Power Outage

[tebstan]

I just experienced my first power outage as a reefer! Yikes, was I nervous. I’ve probably slept through them hundreds of times, but when that relaxing swoosh in the background gurgled, I jolted to attention. I’d always wondered how my plumbing would hold up to an outage, and I always meant to run some tests beforehand. Luckily, all the equipment seems capable of handling a short outage. Three gallons drained into a reservoir that can hold five… feel like I watched every drop trickle. This scared the crud out of me! I had flashlights, towels, and buckets at the ready in moments. Reminded me of blizzards in Alaska when I was a kid.
I’ve thought of installing a ball valve (?) to cut flow and save some drainage, but in reality, would this help, if I wasn’t at home during the outage? Short of buying a generator, is there anything else I can do to prepare for the worst? I have some battery operated (virtually useless) air pumps, tons of buckets and towels, and friends and loved ones to mop up the mess. But none of that seems proactive.

[Neptune@gabesfish]

Man I m scared by just the way you wrote the story

[Big_Pun]

unless it goin to be days which in SA doesn't really happen you will be ok, your sump ahold be able to hold what's left when ur pump is out, good story I was scared

[alton]

Make sure you have a large enough sump and you should be fine for 12 hours. If you are worried about flooding build a bigger sump or add an additional one. I have gone 24 hours a couple times with just battery pumps with out any major issues with my 135 and then my 200. Flood of 98 and 2000? Small tanks or over crowded tanks may be a problem.

[Bill S]

An inverter from a car battery to a Seio or other circulation type pump will last for hours. We have a never used 1200 watt generator, just in case. Battery backups for computers work well too - they can be put on a normal circulation pump, so it kicks in even when you aren't at home.

[jroescher]

No one should ever have a tank plumbed or set up that can't tolerate a power outage. And it should be tested occassionally. You should be able to pull the power and walk away without any worries of flooding. Make sure your returns or a good siphon break is located very near the surface of your water and and your sump can handle the amount that does siphon off when the power is pulled and there shouldn't be any worries.

Also be certain that j-tubes (if used) never lose their siphon.

Keeping water circulating in the tank for the health of the animals is a different problem.

[Mr Cob]

Building on top of what john said...

I actually test this daily because I turn my entire return setup off during feeding using an American DJ power strip.

[jroescher]

I call my tests water changes. I pull the power to everything and wait until all the draining stops. Then I do a 100% water change of my sump. Plug it all back in and it's done.

[Bill S]

Building on top of what john said...

I actually test this daily because I turn my entire return setup off during feeding using an American DJ power strip.

I'm the same way. When I feed, I press the button on my timer, and it kicks back on in 10, 20, 30 or 60 minutes.