Preparing For Power Outages

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scottbennett86

New Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2016
Location
Putnam, Ontario
Just getting ready for winter in rural Canada and the blackouts that come with it. What is the best way to deal with power outages? I am not home at all times and expect the odds of me being there when it happens to be too low to not have an automatic backup system. My understanding is oxygen will become an issue in under 4 hours. So would one of the battery operated automatic air pumps supply enough? (they are plugged in and only turn on once they lose power-available on ebay)

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scottbennett86

New Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2016
Location
Putnam, Ontario
I'm hoping to get at least 12 hours as I frequently work that long or longer. I understand that the heat drop is not the most immediate issue, stressful but not fatal unless it is severe. And my natural gas fireplace will hopefully keep it at a reasonable temperature. Would just powering my power heads be enough? Or do I need my skimmer as well to oxygenate?

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4

4Hummer

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Jan 13, 2014
Location
Kitchener, Ontario
Will your Gas Fireplace actually run without electricity (Mine won't)

12 hours of power with no user intervention (Like starting a generator) you'd need to look into the Tesla Power Cell. (A mere $5000.00 investment) should do it.

You are correct oxygenation is the biggest thing you need to keep the fish alive. Maybe just a small Powerhead and an air bubble running on a UPS would suit your needs better.
 
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Canadianeh

Active Member
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Sep 20, 2016
Location
T-dot
If you run Vortech powerhead, you can buy the battery back up and get 8 plus hours on it on one power head. This should be sufficient to oxygenated your tank (but it depends how big it is).
 
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scottbennett86

New Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2016
Location
Putnam, Ontario
Hmmm. I am half decent with electronics, perhaps I can make my own with a deep cycle battery. I have some relays sitting around. A smart charger is easy to find, an efficient inverter or 12 dc volt powerhead would be needed. When the manufacturer claims a 12V powerhead is that a 12v DC motor that I could splice into(warranty be damned)

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averhoog

averhoog

Member
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Mar 26, 2014
Location
Lucan, Ontario
If your good with electronics by an old ups they usually just have dead batteries and install a deep cell battery in the winter I take my trailer batteries out and have in the basement to keep good so I hooked up to ups and have a lot longer run time when the power does go out I have run for three hours once running heater pump and circ pump. Prob could of gone longer but I then turned the generator on for the rest of the house anyways
 
T

TORX

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Nov 27, 2010
Location
Blenheim, Ontario
Website
www.thefragtank.ca
Time to look at a few options.
1. Basics would be just run a UPS backup as mentioned.
2. Set up said UPS, but also run your router/modem off it and use a computer controller such as an Apex or ReefKeeper. Those systems would email/text you if the power goes out when coupled with a UPS.
3. Full on generator. Big expence, but depending on where you are and what kind of power outages you get, it could be worth it.

I myself lost power for about 16 hours last winter. I wrapped the tank with a moving blanket and used 2lt bottles floating of hot water to keep it warm. (gas hot water heater). I stirred the tank by hand for a few minutes every few hours. The time your tank can go without extra oxygen depends on what is in your tank. You can tell by watching your fish. If they start slowing and swimming on the bottom, then it needs more. You should be good for a few hours though. I have had my return fail early in the morning and everything was find when I got home 10 hours or so later with no interventions on the tank
 
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