What is needed during power outage

mrpergo · 11/07/2013, 05:54 AM

Last night I had a power outage about 11:00 pm. I have 4 fish in a 20 QT and my 75 DT has 4 coral. ( finished cycle a few weeks ago )
I realized when the power went out I don't know what these creatures need to sustain life. When I had freshwater they just road out the storm like me.
Not knowing , I got my generator out and fired up both tanks. The QT I have everything plugged into 1 little power bar so I plugged that in and everything was working, for my DT I plugged in the little pump for the overflow and the return pump. I figured if the temps started dropping I would plug in the heaters. I didn't turn on the power-heads. I figured the coral were alright with just the return movement.
So what are the needs and how long can fish and coral get along without power ?

kouma · 11/07/2013, 06:22 AM

Hello,

During an outage my main priority is oxygen, thats why I have a these battery operated air pumps and keep spare batteries around.

Not everyone has a generator, so I think you are doing a very good job. Are your tanks outdoor or indoor? temperature is second in importance to oxygen because fish are cold blooded, you dont want it to drop too much. As for getting along, i think they should be okay for a couple of days or so. Even in the ocean it gets rainy and cloudy for days and corals dont get sun, but they still make it.

johnike · 11/07/2013, 06:26 AM

When I have to fire up the generator, I use only the return pump from the sump.
After saving the beer, of course.

mrpergo · 11/07/2013, 06:38 AM

What I'm asking is at what point do I fire up the generator, can they get along for a couple of hours as long as the temp is upper 70's or do I need to hook up that generator right away ?

Reef Frog · 11/07/2013, 07:57 AM

Pergola, There is no exact answer to your question, because it all depends on the number and size of your fish and the amount of water in your tank. If you see your fish breathing heavily, or near the surface, the situation is critical. I have a 65 gallon tank, with about six small 3 inch fish, and my best guess is that they could last between four and eight hours without any circulation.

ca1ore · 11/07/2013, 08:00 AM

The answer depends a bit on stocking level, ratio of tank volume to surface area, etc. The big problem is keeping the O2 levels up, and a tank can start to suffer from low levels in as little as a few hours. I use one of those battery backups for my vortech pumps, and it kicks in immediately. Personally, I'd not let my tank go for much more than 2 hours without flow. Where I live, we have had a number of multi-day outages, and while I do have a generator, it does not run 24 hrs/day, so the vortech battery is essential in my case, particularly at night. Temperature is less critical, but clearly any generator that you might buy ought to be sized to be able to run heaters, the main pump, and at least a subset of your lights.

mrpergo · 11/07/2013, 08:08 AM

a couple of hours and get them some O2.
What about the corals ?

Reef Frog · 11/07/2013, 08:29 AM

Corals last much longer than fish in this situation. They can make it halfway across the world in plastic bags and that takes at least a day, maybe more. Low temps will nuke em however.

ggrillo · 11/07/2013, 09:06 AM

Living in south Florida with nearly weekly outages during the rainy season I can tell you temp and circulation are the most important. The temp should hold in the tank for a while before it starts to change but I've actually used buckets and scooped and dumped water in the tank to keep it moving.

Denver_Keeper · 11/07/2013, 09:39 AM

Water circulation is #1. And not just movement. Make sure something is causing surface agitation since that is where CO2 and Oxygen are exchanged.

You can allow the temp to slide down a little, but keep it to mid 70s at the lowest, and if you are running the gen anyway you might as well keep at normal temps if possible.

ca1ore · 11/07/2013, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reef Frog

Corals last much longer than fish in this situation. They can make it halfway across the world in plastic bags and that takes at least a day, maybe more.

So do fish!

Dmorty217 · 11/07/2013, 11:23 AM

Invest in a generator. Is all the hard work,time, and money you have invested in your tank not worth the 3-500$ you will spend on a generator to ensure your investment will survive a power outage?? Seems kinda like a rhetorical question to me

mpeaden2 · 11/07/2013, 04:06 PM

I wouldn't worry about doing anything unless the power outage last for longer than 8 hours or so. The temp shouldn't fall or rise to critical levels within this time frame (given, the tank is in an insulated room). The Oxygen levels will be fine also.
I run a 1000 watt UPS for my return and powerheads anyway, just to keep things moving around. There's really no need to crank up the Gen for a temporary power outage unless you just want to

johnike · 11/07/2013, 06:12 PM

Great advice here.
The generator gets fired up here only if I think the power is going to be out for more than a few hours.

mrpergo · 11/07/2013, 06:46 PM

Well that's why I asked because I don't want to yank the generator out if it's only a couple of hours. I did last night because I didn't want to take a chance with the new fish. They have been in QT for 2 weeks and haven't even made it to the DT. Would hate to have them take a dirt nap before the got into their new home......lol

MHG · 11/07/2013, 06:49 PM

Splurge on a 3kv ups and run it all.... Mine gives me about 4 hours to get the generator up and running....

noy · 12/24/2013, 06:04 PM

I recently had a over 48 hour power outage (Central Canada) and thought it might be useful to share my experience. I run a 110g display - lots of tangs, SPS and NPS with a high bioload. I have a 8 gallon nano (clown with 2 gobies) and a 20 gallon qt (small clown trigger and baby 6 line wrasse).

When I woke up Sunday early am there was no power (I found out later it went out Sat evening). The outside temperature was -1. The tank temperature had dropped to 72F and was dropping. All the fish were struggling and breathing hard. I tried different means to manually increase movement and agitation but nothing was working. I realized I had to buy a generator or face a total tank crash. After several trips to different stores I managed to buy the last generator on the floor at Costco (an ordeal in itself). When I returned I saw there were 2 casualties (flame angel, kole tang - there were actually 3 - i just didn't see the purple dottyback). All the fish were now lying on their side and struggling. This is the product of about 8 hours w/o movement/aeration. I got the generator set up and ran the return pump/powerhead/skimmer (for aeration) and heater. All the fish began to recover. I was running the following: display - return pump/skimmer/powerhead (wp60)/2x300W heater and a 150W heater, nano - 50W heater, skimmer (for flow and aeration) and air stone via air pump, qt - 150W heater and airstone via air pump.

By evening the outside temperature had dropped to -12. My room temperature was now at 55F. I was struggling to keep the tank temperature at 70F. The qt tank had dropped to 62F. I did some math and figured i could run a space heater (1700W) and kept a butane stove running to increase the room temperature. The display tank temperature stayed at 70 and my room temperature stayed around 57-58.

Things stayed that way until Monday night late and the power came back on. All-in-all I didn't have any more losses in corals or fish. There three fish that i did lose i had for over a year so it kinda sucks to lose them.

This is what I learned from the ordeal.

1) Invest in a generator now. If you have a tank that represents a substantial investment over time a $400 generator is not a significant investment. Power outages are unforeseen incidents and you would hate to lose your entire stock during an outage.

2) Aeration/Movement is much more important than temperature during an outage. I was never able to get the tank temperature above 70 in the display tank but yet all my fish started to recover and was actually quite active after a while. My clown trigger made it through 62F for the most part. I am 100% sure my losses were due to lack of oxygen.

3) If you live in a northern climate you will need a generator that can power a space heater. When the outside temperature and room temp started to drop - even with 2 300W heaters and a 150W heater - i couldn't keep the tank temperature from dropping. It wasn't until i ran the space heater and stabilized the room temp at 58 that i was able to keep the tank temp at 70. Heaters will only do so much when there is a big difference in tank/room temperature. My generator was rated for 4500W - i think that's the right size.

4) Corals don't seem that affected by lack of water movement/aeration/temperature. I'm sure there is a break point here but all through this ordeal my corals looked great. I'll update everyone if there is some RTN/STN event in the next few days.

5) At a minimum buy some battery operated air pumps. These will increase oxygen exchange in the water. Sure wish i had one. It might have saved a few losses. Most of these take D cells and depending on the size of tank, it may just be enough.

Hope that helps!

drdavethedude · 12/24/2013, 07:05 PM

Funny to read the last post, as I also just went through the same power outage following the ice storm in Toronto. I lost power at 3 am Saturday night, and it came on Tuesday morning at 7 am. Luckily I had just purchased electronic pumps (Tunze 6095s) and an electric adaptor to allow them to be hooked up to a battery in case of emergency ("safety connector")...only problem was I only purchased them about a week ago, and I still hadn't got around to getting a 12 volt battery having no idea I would need it so soon. Saturday morning after discovering the blackout my corals were already in stationary water for about 6 hours. I ran to the local Big Al's to pick up those battery operated air pumps and grabbed the last 3 they had. Hooked them up, but...guess they're better than nothing, but more than anything they created loads of salt spray, and not much else...very little water movement but at least they agitated the surface. Then I went to 2 Canadian Tire stores which were closed due the power outage, and 3 Home Depots looking for 12 volt batteries with no luck. Driving was slow and hazardous as many traffic lights were out. They did have 6 volt lantern batteries and it occurred to me that these can be connected to create 12 volts. Getting home it was already pitch dark. With flashlight in my mouth I cut some wire from my speakers, stripped the ends and hooked up the lantern batteries in series and then the safety connector...and hallelujah! The pump started going! As the previous poster mentioned, the temperatures the next day were dropping fast. I placed several hand warmer packs into sandwich bags and then clamped them to the periphery of the tank...not sure it made any difference, and the temperature dropped to around 66F by the next morning. Today the power went on at 7 am...about 52 hours later. I have a 120 gallon, with only 3 fish but about 20 corals...everything seems to have survived though not everything has opened yet...I'm optimistic. Temperature has risen to mid 70s now. I imagine if I had a lot of fish, oxygen would have depleted faster, and the situation would have been more dire. I'm just glad it's over. A generator is not an option as I'm in a condo, but with the time, sweat and money we invest in these tanks, a back-up is definitely precious. Everyone should plan for such an possibility. I was going to wait until boxing day to buy those pumps and battery connector, and only by fluke bought them a week earlier (store gave me boxing day discount early)....just glad it's over!
Dave

mrpergo · 12/25/2013, 08:41 AM

our power only went out for a minute with that storm. I'm right across the lake from you drdave in Hilton NY between Rochester & Buffalo. I have my generator ready. I would have thought the heaters would have kept the tanks warmer than that. Maybe a little thermo blankie wrap. It's sad to lose the fish, sorry to hear that. At least all was not lost.

Spyderturbo007 · 12/26/2013, 07:22 AM

So far, I've only had to deal with one power outage and I was totally unprepared. The good thing was that it was a very localized power outage (over the summer) so there wasn't a mad dash to the store to get generators. I ran over to my sisters, grabbed her truck and went to Home Depot and purchased a generator and extension cords. Drove home, pulled it out of the truck and started to unpack when my wife stuck her head out the door and said "the power is back on". Ugh.

Anyway, I kept the generator (4000w) and invested in a Vortech battery backup to power my MP10s. I figured that with the generator and the battery backup, I only have to worry about the availability of fuel. I keep 10g on hand, but I think that's only good for about 2 days.

camblonie · 12/26/2013, 10:35 AM

How about insulating the tank? Water against the glass has to compete with the worst insulating windows ever. I'd take some of the rolled up ceiling type insulation and cover the front and sides to isolate it from the cold room. Easy calculations for someone who's recently taken a thermodynamics class, too bad it's been about 20 years for me.

Kies1 · 12/26/2013, 03:25 PM

I went through about 10 hours here in canada. Same ice storm as in toronto. I borrowed my brothers trailer battery that he uses for camping in the summer and was able to run one vortech and heater for a good duration of that time with a power inverter. I also covered the tank with blankets to help insulate. I am going to go buy an eliminator battery back up with built in power inverter, I here you can get a good day with these.

11/07/2013, 06:22 AM	#2
kouma Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 276	Hello, During an outage my main priority is oxygen, thats why I have a these battery operated air pumps and keep spare batteries around. Not everyone has a generator, so I think you are doing a very good job. Are your tanks outdoor or indoor? temperature is second in importance to oxygen because fish are cold blooded, you dont want it to drop too much. As for getting along, i think they should be okay for a couple of days or so. Even in the ocean it gets rainy and cloudy for days and corals dont get sun, but they still make it. __________________ Miracles Starphire 315 gallon, Pacific Sun Pandora S and Kore 5th, 4x Tunze 6105s, Gyre 150FX, Reef Octopus Diablo DCS-250, Emperor Aquatics 50 Watt Smart HO UV, Vertex Cerebra Controller

11/07/2013, 11:23 AM	#12
Dmorty217 Saltwater Addict Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Vandalia OHIO Posts: 11,624	Invest in a generator. Is all the hard work,time, and money you have invested in your tank not worth the 3-500$ you will spend on a generator to ensure your investment will survive a power outage?? Seems kinda like a rhetorical question to me __________________ Fish are not disposable commodities, but a worthwhile investment that can be maintained and enjoyed for many years, providing one is willing to take the time to understand their requirements and needs Current Tank Info: 625g, 220g sump, RD3 230w, Vectra L1 on a closed loop, 3 MP60s, MP40. Several QTs

11/07/2013, 04:06 PM	#13
mpeaden2 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Florida Posts: 70	I wouldn't worry about doing anything unless the power outage last for longer than 8 hours or so. The temp shouldn't fall or rise to critical levels within this time frame (given, the tank is in an insulated room). The Oxygen levels will be fine also. I run a 1000 watt UPS for my return and powerheads anyway, just to keep things moving around. There's really no need to crank up the Gen for a temporary power outage unless you just want to __________________ 90 gal. \|29 gal sump\|2 x AI SOL Blue\|Apex Neptune\|2 x Sicce Power Heads\|Reef Octopus 150\|MagDrive 12

11/07/2013, 06:49 PM	#16
MHG Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 2,919	Splurge on a 3kv ups and run it all.... Mine gives me about 4 hours to get the generator up and running.... __________________ MHG (LIRA Member) 60G Cube, Kessil 360's

12/24/2013, 07:05 PM	#18
drdavethedude Premium Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 119	Funny to read the last post, as I also just went through the same power outage following the ice storm in Toronto. I lost power at 3 am Saturday night, and it came on Tuesday morning at 7 am. Luckily I had just purchased electronic pumps (Tunze 6095s) and an electric adaptor to allow them to be hooked up to a battery in case of emergency ("safety connector")...only problem was I only purchased them about a week ago, and I still hadn't got around to getting a 12 volt battery having no idea I would need it so soon. Saturday morning after discovering the blackout my corals were already in stationary water for about 6 hours. I ran to the local Big Al's to pick up those battery operated air pumps and grabbed the last 3 they had. Hooked them up, but...guess they're better than nothing, but more than anything they created loads of salt spray, and not much else...very little water movement but at least they agitated the surface. Then I went to 2 Canadian Tire stores which were closed due the power outage, and 3 Home Depots looking for 12 volt batteries with no luck. Driving was slow and hazardous as many traffic lights were out. They did have 6 volt lantern batteries and it occurred to me that these can be connected to create 12 volts. Getting home it was already pitch dark. With flashlight in my mouth I cut some wire from my speakers, stripped the ends and hooked up the lantern batteries in series and then the safety connector...and hallelujah! The pump started going! As the previous poster mentioned, the temperatures the next day were dropping fast. I placed several hand warmer packs into sandwich bags and then clamped them to the periphery of the tank...not sure it made any difference, and the temperature dropped to around 66F by the next morning. Today the power went on at 7 am...about 52 hours later. I have a 120 gallon, with only 3 fish but about 20 corals...everything seems to have survived though not everything has opened yet...I'm optimistic. Temperature has risen to mid 70s now. I imagine if I had a lot of fish, oxygen would have depleted faster, and the situation would have been more dire. I'm just glad it's over. A generator is not an option as I'm in a condo, but with the time, sweat and money we invest in these tanks, a back-up is definitely precious. Everyone should plan for such an possibility. I was going to wait until boxing day to buy those pumps and battery connector, and only by fluke bought them a week earlier (store gave me boxing day discount early)....just glad it's over! Dave Last edited by drdavethedude; 12/24/2013 at 07:10 PM.

11/07/2013, 05:54 AM	#1
mrpergo Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Hilton,N.Y. Posts: 398	What is needed during power outage Last night I had a power outage about 11:00 pm. I have 4 fish in a 20 QT and my 75 DT has 4 coral. ( finished cycle a few weeks ago ) I realized when the power went out I don't know what these creatures need to sustain life. When I had freshwater they just road out the storm like me. Not knowing , I got my generator out and fired up both tanks. The QT I have everything plugged into 1 little power bar so I plugged that in and everything was working, for my DT I plugged in the little pump for the overflow and the return pump. I figured if the temps started dropping I would plug in the heaters. I didn't turn on the power-heads. I figured the coral were alright with just the return movement. So what are the needs and how long can fish and coral get along without power ?

11/07/2013, 06:26 AM	#3
johnike Moved On Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bureau County Illinois Posts: 5,406	When I have to fire up the generator, I use only the return pump from the sump. After saving the beer, of course.

11/07/2013, 06:38 AM	#4
mrpergo Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Hilton,N.Y. Posts: 398	What I'm asking is at what point do I fire up the generator, can they get along for a couple of hours as long as the temp is upper 70's or do I need to hook up that generator right away ?

11/07/2013, 07:57 AM	#5
Reef Frog Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Maryland Posts: 3,121	Pergola, There is no exact answer to your question, because it all depends on the number and size of your fish and the amount of water in your tank. If you see your fish breathing heavily, or near the surface, the situation is critical. I have a 65 gallon tank, with about six small 3 inch fish, and my best guess is that they could last between four and eight hours without any circulation.

11/07/2013, 08:00 AM	#6
ca1ore Grizzled & Cynical Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 17,319	The answer depends a bit on stocking level, ratio of tank volume to surface area, etc. The big problem is keeping the O2 levels up, and a tank can start to suffer from low levels in as little as a few hours. I use one of those battery backups for my vortech pumps, and it kicks in immediately. Personally, I'd not let my tank go for much more than 2 hours without flow. Where I live, we have had a number of multi-day outages, and while I do have a generator, it does not run 24 hrs/day, so the vortech battery is essential in my case, particularly at night. Temperature is less critical, but clearly any generator that you might buy ought to be sized to be able to run heaters, the main pump, and at least a subset of your lights.

11/07/2013, 08:08 AM	#7
mrpergo Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Hilton,N.Y. Posts: 398	a couple of hours and get them some O2. What about the corals ?

11/07/2013, 08:29 AM	#8
Reef Frog Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Maryland Posts: 3,121	Corals last much longer than fish in this situation. They can make it halfway across the world in plastic bags and that takes at least a day, maybe more. Low temps will nuke em however.

11/07/2013, 09:06 AM	#9
ggrillo Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: West Palm Beach Posts: 357	Living in south Florida with nearly weekly outages during the rainy season I can tell you temp and circulation are the most important. The temp should hold in the tank for a while before it starts to change but I've actually used buckets and scooped and dumped water in the tank to keep it moving.

11/07/2013, 09:39 AM	#10
Denver_Keeper Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 38	Water circulation is #1. And not just movement. Make sure something is causing surface agitation since that is where CO2 and Oxygen are exchanged. You can allow the temp to slide down a little, but keep it to mid 70s at the lowest, and if you are running the gen anyway you might as well keep at normal temps if possible.

11/07/2013, 06:12 PM	#14
johnike Moved On Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bureau County Illinois Posts: 5,406	Great advice here. The generator gets fired up here only if I think the power is going to be out for more than a few hours.

11/07/2013, 06:46 PM	#15
mrpergo Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Hilton,N.Y. Posts: 398	Well that's why I asked because I don't want to yank the generator out if it's only a couple of hours. I did last night because I didn't want to take a chance with the new fish. They have been in QT for 2 weeks and haven't even made it to the DT. Would hate to have them take a dirt nap before the got into their new home......lol

12/24/2013, 06:04 PM	#17
noy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 772	I recently had a over 48 hour power outage (Central Canada) and thought it might be useful to share my experience. I run a 110g display - lots of tangs, SPS and NPS with a high bioload. I have a 8 gallon nano (clown with 2 gobies) and a 20 gallon qt (small clown trigger and baby 6 line wrasse). When I woke up Sunday early am there was no power (I found out later it went out Sat evening). The outside temperature was -1. The tank temperature had dropped to 72F and was dropping. All the fish were struggling and breathing hard. I tried different means to manually increase movement and agitation but nothing was working. I realized I had to buy a generator or face a total tank crash. After several trips to different stores I managed to buy the last generator on the floor at Costco (an ordeal in itself). When I returned I saw there were 2 casualties (flame angel, kole tang - there were actually 3 - i just didn't see the purple dottyback). All the fish were now lying on their side and struggling. This is the product of about 8 hours w/o movement/aeration. I got the generator set up and ran the return pump/powerhead/skimmer (for aeration) and heater. All the fish began to recover. I was running the following: display - return pump/skimmer/powerhead (wp60)/2x300W heater and a 150W heater, nano - 50W heater, skimmer (for flow and aeration) and air stone via air pump, qt - 150W heater and airstone via air pump. By evening the outside temperature had dropped to -12. My room temperature was now at 55F. I was struggling to keep the tank temperature at 70F. The qt tank had dropped to 62F. I did some math and figured i could run a space heater (1700W) and kept a butane stove running to increase the room temperature. The display tank temperature stayed at 70 and my room temperature stayed around 57-58. Things stayed that way until Monday night late and the power came back on. All-in-all I didn't have any more losses in corals or fish. There three fish that i did lose i had for over a year so it kinda sucks to lose them. This is what I learned from the ordeal. 1) Invest in a generator now. If you have a tank that represents a substantial investment over time a $400 generator is not a significant investment. Power outages are unforeseen incidents and you would hate to lose your entire stock during an outage. 2) Aeration/Movement is much more important than temperature during an outage. I was never able to get the tank temperature above 70 in the display tank but yet all my fish started to recover and was actually quite active after a while. My clown trigger made it through 62F for the most part. I am 100% sure my losses were due to lack of oxygen. 3) If you live in a northern climate you will need a generator that can power a space heater. When the outside temperature and room temp started to drop - even with 2 300W heaters and a 150W heater - i couldn't keep the tank temperature from dropping. It wasn't until i ran the space heater and stabilized the room temp at 58 that i was able to keep the tank temp at 70. Heaters will only do so much when there is a big difference in tank/room temperature. My generator was rated for 4500W - i think that's the right size. 4) Corals don't seem that affected by lack of water movement/aeration/temperature. I'm sure there is a break point here but all through this ordeal my corals looked great. I'll update everyone if there is some RTN/STN event in the next few days. 5) At a minimum buy some battery operated air pumps. These will increase oxygen exchange in the water. Sure wish i had one. It might have saved a few losses. Most of these take D cells and depending on the size of tank, it may just be enough. Hope that helps!

12/25/2013, 08:41 AM	#19
mrpergo Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Hilton,N.Y. Posts: 398	our power only went out for a minute with that storm. I'm right across the lake from you drdave in Hilton NY between Rochester & Buffalo. I have my generator ready. I would have thought the heaters would have kept the tanks warmer than that. Maybe a little thermo blankie wrap. It's sad to lose the fish, sorry to hear that. At least all was not lost.

12/26/2013, 07:22 AM	#20
Spyderturbo007 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: PA Posts: 2,564	So far, I've only had to deal with one power outage and I was totally unprepared. The good thing was that it was a very localized power outage (over the summer) so there wasn't a mad dash to the store to get generators. I ran over to my sisters, grabbed her truck and went to Home Depot and purchased a generator and extension cords. Drove home, pulled it out of the truck and started to unpack when my wife stuck her head out the door and said "the power is back on". Ugh. Anyway, I kept the generator (4000w) and invested in a Vortech battery backup to power my MP10s. I figured that with the generator and the battery backup, I only have to worry about the availability of fuel. I keep 10g on hand, but I think that's only good for about 2 days.

12/26/2013, 10:35 AM	#21
camblonie Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Michigan Posts: 148	How about insulating the tank? Water against the glass has to compete with the worst insulating windows ever. I'd take some of the rolled up ceiling type insulation and cover the front and sides to isolate it from the cold room. Easy calculations for someone who's recently taken a thermodynamics class, too bad it's been about 20 years for me. __________________ 75g - 20g sump. LED's, Skimmer, RODI.

12/26/2013, 03:25 PM	#22
Kies1 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 544	I went through about 10 hours here in canada. Same ice storm as in toronto. I borrowed my brothers trailer battery that he uses for camping in the summer and was able to run one vortech and heater for a good duration of that time with a power inverter. I also covered the tank with blankets to help insulate. I am going to go buy an eliminator battery back up with built in power inverter, I here you can get a good day with these.