# Keeping an aquarium running w/o power



## Bunbuku (Feb 10, 2008)

Hurricane Ike motivated me to find a solution to keep my aquarium running for 1 week without power. First, I had to figure out the how much power my setup consumes. To do this I dusted off my Seasonic Power Angel http://www.seasonicusa.com/power_angel.htm and hooked it up to the Belkin surge suppressor that powers my aquarium setup.

My ADA60P has the following: Aqua Medic 150 watt MH, Ehiem Ecco 2234, ADA EL selenoid valve, 2 timers (one for the lights, other for selenoid). Lighting period 6 hrs/day. I monitored the power consumption for 24 hrs. Here are some figures:

Lights _out_ - 16 VA; 10 watts; 0.14 amps
Lights _on_ - 183 VA; 180 watts; 1.55 amps 
For the entire 24 hour period the setup used 1.49 kWh

Given this, it seems that a UPS in not a viable option, unless we run the filter only. Short of a generator, I wonder if a 12V car battery hooked up to an inverter might do the trick. Anyone know if this might work in theory at least?

As an aside, my utility charges $0.156/kWh, so it costs me $7/month to keep this thing running.


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## grim (Mar 13, 2008)

a car battery and an inverter would work but without recharging the bat i honestly don't see it running everything past 12-24 hours pending on the size of the battery honestly i would try something with soler cells although i am sure they are expensive


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## HoustonFishFanatic (Feb 26, 2007)

Good info Filemon! I guess a generator would be the best bet.


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## Bunbuku (Feb 10, 2008)

The downside is the noise and CO. There have been a lot of cases of CO poisoning due to generators since the hurricane.


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## HoustonFishFanatic (Feb 26, 2007)

That is so true. I know there is a NASH member who has tried the car battery option. Maybe he will chime in.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Bunbuku said:


> The downside is the noise and CO. There have been a lot of cases of CO poisoning due to generators since the hurricane.


Wonder if there's any way to take that CO2 and pump some of it back into the tank for the plants...... 

Seriously, I would think people would not have the generators near an open window... How are they getting poisoned?


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## HoustonFishFanatic (Feb 26, 2007)

Tex Gal said:


> Wonder if there's any way to take that CO2 and pump some of it back into the tank for the plants......


2CO + O2 ----> CO2

We just need to add extra oxygen.:supz:

Bhushan


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## chagovatoloco (Nov 17, 2007)

HoustonFishFanatic said:


> 2CO + O2 ----> CO2
> 
> We just need to add extra oxygen.:supz:
> 
> Bhushan


Brilliant :tea:


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## Bunbuku (Feb 10, 2008)

Tex Gal said:


> Wonder if there's any way to take that CO2 and pump some of it back into the tank for the plants......
> 
> Seriously, I would think people would not have the generators near an open window... How are they getting poisoned?


The roofs have intake vents at underside of the overhang that is supposed to let cool air into the attic as hot air exits at the top of the roof thru the attic vent. If you lived in a single story house its very possible that the generator could be close enough to one of those vents to allow the CO to enter into your attic. Some people also run generators in an open garage that is connected to house and get nuked that way.


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## Bunbuku (Feb 10, 2008)

HoustonFishFanatic said:


> 2CO + O2 ----> CO2
> 
> We just need to add extra oxygen.:supz:
> 
> Bhushan


Hey, I'm not a car guy but isn't that what the catalytic converter supposed to do?


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## HoustonFishFanatic (Feb 26, 2007)

True.


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## Bunbuku (Feb 10, 2008)

Bunbuku said:


> For the entire 24 hour period the setup used 1.49 kWh


Correction I had the timer to the MH lights set for 7 hrs for the above. My eyes are getting too old.

For a 6 hr photoperiod, the net power consumption is 1.32 kWh, working out to $4.94/month


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## Bunbuku (Feb 10, 2008)

I found these Optima batteries that can be deep cycled. I have seem these at my local Sam's Club http://www.optimabatteries.com/optima_edge/technical_specs.php#yellow1. I think this might be the most viable option for me. I wouldn't necessarily get one now but next time if when a hurricane strike is eminent:crazy:.

I figured out that keeping a generator running 24/7 is not cheap either. One of these http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=47742-348-030345&lpage=none consumes 12.9 gallons of gas/24 hrs. At $3.50 per gallon that's $45 a day!

I guess I should stick with plants that don't demand so much light. I am replacing my ex-HC lawn with Lilaeopsis brasiliensis!


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## jtburf (Jul 23, 2008)

One option is a Honda eu2000 ...

Very quite, very small and enough power to run a fridge and your tanks..

We kept both tanks alive with a generator and water changes....


This spring we are installing a stand by generator.we lost way to much food in our fridge and 3 freezers...


John


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## Bunbuku (Feb 10, 2008)

jtburf said:


> One option is a Honda eu2000 ...
> 
> Very quite, very small and enough power to run a fridge and your tanks..
> 
> ...


Hi John: 
I agree the long term best solution is one of those kW standby generators that runs on LNG. Price of admission is steep, but worth it.


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