Dealing with a power cut on your aquarium

Power cuts are something that every fishkeeper dreads. Fortunately, though, power cuts are relatively rare, particularly those which last for a significant period of time. However, if one should occur, even the most sophisticated equipment will not work without electricity. There are a number of things a fishkeeper can do to reduce the amount of difficulties that may be encountered as the result of a Power Cut.

 

The main worry is loss of bacteria in the biological filter. If the flow of water circulating through your filter stops for more than an hour or so, then the beneficial bacteria - which keep the water healthy and safe for your fish - will start to die off due to lack of oxygen. After a Power Cut of significant length, it will probably take weeks before all of your beneficial bacteria has regenerated. In light of this, it is therefore wise not to have overstocked your tank. If you compare an enclosed tank to that of the fishes natural habitat in the wild, your tank will have a much higher stocking level of fish to volume of water. This is successfully achieved by the use of artificial technology i.e. power filters, and if this filter fails in the event of a Power Cut, the fish could end up in trouble. A more lightly stocked tank will produce less waste, and therefore the filter would have more chance of converting waste products to less harmful substances in the aftermath of aPower Cut. Feeding should also be drastically reduced to limit the amount of waste products produced - the tank should not be fed if water tests show the presence of ammonia or nitrite.

 

Your filter should always be well maintained. Of particular importance, is the need to regularly clean the chamber which houses the impeller which drives the filter. Limescale and general waste ‘gunge’ can coat the surfaces of the impeller which can sometimes cause it to refuse to restart after the power has been resumed (it is worth noting that an impeller which has become dirty may continue to run perfectly well whilst the power is on, but after aPower Cut, it would probably need help to restart). If, for some reason, you have been unaware that a Power Cut has occurred, not noticing that your filter has decided to refuse to restart could pose a serious problem.

 

Some fishkeepers who have numerous tanks, or those who keep delicate species, may consider investing in some back up equipment, such as a generator. Unfortunately these do not come cheap, but will put your mind at rest in the event of a prolonged Power Cut. You could always hire a generator (there will be a list of hire shops in your local directory) but it is worth bearing in mind that other aquarists in the area may all have the same idea.

A battery-powered air pump is a useful piece of equipment to have stored away in case of emergencies. It can produce a supply of oxygen for the fish in your tank whilst the electric power filter is off, and will help them feel a little more comfortable. Of course you are still likely to encounter the same problems with loss of bacteria in your power filter (as mentioned above) as the air can only supply the tank. One way of helping to keep the beneficial bacteria alive would be to place the bag of biological media from the filter into the actual tank itself, above the air supply bubbling out of the battery-powered air pump. This would oxygenate the bacteria and may help keep some of it alive until power comes back on and when it should be returned to the filter. 

 

There are several brands of ammonia-removing liquids on the market. It is handy to have a small bottle of this kept at home, just so that it can be added to the tank to make any sudden rise in ammonia levels in the tank less toxic.

It is common sense to have easy access to a torch and a piece of paper with your Electricity.suppliers phone number on it - they will probably already know about the problem and may be able to advise when they expect the power to be restored. If the power is due to come back on within a couple of hours, then you won’t need to panic. Just make sure that when the power is restored all of your equipment restarts. If the power outage is likely to be more prolonged, you may well encounter a number of problems.

 

Heating is generally not too much of a problem for the majority of aquariums situated inside the home. Even during bouts of cold winter weather, it will take a long time for the tank to lose any significant temperature, as water holds it’s temperature quite well, particularly in a house where the room temperature will take a while to drop. Problems with heating are more likely to arise in ‘fish houses’, kept, for instance, in an outdoor shed. A plastic bottle filled with hot water, sealed, and left floating on the surface of small tanks will help to maintain temperature. As heat rises, most will be lost through the lid/hood of the tank. Wrapping the tank in old towels or a blanket - paying particular attention to the top - will aid in insulation.

 

As mentioned previously, after a few hours without the filter being up and running, you may find that ammonia levels start to build up in the tank. Typical tell-tale signs of this would be the fish breathing fairly heavily, and possibly a slight clouding of the water. A test kit will help you monitor the conditions occurring inside the tank much more accurately. If ammonia levels are starting to creep up, then this would be the time to add an ammonia-removing liquid. Never feed your fish whilst the power is off.

 

An oxygen shortage is not normally a problem during a normal Power Cut, that is unless it is a particularly warm day, or if you have a heavily stocked tank. However, the effects of ammonia can increase your fishes need for oxygen after a few hours. If a long Power Cut is likely, this is the time to use some form of aeration, such as the battery-powered air pump as previously mentioned.

 

Most power cuts do not last long enough for problems to occur during the event. The problems normally occur afterwards. It is vital that you monitor your water parameters with a test kit for several days after the Power Cut. If the readings are higher than what is safe for the fishes wellbeing, do not feed them, and carry out small regular partial water changes until the levels become safe (this may take several days). The ammonia-removing liquid will help, as will placing zeo-carb in the filter. Keep the feeding light for several weeks afterwards, and under no circumstances consider adding any more fish to the tank until the ammonia and nitrite levels have become safe once again.

 

We hope that this information has been of help to you. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact your local Maidenhead Aquatics store.