Power outage Thurs. night!

[Gary Majchrzak]

Yep! Along with the cracked aquarium,a reefers biggest nightmare!Power was out only 3.5 hrs,TG. House ambient temp. dropped to 62*-the big 220 dropped to a whopping 73*.My system is designed well with a float valve and Y-check valve{for what it's worth}and the only casualty was a few of my micro-stars in the sump.This has been the screwiest winter I can remember-usually March is the time to stay tuned for these icing events!So make sure to check up on what to do in case of power failure-my system has survived 4 of them so far.I usually simulate a disaster by intentionally cutting power to test the system.When I know a possible storm is coming,I make sure to have reserve RO water and skip feeding. Playfair has a nice backup system he might share info with us on.Stay tuned 'cause it's just begun.

[Chucker]

What time did yours go out, Gary? I see you posted around 12:30 in the morning. Ours went out at 1:45 last night, came on again a few hours later. Don't think I lost anything, and I'm not too worried since my tank has gone without for 15 and 17 hours before.

[Playfair]

Glad you faired ok!

We too lost power sometime after 12:30, but it couldn't have been more than a few minutes cause the dial type timer didn't show any different.

The auto backup isn't on line yet, but if anyone is interested, it will run about $150 DIY. This includes a battery that can run a 100w return pump for over 8 hours.

Last March we lost power for 9 hours... I have a 600w dc-ac inverter that I ran off the "leased" vehicle (left idling) the entire time, and the tank didn't even flinch. This powered all the pumps and the skimmer and heater.

I fear that with a heavy stocking level, there would be a domino casualty effect after less than an hour...

[Gary Majchrzak]

Thanks,Dave.Chucker-my power went out at 8:00pm.Hang tight- the funky weather isn't over yet!On an encouraging note: I have seen reef systems survive a power outage of a week in cool weather.I'm mean totally dead-no electric.Usually the big fish are the first to go... most corals survive partially or totally,but if you can afford an auto/on generator system-GET IT!I've only lost power{unexpectedly} 4 times in 8 years- not too shabby.Knock on wood!I did lose part of my weeping white birch in the frony yard.:sad2:

[jfumia]

I lost power here too! Im glad to report no casualties. gary my dad called from work today and said spencerport is a mess! i guess im lucky to be 45 min away!
Jeremy

[cperson]

Dave,
Maybe at the next meeting you can explain more about your dc-ac converter set up. If it's easy and not to expensive it sounds like a good alternative to a gas-powered backup generator.

[kmagyar]

You said it Gary. This is a very screwy winter. I have been home all day. Still have power. Drove to work to find no power. What a mess out there. Trees all over the friggin place. I came back home. Now it sounds like the damn house is going to blow over. Im keeping my fingers crossed. Ill be puttin candles under my reef and paying the cat in tuna to mix the water up.

http://usr.myip.org/magyar/cat2.jpg

[Gary Majchrzak]

Lost power again.Hope this bulldooky stops soon.

[RandyO]

Hi Guys,
I was not as lucky as you. I lost power for over 7 hours. Tank temp dropped to 60F. I used a turkey baster to keep current in the tank, and hot water to try and help the temp. When the power came back on, you could smell death.
It is a few days later and the tank seems ok. I lost my newest acro additions including a very nice table top and my newest frags. My sixline wrasee died as well. He was one on my first fish added in 1999.
But the 10 inches of water in my basement was the topper of the storm. My in-laws were without power from 9:00AM Friday till 3:00Pm sunday.

[Gary Majchrzak]

So very sorry,Randy.Let me know if ANY of my frags were the ones that kicked and I will replace them.I've gone through this before and it stinks!Before there was a club I used to share my frags with fellow reefers so as to save them in case of just such an event.Playfair was the latest to help out with an Acro that was not going to survive in my system,but since his rescue of it,he returned a frag of it to me and it is doing great!I am still trying to recover some Anacropora that I lost last year in a RTN event...I had MASSIVE colonies of this stuff,originally from Tropicorium in Detroit 7 years ago.One thing to remember- whatever disaster ever beset my reef-it always grew back BETTER than before,and YOURS will too! :)

[drtango]

Lost power for 9 hours--sped to Rochester to get one of the last generators around, got home just in time to see the lights go on.

We blanketed the tank, only lost about 6 degrees over that time period. I'm ready for the next one!

JT

[KBCobra]

Ditto Here, power was out for 3 and a half days. I bought a DC/AC power converter from BJ's and ran my tanks off my Jeep while I froze with an ambient house temp of 45 brrrr..

Hope everyone faired well.

[ReeferMac]

Sorry to hear about things Randy. Look at the bright side tho... gives you an excuse to come up here and get new frags! Lemme know if there's anything out of my tank you want...
(no, I can't frag the Rose ;-)

- Mac

[RandyO]

Thanks Gary and Mac. One of the frags I lost came from Playfair and the other from Keith M. Gary, the montipora you gave me seems to be doing well. Mac, I have wanted a rose anemone for two years. I finally picked one up when I was in L.A. in September. It is probably my favorite animal in my tank. I need to have Keith M over to take a pic of it for you guys.

[ReeferMac]

I need to have Keith M over to take a pic of it for you guys.

Or you could just have a bunch of us over for a get together ;-)

- Mac

[RandyO]

Mac,
After seeing Playfair's tank, mine would be a big dissapointment. I have a complex about my reef.
Kiddidng aside, I would not mind having you guys over to check out my reef. I have a FOWLR too.