Panic Time! 15 Hours No Power!!

TimmyB · 07/03/2006, 06:54 AM

Went yesterday and spent over 200 dollars on new additions for my tank.

No big fish purchases... but a new Pearl Bubble Coral, Cleaner and Fire Shrimp and a few Chalk Bass (think that is what they are called). Also some critters, blue leg hermits.

Put them in my 58 gallon tank at about 5 PM (after acclimating them for a while).

Big wind/thunder storm blows through the Norther Virginia area, and WHAM. 6:15 pm, I lost power.

Not really worried about temperature because it so damn hot in my house now, but am worried about flow.

This morning when I left for the office at 6:30am everyone looked ok, no heavy breathing or anything, but am worried. Really hoping power comes back on before I get home.

But if it does not, what should I do?? Buy a battery operated air pump and stone? Swish the water around with my arm for some movement? Do I need to worry about flow in my refugium?

Any tips are appreciated.

Thanks
Timmy B

Billybeau1 · 07/03/2006, 07:12 AM

Well if your at work you better hope you get power back soon. I dont think the tank will survive too much longer without air.

A battery operated air pump and stone is great insurance. Tell your boss your sick and get to the store quick and buy that pump.

mikeatjac · 07/03/2006, 07:17 AM

I agree, after work is too long. Lot's of options; UPS, converter and of course battery operated air pump.

Ralistin · 07/03/2006, 07:22 AM

I siphoned water out of my refugium and poured it into my tank many times an hour during the hurricane last year until I got a generator. I had no choice since I could not buy anything at the time and had no emergency equipment for such a case. It was a ***** but it saved many things.

I agree though, if you do not have any flow, water movement, or oxygenation going on this long you had better get some quickly. My tank started to suffer about 8-9 hours after no power.

Sk8r · 07/03/2006, 07:40 AM

I once made it from Washington dc to Oklahoma City with airline and airstones rigged to 6 different tanks in the back seat, for fish ranging from a half grown piranha to 4 breeding pairs of angels, and only a single squeeze bulb. I could connect electricity at night in the motel rooms; for the rest [I wasn't driving] I sat cramped in the back seat of a Buick with the fish, and used my hands and feet in rotation to keep the fish alive. We all made it. Took nearly 4 days. My hands weren't worth much by then.

This was before the days of battery-powered bait bubblers.

Seems to me, if you could get two such squeeze-bulbs you could run them like a bicycle or foot-treadle, or rig some Rube Goldberg mechanical way to do a no-electricity-at-all tank-saver.

TorryRx · 07/03/2006, 07:42 AM

I lost power during Hurricane Wilma last year. I have to work during the storms (I work in a hospital), so I used the battery powered air-pumps until I was able to come home. I will guess I was out power for at least 12 hours before I could hook up the generator, and those pumps worked wonderfully!! I didn't lose so much as a hermit crab.

I agree, tell the boss you're sick and run to the pet store to get them. The oxygen gets depleted pretty quickly after losing power, and I don't think you will have much left after 8 hours. 3 pumps will work for a tank that is 4 feet long, and don't use air stones since the larger bubbles will move the water around better.

HTH...good luck. We all feel your pain down here in South Florida!!!

Torry

original-reefland · 07/03/2006, 09:51 AM

Welp, if your at work, can't leave early, have internet access, read this for next time:

http://advancedaquarist.com/issues/aug2002/feature.htm

TimmyB · 07/03/2006, 09:53 AM

Thanks for all your help and replies!

Found out that power came back on at 7:30am.

Things still looked ok when I left at 6:30 so I assume there are no losses, but will check when I get home at 2.

Thanks for the link to the article original-reefland.

Tim

mimmies11 · 07/03/2006, 08:12 PM

Was everything okay when you got home?

xtrstangx · 07/03/2006, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mikeatjac
I agree, after work is too long. Lot's of options; UPS, converter and of course battery operated air pump.

Yep.

We live in a pretty dependable area for electricity, no power outages over a minute for years. So I use a battery operated air pump and I will stir the tank around with a plastic stick I have to get the water moving a little bit around the corals.

keinreis · 07/03/2006, 09:00 PM

generators are a must! especially when you live in florida.

07/03/2006, 06:54 AM	#1
TimmyB Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alexandria VA Posts: 41	Panic Time! 15 Hours No Power!! Went yesterday and spent over 200 dollars on new additions for my tank. No big fish purchases... but a new Pearl Bubble Coral, Cleaner and Fire Shrimp and a few Chalk Bass (think that is what they are called). Also some critters, blue leg hermits. Put them in my 58 gallon tank at about 5 PM (after acclimating them for a while). Big wind/thunder storm blows through the Norther Virginia area, and WHAM. 6:15 pm, I lost power. Not really worried about temperature because it so damn hot in my house now, but am worried about flow. This morning when I left for the office at 6:30am everyone looked ok, no heavy breathing or anything, but am worried. Really hoping power comes back on before I get home. But if it does not, what should I do?? Buy a battery operated air pump and stone? Swish the water around with my arm for some movement? Do I need to worry about flow in my refugium? Any tips are appreciated. Thanks Timmy B

07/03/2006, 07:17 AM	#3
mikeatjac Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Jacksonville, Florida Posts: 2,433	I agree, after work is too long. Lot's of options; UPS, converter and of course battery operated air pump. __________________ Red Sea Reefer 525 - BK 160- G5 Blue - GHL

07/03/2006, 07:40 AM	#5
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	I once made it from Washington dc to Oklahoma City with airline and airstones rigged to 6 different tanks in the back seat, for fish ranging from a half grown piranha to 4 breeding pairs of angels, and only a single squeeze bulb. I could connect electricity at night in the motel rooms; for the rest [I wasn't driving] I sat cramped in the back seat of a Buick with the fish, and used my hands and feet in rotation to keep the fish alive. We all made it. Took nearly 4 days. My hands weren't worth much by then. This was before the days of battery-powered bait bubblers. Seems to me, if you could get two such squeeze-bulbs you could run them like a bicycle or foot-treadle, or rig some Rube Goldberg mechanical way to do a no-electricity-at-all tank-saver. __________________ 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%.

07/03/2006, 07:42 AM	#6
TorryRx Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Bradenton, FL Posts: 347	I lost power during Hurricane Wilma last year. I have to work during the storms (I work in a hospital), so I used the battery powered air-pumps until I was able to come home. I will guess I was out power for at least 12 hours before I could hook up the generator, and those pumps worked wonderfully!! I didn't lose so much as a hermit crab. I agree, tell the boss you're sick and run to the pet store to get them. The oxygen gets depleted pretty quickly after losing power, and I don't think you will have much left after 8 hours. 3 pumps will work for a tank that is 4 feet long, and don't use air stones since the larger bubbles will move the water around better. HTH...good luck. We all feel your pain down here in South Florida!!! Torry __________________ ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º>

07/03/2006, 09:51 AM	#7
original-reefland Reefer Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: New York Posts: 2,177	Welp, if your at work, can't leave early, have internet access, read this for next time: http://advancedaquarist.com/issues/aug2002/feature.htm __________________ Rich Durso Visit My Chunk of the Ocean, click the Red House above. Current Tank Info: 180G Oceanic SPS/Clams/LPS, AB Aquaspace Light 3x250w AB 14K HQI with 4x24w PC Actinic, 2x80w T5, Dual Tunze 6100 and Vortec (10,000 GPH), Euro Reef RC-500 Skimmer.

07/03/2006, 07:12 AM	#2
Billybeau1 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Dyer, Indiana Posts: 12,010	Well if your at work you better hope you get power back soon. I dont think the tank will survive too much longer without air. A battery operated air pump and stone is great insurance. Tell your boss your sick and get to the store quick and buy that pump.

07/03/2006, 07:22 AM	#4
Ralistin Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Broward county, Florida Posts: 356	I siphoned water out of my refugium and poured it into my tank many times an hour during the hurricane last year until I got a generator. I had no choice since I could not buy anything at the time and had no emergency equipment for such a case. It was a ***** but it saved many things. I agree though, if you do not have any flow, water movement, or oxygenation going on this long you had better get some quickly. My tank started to suffer about 8-9 hours after no power.

07/03/2006, 09:53 AM	#8
TimmyB Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alexandria VA Posts: 41	Thanks for all your help and replies! Found out that power came back on at 7:30am. Things still looked ok when I left at 6:30 so I assume there are no losses, but will check when I get home at 2. Thanks for the link to the article original-reefland. Tim

07/03/2006, 08:12 PM	#9
mimmies11 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Englewood Oh Posts: 190	Was everything okay when you got home? __________________ Emily Professional stupid question asker:) Current Tank Info: 6 gal nano (soon will be converted into a mantis tank) 5.5 Mantis Tank (will move into the 6 gallon soon), 12 gallon nano (6 gallon critters will move in soon) Building a 90 gallon Reef with 30 gallon sump...will start cycling it as soon.

07/03/2006, 09:00 PM	#11
keinreis Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ft. Myers, Florida Posts: 697	generators are a must! especially when you live in florida.