Backup Power - Frag Outpost Forums - Coral Propagation and Reef Aquarium Forums

Teeka01 · 03-04-2006, 11:46 PM

I was just wondering who has backup power for their tanks. I have a generator with being in hurricane alley (Palm Bay, Florida). But i do plan on getting a small decated generater that will run only the tank.

EvilTwin · 03-05-2006, 09:32 AM

I don't have one, but I was considering getting an adaquately sized Uninterruptable Power Supply, like they use on computer servers.

D12monkey · 03-05-2006, 09:35 AM

my plan but I just never got around to it.

Peterock · 03-05-2006, 10:04 AM

I dont have one either but i dont have to worry about my tank spilling water on the floor if the power goes out i have a few one way cuplins on my plumbing to keep water from flowing back through the lines. I have been thinking about getting one but my tank is close to my south facing window and i get a ton of sunlight in my system.

Teeka01 · 03-05-2006, 10:55 AM

Yeah but the tank still needs air cirulation. and in the summer during hurricane season the heat is terrible. I know what I have spent without every buying anything that goes in the tank. not even the rock. And I know when I get my corals, I want to protect my investment to the best of my ability.

Teeka01 · 03-05-2006, 11:00 AM

Another thought on that path that my hubby and I have been talking about doing is getting a big permanent generator that nobody can run off with. It does automatically switch on and off when the power goes off and comes back on.

EvilTwin · 03-05-2006, 11:52 AM

I have a friend who had several SW tanks and while he was away on vacation and another close friend was minding the tanks, there was a power failure. He lost everything in the tanks. Hundreds, maybe thousands worth of corals. He had a really nice bubble coral that I always liked. He broke down the tank and it is now sitting on his back porch, outside. In a way, I don't feel sorry for him, as he put the tanks together way too quickly, and went through animals like they were throw-away. He was more interested in how good they all looked in his tank than he was with proper tank maintenance or the money spent. I am trying to get him to give me the tank, a 125g overflow.

FragOutpost · 03-05-2006, 02:15 PM

Living in FL I should have one but don't. I was extremely lucky last year with all of the hurricanes as I only lost power for probably 30 minutes total while most of the city was down for extensive periods of time. I have an UPS which is great for running my tunze and an air pump. That is one thing I like about the tunzes is that they consume very little electricity and will operate for a good amount of time on a UPS.

D12monkey · 03-05-2006, 06:56 PM

When the hurricane katrina hit down here we lost power for 5 days... LOL nothing like a little ingenuity to save your investments... I had a car which was not running at the time (meaning undrivable) and a power inverter. Ran the car 24/5 LOL and the tanks and refrigerator from the powerinverter... LOL luckly the car broke down with a full tank of gas and in the garage.