How do you save a tank when power goes out

by **recowan** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 5:46 am

Hey, I realize that winter is about over, but I haven't seen any thing on how to save a tank when the power goes off. Yes, you wrap it with a blanket, or towels, but if the power is off for more than a day or more, then what? Also, how do you wrap it securely enough to keep heat transfer as slow as possible, but don't stop air from reaching the surface of the water? Nothing could be worse than keeping the tank warm, but losing the fish via suffucation. Luckily I haven't had any power failures yet, but with the storms still hitting the east coast, and midwest, and floods killing power, I am sure that there are hobbyist out there who want to save their fish. Thank you very much for all of the answers.

by **Peterkarig3210** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 6:29 am

If you have gas or wood heat most fish will be OK without a heater.

There are battery powered bubblers fishermen use in their catch buckets to keep their fish alive in the bucket.

I'd get one of those. Where? I don't know.

by **LUVMUFF9326** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 8:56 am

walmart,gander mountain,or just about any store that has fishing stuff,n ive had a community tank without a heater 4 like a year n it stayed about 75 degrees but with aheated house,or if power goes out but u have a gas stove u could always boil n add warm water peroidicaly,plus water changes add oxygen to water.i do have a battery powered bubbler 4 minnow bucket it was $20 at walmart,but most houses have gas water heaters so even adding warm tap should help? unless its a saltwater tank then i dont know but if this happens to u GOOD LUCK hope all goes well.

by **recowan** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 6:52 pm

by **jdak702** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 7:24 pm

I had a 4 day power outage and i bought 2 100w car adapters. Of course i couldn't keep my cars running at all times so i did an hour on and an hour off. It was enough to run a couple of powerheads. For heat, i used a propane flame to heat water and would pull water out, heat it, and return it. All my coral survived and most fish. My coral beauty was stressed and did not pull through... RIP. I was one day away from renting a generator but then the power kicked back on.

by **josmoloco** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 9:19 pm

My power is out right now... All I did was slap a cover on my open topped neon tank... I have no worries because it is about 55 degrees outside...

by **gumbii** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 5:10 am

generator...

get one...

or two...

by **recowan** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 6:09 pm

by **josmoloco** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 8:14 pm

No, the lid was just on 90% of the way to retain heat. Our power always comes back on within 24 hours, so no worries...

How do you save a tank when power goes out

9 posts