timfountain Posted April 7, 2017 Share Posted April 7, 2017 (edited) I just got a call from the wife on landing in SFO. Apparently the tank has been without power since 7:30 this morning. Never been out this long before. Can anyone offer general advice about what to do and what not to do. Fish are still upright and swimming but apparently all the corals are slumped and recessed. I guess the temp is dropping. I'm not home yet and delayed here in SFO. I feel so powerless. Tank is a Red Sea Reefer 350 (92 Gallons) and lightly stocked. Worried I am going to lose everything. What a mess! Thanks - Tim Edited April 7, 2017 by timfountain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Higher Thinking Posted April 7, 2017 Share Posted April 7, 2017 You need to add water movement first and foremost. Then heat. If you don't have an inverter (run pumps from your car) or a generator, that means doing things by hand. Use a big spatula or something to stir the water as often as your wife is willing. For heat, you can either warm some water in bottles and let them soak in the tank or take out some tank water, throw it in the microwave and then add that to your tank. VERY IMPORTANT: Do not just dump super hot water into the tank! Either dilute it in some more tank water or have your wife very slowly pour the water while swirl the holy heck out of the tank to mix up the water. The last thing you want to do is scorch something. That'll kill it way faster than cooler temps. You can also wrap a blanket around the tank to conserve heat. I've been at work all day so I'm just hoping to come home to a home with power. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stugots Posted April 7, 2017 Share Posted April 7, 2017 Higher Thinking is on point. Must aerate! Here are a couple of resources I found online. Pretty much same ideas as stated. The BRS article links to some potentially helpful products for future ref: http://successfulreefkeeping.com/learn/reef-tank-101/surviving-a-power-outage/ http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/power-outage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timfountain Posted April 7, 2017 Author Share Posted April 7, 2017 So how long before O2 levels start to drop? Am I likely to see a spike in Nitrate, Nitrite and Ammonia when the power comes back due to anerobic bacteria die-off? I'll get her stiring. Tank volume is high enough that temps are too bad yet. She just bought a 4KW generator from Lowes, not sure if she will be successful getting it setup though.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Higher Thinking Posted April 7, 2017 Share Posted April 7, 2017 I wouldn't think oxygen levels should be problem if the water can get moving. Oxygen will enter the water through gas exchange at the surface. Additionally, any photosynthesis that is occurring within the tank will be producing oxygen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectra Posted April 8, 2017 Share Posted April 8, 2017 1 hour ago, timfountain said: So how long before O2 levels start to drop? Am I likely to see a spike in Nitrate, Nitrite and Ammonia when the power comes back due to anerobic bacteria die-off? I'll get her stiring. Tank volume is high enough that temps are too bad yet. She just bought a 4KW generator from Lowes, not sure if she will be successful getting it setup though.... Hey now give her some credit.........as long as she can put gas in it I think it wont be a problem...... Hell my wife would just tell me to [language filter] off as she hates the tanks just be happy she went and got the generator....... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishboys Posted April 8, 2017 Share Posted April 8, 2017 I hope all is well. I had the same issue during the snow storm this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trailermann Posted April 8, 2017 Share Posted April 8, 2017 Sorry to hear about the tank. Hopefully your corals were skilled at the reverse of holding their breath underwater. Let us know what the eventual losses end up being. Last Fall, with the upcoming winter season, I sprung for an inverter generator for about $600 (Briggs and Stratton 1700 watts). I began having second thoughts (cheapskate that I am) and never opened the box, thinking that I might send it back for credit. This morning, 8 AM Garden Home time, our power went out. First I installed the battery powered air pump, and after two hours, broke down and opened the generator box. I worked like a dream and I recommend it for all reefers. BTW, I used stabilized gasoline so it will not gum up the carburetor if the generator is not used for months and months. You've got a great wife, but you already know that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdxmonkeyboy Posted April 8, 2017 Share Posted April 8, 2017 Sorry to hear about the tank. Hopefully your corals were skilled at the reverse of holding their breath underwater. Let us know what the eventual losses end up being. Last Fall, with the upcoming winter season, I sprung for an inverter generator for about $600 (Briggs and Stratton 1700 watts). I began having second thoughts (cheapskate that I am) and never opened the box, thinking that I might send it back for credit. This morning, 8 AM Garden Home time, our power went out. First I installed the battery powered air pump, and after two hours, broke down and opened the generator box. I worked like a dream and I recommend it for all reefers. BTW, I used stabilized gasoline so it will not gum up the carburetor if the generator is not used for months and months. You've got a great wife, but you already know that.yes this!!^ I don't own a tank special enough to warrant the money right now but I was looking at battery backup systems specially made for aquariums (which means 3x the markup). For a little more money you can have a gasoline or NG fired generator to keep your whole house going in an outage. nice work!!Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectra Posted April 8, 2017 Share Posted April 8, 2017 18 hours ago, Trailermann said: Sorry to hear about the tank. Hopefully your corals were skilled at the reverse of holding their breath underwater. Let us know what the eventual losses end up being. Last Fall, with the upcoming winter season, I sprung for an inverter generator for about $600 (Briggs and Stratton 1700 watts). I began having second thoughts (cheapskate that I am) and never opened the box, thinking that I might send it back for credit. This morning, 8 AM Garden Home time, our power went out. First I installed the battery powered air pump, and after two hours, broke down and opened the generator box. I worked like a dream and I recommend it for all reefers. BTW, I used stabilized gasoline so it will not gum up the carburetor if the generator is not used for months and months. You've got a great wife, but you already know that. Happen to have the model number? Is this one of the quiet ones? If so how quiet is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdxmonkeyboy Posted April 9, 2017 Share Posted April 9, 2017 FYI.. if you want THE gold standard of quiet generators then the Honda EU2000ie is what you want. it has a quiet mode that throttles down based on power need. I have one and it is very very quiet. The last forever and people love them. it does come at a cost though.. 1k new. $800 used.Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectra Posted April 9, 2017 Share Posted April 9, 2017 26 minutes ago, pdxmonkeyboy said: FYI.. if you want THE gold standard of quiet generators then the Honda EU2000ie is what you want. it has a quiet mode that throttles down based on power need. I have one and it is very very quiet. The last forever and people love them. it does come at a cost though.. 1k new. $800 used. Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk Oh I know that one...............I saw the Briggs and well for the price if quiet may be worth it............ I am a welder and have plenty of generators to power things only issue I have is they sound like a heard of elephants................. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trailermann Posted April 9, 2017 Share Posted April 9, 2017 The Briggs and Stratton P2200 Power Smart proved to be very quiet, easy to start, and enough power for my two aquariums along with three refrigerators and my wifi set up. Maybe more things also, but I did not test the upper limits. Yes the Honda can't be beat, but this one worked well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdxmonkeyboy Posted April 9, 2017 Share Posted April 9, 2017 good to know. the Honda is spend for sure. on a slightly different note, I was actually researching whole house back up generators. they are a LOT cheaper than I thought they would be. 1500 to 2k gets you a pretty decent one. it detects if your power is off and automatically turns on Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectra Posted April 9, 2017 Share Posted April 9, 2017 18 minutes ago, pdxmonkeyboy said: good to know. the Honda is spend for sure. on a slightly different note, I was actually researching whole house back up generators. they are a LOT cheaper than I thought they would be. 1500 to 2k gets you a pretty decent one. it detects if your power is off and automatically turns on Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk Yeah they are not to bad......ones I have seen in the past well they are not cheap and all Diesel motors.......when it says CAT on it be prepared to pay...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timfountain Posted April 12, 2017 Author Share Posted April 12, 2017 So I lost 3 fishes - 2 Chromis and a flame angel. There was a lot of stressed out fish by the time I got the generator going in the evening but so far no outbreak of any stress related diseases. I did a 25% water change 2 days later. Corals didn't seem to mind the temporary darkness, lack of flow and drop in temperature. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stugots Posted April 12, 2017 Share Posted April 12, 2017 Thanks for the update, and sorry for your losses. That's a bummer, but sounds like it could have been a lot worse. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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