So the power goes out while you aren't home....

[Brwestern]

You have a generator in the garage to use if power goes out...but what do you do when it goes out when you aren't home?

What do you need running for sure?

If I had a backup battery for my vortechs, how long will that keep tank life sustainable?

[JMartin104]

This is a good question. I'm planning on picking up a UPS for my tank but only for my return pump. In my setup, the skimmer is in the same area so when the pump shuts off, it fills the return section. When that happens and the power comes back on, my skimmer is too deep and goes crazy (overflow) until the water level stabilizes.

[flyhigh123]

some generators automatically kick on when the power goes out...

[pimp4cheddar]

How long are we talking? Ideally your tank can be without light for awhile...

The powerheads can stay off awhile...

The biggest problem is the skimmer going CRAZY from the change in water level.

An APC unit would be the best...as it'll keep you up and running for a few hours...

[wes1333]

Call a local electrician or generator dealer and you can have it hooked up to come on automatically when power goes out.

[Agu]

Check this thread.

[kissman]

I had nothing running in my tank for 3 days and I lost nothing when the power came back on

[Chromey316]

3 days.... Very hard to beleave... Unless you have next to nothing in their.

[kissman]

Originally Posted by Chromey316

3 days.... Very hard to beleave... Unless you have next to nothing in their.

It happended my friend during an ice storm, I didnt not have any sps but I had a few lps and a few softies, and a few fish

[Chromey316]

Everything ive read since starting this Crack, Is after 8 hours of no movement, You will start to get die off.

[NYCBOB]

the longest most reef tanks can go without power is 8-10 hours.

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by flyhigh123

some generators automatically kick on when the power goes out...

That is what mine does. It exercises every week.

[Dyzio545]

I have a Generator hooked up to my main electrical setup in my log home. My good friend is a master electrician and hooked mine up. If the power were to go out, or is about to go out (meaning that split second or so), the generator kicks in. It's like an indisputable power strip, and power is not disrupted.

If you want any more info., feel free to pm me

[1st timer]

Mine went 5 days, all i did was scoop/dump tank water several times a day, and didn't feed. My frogspawn is probably a goner , and serpent star shed 2 'legs' other than that alls well. I have couple leathers, blasto, shrooms ,yellow tang(3"), pair o clowns, cleaner wrasse, coral banded, hammer, snails, n crabs in a 75 bowfront.
All i can say is nothing is certain, this happened when all the tornadoes hit around here in late April.

[doma]

I'm currently looking at how to solve this issue in my setup. I've got a UPS on the return pump & my Apex controller (silly thing's internal battery doesn't work ... when the power tripps I need it on the UPS or it will lose all sense of time when the power comes back up) but nothing else. Problem is, my UPS is not very powerful and when I last tested it it ran my 90w return pump for about 30 mins before it died.

I've also got a 150w inverter I can run off my car. A few years ago our power was out for 3 days ... I suppose I could keep the car running for 3 days.

So, if the power goes out while I'm at work I can drive home and wire the return pump to my car (but not enough juice for the heaters/chiller which may or may not matter. If I'm on vacation ... my tank is toast.

I'm thinking...
Near term: Get a bigger UPS. I see some which you can stack external battery banks. Also want to figure out what is really needed for life support ... i.e., maybe I don't need my return pump running but could get by with just keeping the power heads going which use less power.

Long term: Get an 'automatic start' generator installed. Perhaps a 2kW for just the reef tank or perhaps one of the 7 to 10kw systems for the whole house.

[gweston]

Its all about the cash, and your ability to accommodate a generator.

A quality auto-start generator costs huge bucks. Plus requires maintenance. It has a fuel driven engine after all. A generator is GREAT if you can afford one. The next best option? A manual switch and a generator that you start. But that lis a problem in an 'away from home situation'
.
Another option is a DIY array of batteries could be set up. But it takes some electrical work. It is notably less costly. Run time is limited by how nuts you go with the batteries. Wattage that you can effectively support is also less than a generator. Think return pump and/or powerheads only. Running a heater is iffy, especially on big systems. A trickle charge/battery maintainer is absolutely necessary to ensure battery life. Batteries don't last forever.

As a last option. A small battery, or computer backup unit. Enough to drive some powerheads or limited equipment for a matter of hours.



Now I like this option and hope to implement it myself:

A limited time battery backup to just run powerheads or a return pump. Paired with a manual generator. Hook the battery backup (APC) up to a controller, such as an Apex and an internet/router/cable modem, as well as a return pump or power heads.. You can configure the controller to automatically email/text you an alert when it detects a main line power outage. You then know that you have X hours to get home and fire up the generator. This of course has it's limitations. Such as if the internet line is down, as well as the power line. But recall. Your phone or internet line isn't necessary dead because the main power is out.

[geaux xman]

my friends brother said he can set me up for about 100 bucks in which after a power outage, the sytem will automatically turn on using a marine battery and some equipment from radioshack. the guy lives about 2hrs away, so i havent gotten to talk to him much about it. i've seen it work on my friends system.

i work 8-12hr shifts, so although i have a 4700w generator, i still need some other plan.

[iwishtofish]

Some UPS perspective, perhaps:

APC recommends using a unit with True Sine Wave output (certain Smart UPS models) for powering motors, else they may run erratically.

If I read the information correctly at the link below, a unit that will run 200w (return pump / skimmer) for 2 hrs and 29 min could cost $1225.00.

That's just for one model, though.

http://www.apc.com/products/family/i...id=165#anchor1

[ccalabro]

I don't know about 8-10 hours and I don't know about 3 days..I think its reasonably something in between there. I know I have been fine after 24-36 hours without suffering losses.

[ja4207]

Originally Posted by Brwestern

You have a generator in the garage to use if power goes out...but what do you do when it goes out when you aren't home?

What do you need running for sure?

If I had a backup battery for my vortechs, how long will that keep tank life sustainable?

It all really depends on you system i.e water volume and bio load. If your fish are getting the oxigen they need from the vortechs then they will stay alive. The things that kill fish when power goes out is number one lack of oxigen. Two heat or cold from heater chiller offline.

To answer your question but in my prefference you need powerheads and a controller. The powerheads to keep Oxigen in the tank until you can resolve the issue and the controller to tell you that power is out via email and call either a friend or the LFS to help. (assuming by not home you mean on vacation or out of town atleast)

[campos]

Originally Posted by chromey316

3 days.... Very hard to beleave... Unless you have next to nothing in their.

+1

[walkerbrody]

my 110 went 4 days after the tornado outbreak. I used 2 of the battery operated air pumps for bait buckets and some pvc lift tubes. I put the air stones at the bottom of the pvp pipes so that the water from the bottom of the tank would rise to the top with the air. I had no losses. not that this applies anyway to the op question about not being at home.