Seriously -- strategies for long power outages

[chris_todd]

I'm more worried about the planted tanks. . .

Fear not about your plants, Francine, most of them could survive being in an unheated bucket at 60* with no light or water circulation for a week or more. I know, because I've done it, LOL (to try to kill a really obnoxious algae infestation).

 

[mchambers]

Another set of voices

Air stones keep the water oxygenated.
But what about trying to save the bacterial colony in the filters?

Does it help to push the prime button occassionally to refresh the water in the filters?

After what period of time do we assume the bacterial colony is dead and thus need to flush the filter before power is turned back on again?

Linked below is a thread from another forum where this question was debated, albeit without a definitive answer. I thought it was interesting:

http://www.badmanstropicalfish.com/forum/index.php?topic=28220.0

 

[mrkillie]

Air stones keep the water oxygenated.
But what about trying to save the bacterial colony in the filters?

Does it help to push the prime button occassionally to refresh the water in the filters?

After what period of time do we assume the bacterial colony is dead and thus need to flush the filter before power is turned back on again?

Cartel -- DO NOT USE candles. This is how houses burn down. Go get some flashlights! (my FEMA body double speaking again)

The best thing to do if you have HOB filters is every hour or so, take a glass and scoop some water from the tank and pour it into the filter.

 

[dogofwar]

Our power could be out for a matter of a couple of days...in which time the bacteria in filters will survive. Remember that there's beneficial bacteria covering EVERYTHING in your tank, as well.

What you don't want is a bunch of gunk in your tank / filter (either from a filter pad that hasn't been rinsed in a while and is full of gunk or from rotten food / poop / etc. in the tank).


Holly, your tanks aren't heavily stocked. Most of mine aren't too bad, either. I honestly won't do anything - other than a good cleaning / WC tonight - for most of my tanks. I'll be ready with battery pumps connected to the sponge filters in the heavily stocked few.

Fish are tougher than we give them credit for: The fish that we collected in Uruguay spent several days packed in plastic buckets with nothing but a batter-operated airstone, some Amquel (and daily water changes)....before being bagged up (for about 36 hours) and flown in luggage back to the US. Only lost a couple of ~70 fish... and Most were eating within a day of dropping them into a quarantine tank.

Matt

Matt -- I thought I'd read in the past the need not to just let filters turn back on if the power had been off for some time as they then push "bad stuff (unspecified) into the tank . . .

 

[Tony]

I have Aquaclears on my larger tanks in the fish room. Their motor tend to stick from time to time. When they do, I generally discover the issue a day later. At that point, the sponges have been sitting with stagnant water without oxygen. I 'm sure this has happened to everyone at some point.

Take a whiff. Smell like rotten eggs, right? I'd guess that it's due to sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide and methane - the same stuff that builds up in deep anaerobic, dead substrate. Turning the filter back on dumps all this into the already stressed tank. While this will probably not "nuke" the tank, I can't imagine it to be a good thing.

No expert, but sounds like sound logic to me and worth taking a minute to tap out the sponge on the side of the sink.

 

[hollyfish2000]

I have canisters on three tanks (and the aforementioned, much discussed biowheel in a fourth tank with a sponge filter). The sponge filter goes on a battery powered air stone and is fine. I have several back ups. The other three tanks can share two battery packs. I plan to run one fluval 305 from each tank for a few hours each day, stop feeding and try to keep from hyperventilating and running around checking the fish every five minutes for minute signs of stress.

Yeah, and I'm in crisis communication. I handle an angry media mob better than potentially dying fish . . .

 

[mchambers]

Canisters

The best thing to do if you have HOB filters is every hour or so, take a glass and scoop some water from the tank and pour it into the filter.

And if you have canister filters you could lift the output tube and put it in a bucket on the floors, causing water to flow into the bucket and drawing fresh water into the canister.

Could be messy, though, if you're not careful.

 

[mrkillie]

And if you have canister filters you could lift the output tube and put it in a bucket on the floors, causing water to flow into the bucket and drawing fresh water into the canister.

Could be messy, though, if you're not careful.

Exactly what I was thinking when I read that post! Easy enough to do if you have the quick disconnects.

 

[Tony]

I have canisters on three tanks (and the aforementioned, much discussed biowheel in a fourth tank with a sponge filter). The sponge filter goes on a battery powered air stone and is fine. I have several back ups. The other three tanks can share two battery packs. I plan to run one fluval 305 from each tank for a few hours each day, stop feeding and try to keep from hyperventilating and running around checking the fish every five minutes for minute signs of stress.

Yeah, and I'm in crisis communication. I handle an angry media mob better than potentially dying fish . . .

Holly,

I have a ton of extra seasoned sponges you could borrow if you're worried. Give me a call if you need any help/lose power. We live like 5 minutes away from each other.

Please call me if you run into any trouble.

 

[dogofwar]

That's funny. Tony only told me about his "seasoned bio-wheel"...which, although tempting, I refused...

Matt

Holly,

I have a ton of extra seasoned sponges you could borrow if you're worried. Give me a call if you need any help/lose power. We live like 5 minutes away from each other.

Please call me if you run into any trouble.

 

[Tony]

That's funny. Tony only told me about his "seasoned bio-wheel"...which, although tempting, I refused...

Matt

So what Matt, you think you're sponge-worthy?

 

[dogofwar]

Absolutely, Elaine!

Matt

So what Matt, you think you're sponge-worthy?

 

[iamzrad]

70-80% water changes tomorrow morning.
Already stopped by House of Tropicals and picked up the remaining 10 battery pumps they had (oppsie, sorry everyone else lol).
Took the kayak out of the garage.

I'm ready.

 

[hollyfish2000]

Thank you, Tony. I will definitely call you if I run into trouble. Hopefully, that won't be the case, but even if you can just talk me off the ledge that will be appreciated!

 

[ezrk]

Short term answer: Battery operated air pumps

Long term answer: Move out of PEPCOs service area...

 

[YSS]

I am so not prepared. I have three battery powered air pumps. I have 6 tanks running, but only one is somewhat overstocked.