I'm going to be out of town for a week, and during the time I will be gone, the power will be out for a few hours one day. My concern is that my filter doesn't always restart by itself after it has been off, it usually needs to be primed with water first. What I am worried about is my fish being in an unfiltered aquarium for four days, and also that my filter could be on but not working properly and thus might break or be a fire hazard. Any thoughts about this?
power outage
- Thread starter JohnDillinger43
- Start date
Me too. No one that can come in and check it for you? The bacteria colony that has developed in your filter media will die off partly due to lack of food and oxygen. That's not good either.
cheap back up
You can add an air driven sponge filter and be assured it will be back on when the power returns. If no one feeds the tank for the week, so much the better, less waste to decay.
If water temperature is a concern, you can add insulation to the sides and back of the tank to help retain heat while the power is off.
You can add an air driven sponge filter and be assured it will be back on when the power returns. If no one feeds the tank for the week, so much the better, less waste to decay.
If water temperature is a concern, you can add insulation to the sides and back of the tank to help retain heat while the power is off.
I'm in a similar situation and am wondering if it would be possible to turn off my normal filter and just run the air driven sponge filter? (Providing I soak the sponge for awhile first to get it colonized?)
I think Ive got a good practical solution for ya.
If you don't already have one, which you really should, get a small air pump, air stone and check valve. Total cost should be less than $15. Before you leave, drop your media cartridges in your tank and turn off your filter. Hook up your air pump and make sure you install the check valve, it will keep the water from syphoning back through the air tube and into your floor if the power goes out.
Do all of this right before you leave and do not feed the fish. WHen you get back, reinstall your filter and remove the air pump and stone. Do a good 50% or better water change and test your water.
By keeping the filter media in your tank, you shouldn't lose any bacteria.
If power is only going to be out for a few hours, I wouldn't be overly concerned about your heater. A few hours should not cool your tank off so much that it proves harmfull.
If you are lucky enough to know in advance you WILL be having a power outage, consider yourself lucky.
This method should prove effective for a one week trip.
OF course, since you have already identified a potentially dangerous habit of your filter, there is no better time than the present to get a more reliable filter.
If you don't already have one, which you really should, get a small air pump, air stone and check valve. Total cost should be less than $15. Before you leave, drop your media cartridges in your tank and turn off your filter. Hook up your air pump and make sure you install the check valve, it will keep the water from syphoning back through the air tube and into your floor if the power goes out.
Do all of this right before you leave and do not feed the fish. WHen you get back, reinstall your filter and remove the air pump and stone. Do a good 50% or better water change and test your water.
By keeping the filter media in your tank, you shouldn't lose any bacteria.
If power is only going to be out for a few hours, I wouldn't be overly concerned about your heater. A few hours should not cool your tank off so much that it proves harmfull.
If you are lucky enough to know in advance you WILL be having a power outage, consider yourself lucky.
This method should prove effective for a one week trip.
OF course, since you have already identified a potentially dangerous habit of your filter, there is no better time than the present to get a more reliable filter.
I think I have a fail safe method, and all it cost is 1.00. (probably less). Buy some airline tubing, 1 foot is more than enogh, and start a siphon. The siphon takes water from the tank (down about 3 inches, and puts it into the filter (down about 4 inches.) The water is constanty going through, so if you lose power, it will just take a few seconds for the small tubing to put enough water back into the filter, and since it is about 2-3 inches down, you dont have to worry about evorapation. If you had a think enough airline tube, you could turn off the filter, and it would still work, although it wouldnt be as effective.
that seems like an interesting solution -- have you tried it? This morning when I did a water change and turned off the filter, I pluggled it back in and didn't prime it. I wanted to see what would happen if I had a power outage. Anyway, it ran for awhile, but wasn't able to re-start on its own. Btw, I have a Penguin. I think I'll try your idea next water change.tel0004 said:
Yeah, I actually tried it tonight. I have a penguin 330, which also dosent restart. I started the siphon, and it restarted fine, so then I drained it, pluged it in, then did the siphon, it wouldnt reprime on its own, but once it filled up with enough water from the siphon, it would restart. Ill have to remember this for this summer when I go on vacation.