I found at Amazon.com, allow you to accept your aquarium circuits wired to this footling device. You tin can plug the generator directly into information technology and providing your generator is of a large enough wattage, your unabridged aquarium system volition be support and running.
You will demand a qualified electrician to do the work, only information technology'due south a great way to ensure your entire aquarium system gets power.

Whole House Generator – These are past far the near expensive solution just are definitely worth thinking about if you can beget it. They are permanently installed on your belongings, run off propane and automatically detect a power outage and fire upwardly to ability your entire firm.

They are a smashing option for peace of mind and yous don't have to exist abode to elevate out the generator and fire it up to protect your aquarium.

These are going to price anywhere from $8K to $20K depending on where you live and the size of the generator you require. Contact a local electrical contractor to find out more near them.

What Are Aquarium Concerns During A Power Outage?

The principal crusade of panic in new aquarium owners is "Oh my goodness my tank is going to freeze!!", merely the h2o temperature is #3 on the list of things yous need to be enlightened of and pay attention to!

The iii main aquarium considerations during a power outage are:

Oxygen Depletion
Ammonia Build-up
Water Temperature

Oxygen

In that location are iv main consumers of oxygen in your aquarium and they never stop sucking this stuff up! Fish, Plant Life (algae and plankton), Aerobic Bacteria & Micro-Fauna (Copepods, Amphipods, and Rotifers). – Links to my Abbreviations and Acronyms Page.

During normal, powered operation your water is being constantly replenished with fresh oxygen by the surface agitation of your aquarium water, h2o draining down into a sump and the poly peptide skimmer to proper noun a few. As water is moved information technology too releases the tiny amounts of nitrogen that is being produced as office of the abiding Nitrogen Cycle.

If you want to find out more than on the Nitrogen Wheel read my 'How Do You Know When Your Fish Tank Is Cycled?' article.

When your h2o stops moving due to the power outage, this renewal of oxygen is not taking place, but your aquarium inhabitants are still consuming. When your lights are also off the photosynthesis of the plant life reduces but this is only a small portion of the oxygen consumption.

The longer the power outage continues, the less oxygen volition be bachelor to keep the inhabitants alive. Oxygen depletion happens the fastest in most aquariums and should exist the showtime particular you need to accost.

If you have a small nano-tank, temperature drop could be more than of your first business concern due to small water volumes losing their temperature quicker than larger volumes.

Ammonia

Merely like oxygen, your living organisms are constantly going to the bathroom in the aquarium. Their excretions incorporate Ammonia or equally their poop breaks downwards, will release Ammonia.

Your beneficial bacteria and filtration systems are normally doing their job to remove or catechumen the excretions and Ammonia. Once the ability stops, the water is no longer being passed through the filtration media and your beneficial leaner brainstorm to die due to lack of oxygen.

The more bacteria that dice, the less Ammonia is existence candy which then accumulates in the water and eventually poisons your tanks' inhabitants.

To learn more on how your bacteria convert Ammonia yous tin can read my article on Fish Tank Cycling posted earlier.

Temperature

I briefly mentioned in the Oxygen department that small tanks lose heat quicker than big tanks. This all comes down to thermodynamics.

Heat is a form of energy and how quickly your aquarium expels this energy to the surrounding air is called Oestrus Transfer.

Because water volume is cubed (in³, cm³) the amount of water that can store rut free energy increases past a factor of iii for each boosted gallon.
Therefore the more than water in your aquarium, the more heat energy your aquarium can store.

Small water volumes incorporate a low corporeality of heat energy.
Larger water volumes have a high amount of estrus free energy.

As your tank temperature cools, your living inhabitants begin to slow down, absurd and eventually dice. Depending on how big your tank is, depends on how shortly this will happen.
Having a battery-powered digital thermometer like THIS ONE at Amazon.com is bang-up for monitoring your water temp when you have your aquarium wrapped in blankets.

If y'all have corals, specially SPS your temperature drop will need to be far less to prevent them from dying, whereas most fish can withstand a larger temperature drop.

Annihilation below 76°F or 24°C you may start to encounter coral death
Anything below lxx°F or 21°C you may get-go to see fish decease

How Long Can An Aquarium Survive Without Power?

This is the 'How long is a slice of string?' analogy because at that place are so many factors affecting every aquarium. Some aquarium owners have seen decease within a couple of hours and some people have managed to go along their tank alive for weeks following a hurricane/natural disaster.

Downed Power Lines — Downed Ability Lines

The following factors influence how soon you could start losing fish:

Do you have a small aquarium?
Is your aquarium heavily stocked?
Extreme cold wintertime, house room temperature cools chop-chop
Extreme hot summertime, house room temperature warms rapidly
Has information technology been a long time since the last water change?
Did you heavily feed the tank just before the power outage?
Is the bulk of your Live Stone stored in the sump?
Was there any fish disease in effect earlier losing power?
Were there any medications in use before losing power?

How Long Can A Coral Aquarium Last Without Power?

Corals are a little less forgiving when it comes to changes in the water parameters. SPS, specially Acros' (Acropora), require the almost stable water conditions whereas, Soft Corals similar Mushrooms and Xenia can accept a lot more fluctuation before they succumb. Again they could survive hours or weeks depending on how you are able to assist them.

Corals will be afflicted by the conditions mentioned in a higher place likewise as the reducing Oxygen, increasing Ammonia and the change in temperature but at that place are a couple of things you can do to help fend off the Grim Reaper:

Natural calorie-free from windows can help them coral photosynthesize. Use of a mirror to reverberate low-cal into the tank can help.
If you only accept a small generator to power one or two devices at a time, rotate which devices run for 1 hour at a time. Lights then heater then wavemakers etc. Keep the cycle going so the corals get a bit of each device each day.

Volition Aquarium Filter Leaner Die During A Power Outage?

Aye, unfortunately. Equally soon as you lose power information technology won't be long before your bacteria brainstorm to die. How fast they dice will depend on how many of your water parameters you can keep in the optimum range.
To view those optimum ranges check out my Parameters Guide.

As your bacteria begin to die the quicker your other parameters will begin to decline as mentioned in the Ammonia section.
The virtually important parameter to maintain for keeping your leaner live is Oxygen. Once this depletes, your bacteria will begin to die at a rapid rate.

Do Y'all Feed Fish During A Power Outage?

By and large speaking NO, practice not feed your fish. There are several reasons for this. Any food you lot feed and does not become eaten will settle in the tank and with a decline in your bacteria, at that place are fewer organisms to procedure information technology.

When animals consume, they go to the bath. Again, fewer leaner means less processing, which means more toxic Ammonia.

The more your bacteria, fish and clean-up-crew work, the harder their metabolism works which mean they eat more oxygen. Tin you see a pattern forming hither?

Every bit the temperature begins to fall your fish volition consume less anyway. They are able to survive for weeks without food, so don't worry about them going hungry!
Your corals will need some low-cal though for them to survive long term. Look into getting them some natural low-cal if you tin can.

How To Prevent Aquarium Temperature Modify During A Power Outage

Temperature is adequately easy to maintain but it requires constant attention and if you are abroad or are unable to 'Guard' your aquarium and so it may exist more difficult.

Preventing Your Aquarium From Heating Upwardly

This applies mainly to aquariums located in hot climates where summertime temperatures go really hot. Many people will use the home air conditioner to help maintain temperature, but with no power = no Air-conditioning!
Here are some ways to prevent your water from warming:

Ice placed in a clean Ziploc bags and floated in the aquarium
Wet towels wrapped around the aquarium
Opening windows in the home if there is a good cakewalk
Closing the curtains to go along out direct sunlight

Preventing Your Aquarium From Cooling Down

I live in a climate where our winters can drib to -40°C and this is the time that mother nature can wreak havoc with the power companies. Here are some tips to help forbid your aquarium from cooling too much:

Wrap your aquarium completely in Survival Blankets, duvets or whatever you can find. Leave a small opening at the acme for gas exchange.
Warm h2o on a propane stove or BBQ to fill bottles and float in the aquarium
Keep the canopy closed as much as possible and resist repeated opening if you lot can
Light the wood-burning fireplace in the home if one is available
Keep the door closed to the room containing the aquarium

Planned Aquarium Power Outage vs Sudden Power Outages

A power outage is never a good thing but existence prepared is the best thing you tin practice to salve your aquarium. Sudden power outages usually cause the most stress as people are not ready for them. Here are a few tips yous tin can to do be prepared for a sudden power outage:

Have your wavemakers and powerheads on bombardment backups so it'south not a large bargain if you lot are at work or sleeping
Have the $3 air pump kits ready to go with a bottle of peroxide. Just add the irish potato
Have a bombardment-powered air pump installed or prepare to install. Remove the batteries from the pump when not in use. Batteries leak! Have spare batteries
Purchase a solar-powered air pump kit like THIS at Amazon.com
Accept a space blanket or two and some string in the stand to apace wrap your tank
Have a couple of empty and sterilized 2L pop bottles ready to be filled with water
Ensure your BBQ propane tank is ever full and then you lot can boil warm water if y'all live in a cold climate
Keep your water ice maker drawer full/buy water ice numberless if y'all live in a hot climate
Endeavour and keep two storage bins of new salt mix and RO/DI water on hand at all times – This has saved me many a time, non simply for power outages!
Have your generator serviced and ready to become. Accept plenty of oil & propane/gas stored

Planned power outages or budgeted storms can be a lilliputian easier to prepare for but you could be facing a long flow without ability and so a plan may demand to be drawn up.

As well as using the steps above you tin can also practise the following items to help you set for the planned outage:

Reduce feeding your fish a calendar week/few days earlier the outage to aid reduce bio-load
Exercise a proficient water alter the mean solar day of the outage
Requite your tank a really good blast with the turkey baster and a skilful sand vacuum in the days leading up
Requite all your pumps, heaters, lights a good clean/service to ensure maximum working efficiency
In the week leading up, try slowly increasing your h2o temperature a couple of degrees to buy more time
Drop some sponge filters into your sump to seed. You tin and so movement them to the master tank to assist the bacteria process waste

Stockpile all necessary supplies to final a week or fifty-fifty two weeks. Batteries, water, fuels etc
Get additional 12vdc AGM batteries and charge them if you accept a DIY battery backup organisation
Become a solar-powered battery charger
Get a minor 12vdc powerhead you lot can run directly off a solar panel. Ensure the pump is rubber for saltwater!
Purchase a service kit or 2 for your generator. You can run your generator for an hr, off for an hour to help prolong your fuel

Buy some Beast trashcans and stockpile water. Salt and fresh
Make clean, sterilize then fill your bathtub with RO/DI water
Ensure you have lots of salt stockpiled
Buy a few bottles of Prime h2o dechlorinator from Amazon.com
Take spare RO/DI filters
Get a mirror that you tin use to reflect sunlight into your aquarium
Buy a Power Inverter like THIS at Amazon.com and so y'all can hook up to your car to run some devices
Ensure your extension cords are long enough to accomplish the car/generator 😉
Ensure your cars' gas tank is full. Buy additional gas
Stockpile woods or pellets to power indoor stoves/fireplaces

Curt Power Outage Aquarium Preparation vs Extended Power Outage Preparation

Curt term power outages are going to be more than of an inconvenience to the aquarium possessor. An all-nighter, a day off work or like is only going to be frustrating but may need to exist washed to ensure the health of your aquatic family members.

Firepit Drinks — Get the BBQ/Firepit Tea & Coffee on the get!

Finding another aquarium owner who lives shut by and befriending them is ever a corking thought. Yous tin can ever exist there to assistance each other out amidst the many other bully advantages information technology brings. They may notwithstanding have power and are free to just come over while you are at work and drop in your battery air pump etc.

Train your family members on how to do the basics like installing the air pump, blanketing the tank, etc then they can help if you are absent.

If y'all are facing a possible prolonged ability outage you may demand to ask for help with things like stirring and jugging your water. Tag team i some other if it's going to be a long journey. Go everyone involved and enlightened of what you may need help with on the days leading up to the planned outage.

Aquarium Tips Subsequently The Power Outage Is Over

Y'all finally fabricated it through and I hope y'all didn't lose a single fauna! Only if you did now is the fourth dimension to SLOWLY bring your aquarium back to full health. I know you accept heard that saltwater aquariums practice non like rapid changes and this process will exist no different.

Here are some things you volition need to exist aware of and depending on how long your tank went without ability and how off your parameters are will dictate how much of this you lot should follow.

Test all your h2o parameters to run into where you are at and devise a program to get them all dorsum in line
You will accept had a leaner die off so your aquarium may have a mini cycle
Help increase leaner by calculation Dr Tims'due south Live Nitrifying Leaner or Prodibio Bio Assimilate (Amazon.com Links)
Give your sand a good vacuum and your rocks a turkey basting to help remove detritus
Practice several small h2o changes over the next few days to assist to slowly reduce the ammonia, nitrates and dead organisms
Bring the temperature dorsum up slowly. No more i degree per day
Cut down your lighting menses and intensity and slowly raise back to full operating settings over week/x days to foreclose bleaching
Unplug all your automated dosers, feeders and ATO until you have your parameters plan in place
Monitor your city water for sediment and junk later on a large storm. Replace RO/DI filters equally needed
Slowly outset feeding your fish. Do non overload what bacteria you lot have left
Service your generator and make clean and furnish all your supplies. Fuel/oil/batteries/filters etc
Have your quarantine tank ready to become in case you demand to remove and medicate a fish. ==>Read My Article On Quarantine Here<==
Don't add any new fish or coral for a month. Let your bacteria regrow and stabilize

To Terminate

As yous have probably gathered the key to your aquarium surviving a power outage is to be prepared. There are many things you tin can do for gratis or relatively no money which is where you should first beginning.

The more things you lot can have prepared, the better your tank should survive and the less stressed you will be. Power outages can be a real nightmare to aquarium owners only having some kind of a programme will aid y'all ensure no losses to your finned family members.

At present go and see how you can prepare your own backup system!

Aquarium Battery Backups -Your Ultimate Guide

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