[Green024]

After having a 6 hour power outtage the other day, i started asking myself what am i going to do when i have CRS and I have extended power outtage?
Ive tried wrapping my tanks in blankets, and adding heated up rocks by boiling them in water, read about heating up water and putting it into a bag which you then submerge into your tank.
I do have a generater, but i share it with my brother and his family who live right next door, which we use to keep our fridges cold.

Should i just invest in a second generater for mainly my tanks?
Are there battery operated heaters for aquariums?
any suggestions?

 

[sajata]

at the time had 1 55g when we had a power fail in the winter a year or 2 back, while the house temp fell down int he 50's during the 12 hour power fail the tank surprisingly enough only dropped a couple of degrees and i did nothing to the tank other than watch the thermometer. My thank is totally covered i would bet a rimless with no cover would cool alot faster than a covered tank. you loose alot of heat through evaporation. heat of vaporization is 540 cals/gram as the room cools there is more pressure to evaporate so keep it covered and since heat rises put a blanket over it is more important than around it.

 

[Green024]

Good to know, most of my tanks are covered.
A few winters ago we had 6 days with no power before, last year we had 3 days solid with no power. I wish our electricity was ran underground rather than on telephone poles. So many trees fall on them each year, it suuucks.

 

[metageologist]

what is your heat source if you have a wood stove you would be able to keep your hous at 68 or so sufficent to keep fish alive but not happy. but if you have a furnace well you could lite the pilot manualy but you would have issues with the blower. circulating air i would sugest you and your brother go in on a larger generator to accomidate the entire home. its what we do up here on the tug hill plateau were the wind always blows and our power goes out alot.

 

[lauraleellbp]

I'd just cover the tank and cross my fingers, personally.

 

[nismo tetra]

Really depends on where you live for how long it takes for your tanks to cool. Obviously the colder the average outside temp the faster your house will cool. Also tank size plays a role too.

You could invest in a kerosine heater also. Those get the house rocking. You can also cook on one...

 

[Green024]

We had k1 last year, the stuff is so rank. So this summer we snagged a few ventless propane heaters with oxygen depletion sensors. Looks like I may have to get a generator next summer when they are on sale
I take it there are not battery operated aquarium heaters.

 

[sajata]

battery operated heaters are as rare as electric based car heaters. it take massive amounts of POWER to make heat. Even on hybrid cars where there is alot of electric power available they still use the engine and gas for heat.

 

[tropicalfish]

How cold is it outside when your power fails?
You COULD push your fridge outside and have it cool that way, and have your generator power your aquarium

 

[hbosman]

I've worried about power outages in the winter but so far, knock on wood, we've only had outages in the summer. Our power is underground so we only have outages from AC over-use. I suppose I would put the glass cover back on, and cover the whole thing with plastic wrap. If you figure that aquarium heaters use 100 to 300 watts, the biggest interruptible power supply (UPS) would only power a heater for 30 to 40 minutes. The cost certainly wouldn't justify that.

Since my aquarium is in the basement, I think my family would look at me like I was out of my mind if I used a kerosene heater for it instead of them. LOL

 

[PDX-PLT]

Battery heaters are not practical. For even just one 100W heater, it would run down a big 55AH Sealed Lead Acid battery (like the type they use in wheelchairs) in about 6 hours.

 

[OverStocked]

I've worried about power outages in the winter but so far, knock on wood, we've only had outages in the summer. Our power is underground so we only have outages from AC over-use. I suppose I would put the glass cover back on, and cover the whole thing with plastic wrap. If you figure that aquarium heaters use 100 to 300 watts, the biggest interruptible power supply (UPS) would only power a heater for 30 to 40 minutes. The cost certainly wouldn't justify that.

Since my aquarium is in the basement, I think my family would look at me like I was out of my mind if I used a kerosene heater for it instead of them. LOL

Very local power might be underground, but your transmission lines are still overhead. That is the nature of the grid. You are being supplied to your local substation by above ground wires.

 

[mgamer20o0]

could also get some thick sytrofoam to help seal it up. power ever fails here ill be walking around all day splashing the water around from tank to tank to make sure o2 gets in the water. the good thing the bigger the tank the longer it takes for the temp to drop.