How to prepare for power outages

Appreciate it!

 

One thing I have done, since out here its always during the winter we get our major outages. To heat the water I just fill up a big pot of tank water and heat it up on a gas grill. I've found it easier and more effective this way. Just watch your sg if you're doing for extended periods.
Just another option.

 

Please offer any advice you have for cold weather. I don't have any experience when dealing with the cold so it's greatly appreciated.

 

Wow!! This is great! Thanks for the info We had a small power outage two days ago, it lasted about 2.5 hrs. There wasn't even a cloud in the sky, and the energy company said it only affected 40 houses....so crazy. I didn't know how long the power would be out so I totally panicked and went to the nearby petco in hopes that they could offer some advice. He asked me how many fish I had, and when I told him I didn't have any fish I am in the process of cycling my tank, I could tell it was hard for him not to start laughing hysterically. I have a UPS, but it only lasted 30 minutes. What's up with that? Anyway, I now only have the return pump plugged into the UPS (I took the powerheads off). We haven't purchased a generator yet, but we will probably get one eventually. I just put a ton of $$ into this build, so I would hate to see a power outage screw it all up!

I'm on the TX coast and we lost power for a week during hurricane IKE. I need to be prepared if something like that should ever happen again, especially since I have my new AWESOME reef tank!!

 

Get some battery powered air pumps, they are $15 bucks or less and keep batteries around. That's a great first defense for unexpected power outages. They even make ones that will turn on automatically if power goes out!

UPS don't last long at all because they are not usually intended for near the load we pull. A single item is all I run on mine (I run a single power head because it lasts the longest, still only a few hours)

If you are going to be out of power for less than a couple days, then those battery powered bubblers are amazing. I had to run for 48 hours and still was going on the first set of D batteries and kept my 210 gallon well stocked tank perfect.

 

Ok, great advice!! I'm going to unplug the return pump from the UPS and only plug in a powerhead. I'll also get some of those battery powered air pumps. I JUST bought an electric air pump for my quarantine tank (hasn't even been delivered yet)....hah. Where I live there is always a big threat of power outage, what a nuisance!

 

May I add it's good to have a few extension cords if you don't know how to connect the generator to your house circuit. Just watch out that when you add the frozen water it doesn't leak over the top and drip into the power strip. I have experience with this lol

 

Very good advice! I have known more than one person that had gas, a gennie, but couldn't get the power from the generator to the things that needed power!! That has to be VERY frustrating..

 

I man I know converted his petrol generator into a natural gas generator with a kit and just connects it to his gas grill line. My dad also mentioned you can buy a automatic start for when the power goes out so basically a diy Generac lol

 

They are called automatic transfer switches (ATS) and they do make them for the homeowner