Aquarium UPS?

[ricester61]

Summertime means thunderstorm season which means possible power outages. Anyone ever hook a UPS (uninterruptable power supply) up to their heater/filter? I've poked around on google a bit - found a UPS manual that said don't use near aquariums and this article:

http://www.fnzas.org.nz/articles/technical/ups/

Which confirmed what I thought; filter for a couple of hours, don't use heater.

Anyone ever do this? How well did it work?

Thanks in advance.

[blasterman]

Interesting one about the shape of the AC wave out-put by UPS's not being able to run certain pumps. They run my $100,000 production servers just perfectly though.

A heater woulnd't care because they just use raw current to heat up a filament, but I woulnd't use a heater with a UPS anyhow unless you just happen to keep your S. American Chiclid tanks out-doors in alaska.

Water circulation is the critical part. Guess I'll bring some of my spare powerheads to work and see if they work on my UPS's.

[OrionGirl]

It has to do with how long you potentially need the UPS, and the size of the UPS. Most won't run the filter for very long--they just aren't designed to provide that kind of current for long. Add up the needs of your filter/powerheads, etc, then read the specs for the UPS--most that I've seen only offer 10-15 minutes backup. IMM, that's not enough to warrant the cost--a power outage that is worrisome is more than 10-15 minutes!

[TKOS]

I have one for my computer but as OG says it lasts long enough to save your work and then turn things off the proper way.If you are that concerned I would think a small generator would be a better way to go. Or esle I would look at a small solar panale hooked up to an inverter and a deep cycle battery. That would run a pump for quite awhile and could be recharged very easily. That setup wouldn't cost more than a few hundred dollars and could be used to run lots of different things (like freezers) for short periods of time.

[JSchmidt]

I've purchased a number of battery-powered air pumps for just such an occasion. They plug into an outlet and when they sense a power outage, they automatically turn on. Mine run a single airstone and put a out a decent stream of bubbles... enough to keep some circulation in the water, enough to disrupt the surface and keep the oxygen flowing... It's not perfect, but they run quite a while on a couple of D batteries and you don't have to be home to turn them on. They're not too expensive, either... maybe $10 or $15 each.

HTH,
Jim

[ricester61]

Thanks all.

I've got UPS' on everything else - computers, server, TV, etc. Just curious whether it would work for a HOB filter. Sounds like it would, but that it's not going to last long enough to be worth it.

I was sure I couldn't run the heater; that'd suck the UPS battery dry in record time.

I'll have to check into the small, battery operated pumps. Thanks.

[racingjason]

I saw a set up at a local fish guys house using several UPS's. He works for a computer company and said he has over 1 hour reserve with just his filters.

[Kasakato]

I just use a battery air pump with a sponge filter.

If I get an inverter and a 12v car batter do you think that will work to power the filters?

[OrionGirl]

If the tank isn't overstocked, and is properly maintained, even an hour isn't a big deal. 6+ hours is where I get concerned--and for a 6 hour power outtage, I have ample time to step in with battery backup and the generator. Anything less, I'm not worrying,

If the tank is overstocked to the point where one-two hours of power outtage is going to be a lethal event, there are much bigger issues.

[RTR]

I very strongly agree w/OG's second paragraph of her most recent post.

But I suspect that is unfortunately the case with too many hobby tanks.

[valleyvampiress]

If the tank isn't overstocked, and is properly maintained, even an hour isn't a big deal. 6+ hours is where I get concerned--and for a 6 hour power outtage, I have ample time to step in with battery backup and the generator. Anything less, I'm not worrying,

If the tank is overstocked to the point where one-two hours of power outtage is going to be a lethal event, there are much bigger issues.

What about in the case of Bio-wheels? I've read that after an hour of non-circulation, the bacteria will die and you'll have to recycle.

[Kasakato]

The bacteria will die after about 2 hours, After that you wont need to recycle beacuse ther is still bateria in the filter and the tank.

[OrionGirl]

Keeping the bacteria from drying out is a simple matter of floating the wheel in the tank for the duration.

[SCU33ZE]

A 24V battery and an inverter can provide nice power. Ive seen those babys run avionics for like 30-50 min and those things consume like 25 Amps per hour,imagine a small pump and a heater......

its may be $$$ for a 35 Ah 24V though