View Full Version : How can I heat my tank durring a power outtage?
Prometheus
12-13-2003, 4:01 PM
I've seen the damage losing power in S. Florida durring a heat wave can cause to a fish tank... My only suggestion for lowering your tank temp is frozen bottles of water to stave off a fish fry...
How can I 'warm' my tank durring a pwer outtage in the north?
NJ Devils Fan
12-13-2003, 4:15 PM
Cover it with heavy blankets and add some warm dechlorinated water in when you notice the temperature drop about a degree or so. Thats about it. I would also buy a battery operated air pump since the filter(s) will also not be working and won't be circulating/oxygenating the water.
Buy those "space blankets". They will radiate the tank heat back in on itslef. Or wrap it in tinfoil, shiny side in.
Dahlia
12-13-2003, 6:11 PM
What about something like this? (http://simplest-shop.com/Coleman,PowerCat,Heater--1-286168-B00005OU8E-0-garden-product.html) Self-powered heaters... I haven't personally tried it but I am curious if it would work. Also, there may easily be a better model to use than this. If you heat the room to 75-80 degrees you shouldn't lose too much temp in your tank, right? Seems expensive because of the fuel but it would be better than losing all your fish.
About 4 years ago I lost the majority of my fish in a 4 day winter power outtage, so I'm definitely interested in ways to keep it from happening. My tanks dropped to 40 degrees even with blankets. My corydoras, apple snails, and a betta were the only survivors. 3 tanks of fish. :( This year most of my tanks are in the same room as the fireplace so I'm hoping I can heat up that room if there is a problem.
Dahlia
12-13-2003, 6:16 PM
Or maybe something larger like this heater (http://www.bpproducts.com/indoorheater/index.asp) would be a better choice. It says it heats up to 250 square feet and "costs pennies per hour to operate".
Or you could just plug your heater into a big UPS. When the power goes out the battery kicks in.
generator ;)
power inverter might be doable somehow
hot water in bottles..... the same thing as the reverse with the ice. put hot water in a bottle and float it...........
JSchmidt
12-14-2003, 1:45 PM
A short term outage shouldn't be a huge problem; some blankets around the tank(s), maybe some hot water bottles to float in the tank...
The problem is longer outages where the ambient temperature dips way long for many hours. You'll have a hard time heating a tank with hot water bottles if the room temps drop to the 40s or even the 50s. You almost have to get some additional power source. A UPS might work for a bit, but heaters draw quite a bit of juice and you'll drain a UPS in no time, especially if you have more than one tank.
A generator would work, but they're pricey ($500 - $1000, easily).
A cheaper alternative would be power inverter that plugs into your car's cigarette lighter. These cost about $40 and can be use to power a couple heaters or filters. If you had many tanks, you'd have to take turns running the heaters, because you couldn't probably have all of them running at the same time. The biggest drawback to the inverter, obviously, is that you need a running automobile, and that you'll have to basically tend the thing for the duration. Might be better than losing all your fish, though...
Jim
Dahlia
12-14-2003, 6:20 PM
Does anyone see a reason why heating the room with a free standing propane heater wouldn't work? You can get safe models that automatically shut off if the oxygen in the room gets low. I never see anyone say they have tried this or suggest it when someone asks about power outtages, I am wondering why that is. It seems so simple as a solution. I'm definitely interested if there is any reason not to do it, though.
fishfood
12-14-2003, 7:13 PM
In high school the tanks in the Bio lab were wrapped with water heater insulation in the winter since the windows were draftly and the classrooms weren't heated much during breaks. It seemed to work.
marsupialvomit
12-14-2003, 8:08 PM
hot water bottle seems reasonable. or heat a peice of medal and stick it in where the fish aren't around at for instant warmth. but just like baking soda for ph and hardness, test and add, test and add
Wippit Guud
12-15-2003, 8:20 AM
If you want ice storm saving methods... we put the tropicals into a big cooler, and used a propane stove to heat water that was added hourly.
Coolers hold temps longer.
Tiger15
12-15-2003, 9:43 AM
In a power outage, I would worry least about temperature but more about oxygen supply. Fish can tolerate many hours of below normal temperature but deoxygenation can wipe out fish in minutes. Unless you live in extreme north, temperature in an insulated home won't drop to fatal level but deoxygenation will. Fish may get ich afterward though but the chill itself is not immediately fatal. In fact, below normal temperature will reduce matabolism of fish prolonging their tolerance to sub normal oxygen supply.