Battery back up on Reef Tank?

[PsychFish13]

Call me a Geek but i have a UPS (battery back up) on all my tanks. Just wondering how many "others" have this precaution?

If you haven't noticed price lately, you can purchase one for less than $100.

[Instar]

I did have, but, the battery in the thing died. I think its a great thing to have on the main pump, but, you need one large enough to carry it for a while. Less than $100 dollars doesn't get you very far.

[PsychFish13]

750VA is pleanty for a surface power head.

[::pete::]

Here you go (http://mistressreef.homestead.com/files/DIY/diy.html#UPS) for @ 50.00

[Tim Marvin]

Neat idea, are you planning on a really long power outage?

[::pete::]

NO .... and not hoping for one. I have them in case though. Inverter 30.00 at Sams. It has 2 outlets and 1000 watt peak.

We had an ice storm and I was a little worried.

[Instar]

That on a deep cycle boat battery would probably last for a long while.

[PeeJ]

FWIW, i read an article (I cannot find it anymore) in which someone did a test of several differnt back up systems. He did test UPS...not the UPS that you see most of the time. These were like big industrial ones. Conclusion - UPS was hardly worth the money. Several test configurations were carried on, arranging different equipment to be run on the system. None yeilded really decent results. In fact, he went as far as to say you would be better off just buying some of those battery air pumps. However, he did state that the power inverter with some type of good battery was a good idea.

I'll try to find the article and post it on here.

[GaryP]

We went through a 2 week power outage in SC last year due to an ice storm. That was a nightmare. A lot of people lost their tanks. The problem was not only maintaining circulation, but temperature as well. Even the biggest tank heater can't keep the temp up if the air temp is 30-40 degrees.

Gary

[Chris]

I had always considered it but in the 3 or 4 years i've been living here... the longest power outtage was perhaps 3 hours. Of the 7 or 8 years i've been in SA i'd have to say that's the longest power outtage I can remember.

8)

[captexas]

We are lucky. I'd hate to have a tank in California when they have those rolling power outages during the summer! I have read about people buying back-up generators for their homes simply to protect the investment they have in their reef tank. Definately be worth it as well for those nasty ice storms on the east coast.

[rocketeer]

I've got a little battery powered air pump that automatically turns on then power goes out. It's supposed to last more than a day on 2 D cells. I put one in my main tank and one in my sump. At least my fish won't suffocate right away.

It says "Penn-Plax Silent Air B11". I don't think it was more than 10 or 15 bucks if I remember right.

Jack

[PeeJ]

What is the reason for the one in the sump if your return is not on?

[rocketeer]

The one in the sump is just for a couple snails and crabs, some aiptasia that's probably aerobic without light and a bunch of pods in my caulerpa. It's not that I'm a big fan of aiptasia. I just don't want stuff dying in there.

Jack