# strategies you used to keep your tank alive?



## df001 (Nov 13, 2007)

First off, to all who lost fish, that sucks large, I'm sorry.

I'm curious what strategies people came up with to keep their tanks alive?

I have a few friends who relocated to someone with electricity, others who used generators. I had those options but decided the move stress would be too much.

And I wasnt able to arrange to get a generator until the temp started to get too low. (Below 75) but to slow the temperature loss I wrapped the tank in rigid foam insulation and as many wool blankets as I could spare...

I brought the tank back up to 80 very very slowly and so far everyone seems ok knock on wood.

I'm hoping this thread can be a helpful discussion to explore all options to keep our tanks alive.


----------



## Bwhiskered (Oct 2, 2008)

You were one of the lucky ones down that way. I know of a person in North York that lost everything. Most were L number plecos.


----------



## df001 (Nov 13, 2007)

Yeah I have a few friends that have lost almost everything


----------



## tom g (Jul 8, 2009)

*tank*

My plan for next time is the solar blankets duct tapped togeather .with bubbler running 
from the canadian tire booster ...
would it be advised to drain tank to half so u don't have to worry about heating 
up large amounts of water.....any thoughts on that.


----------



## df001 (Nov 13, 2007)

I wouldnt drain water, especially if its warm, the larger the thermal mass the slower it will be to drop in temperature.

I think next time I would use thicker (2") ridgid foam and wrap the whole tank, all 4 sides and top. I wasnt too worried about the bubbler from the standpoint that the tank is understocked, and that the movement would help cool the water sooner.


----------



## darkangel66n (May 15, 2013)

I keep my tanks lightly stocked for the most part. Most of my tanks are also in a room in basement with no outside walls and R20 insulation all the way around it. My strategy was to run my sump for the reef, and air pump for the rest of the tanks. Also since I heat the room and not individual tanks it is easy to keep them warm. I use a generator to run that stuff. Cheapest $200 ever spent.


----------



## Zidartha (Nov 16, 2012)

Freshwater Strategies:

I was without heat for just over forty hours. It may have been a Xmas miracle but I didn’t lose a fish.

What I kept alive in six different tanks:
6 Adult Angelfish
4 Blood Parrots
2 Flowerhorns
2 Africans (Yellow Lab, YellowFin)
2 Common Plecos
1 BN pleco
2 Jellybean Parrots
10 Guppies
1 Crowntail Betta
4 White Cloud MM
4 Axolotl
Various Mystery Snails

Warmth: Heat was the most important parameter and I put blankets on the tanks immediately. I was loathe to remove the blankets because I didn’t want loose heat. Tanks with gravel/substrate maintained at/above room temp for over 24 hrs. Obviously the gravel helps to retain heat and radiate back into tank.

Next time: I have bought the metallic blankets that will radiate more heat back into the tanks. Then layer with warm blankets.

Oxygen: I didn’t want to lose heat so I didn’t want to uncover the tanks to stir until critical. This meant after 24hrs. Strategies: Stirred, poured, and turkey basted with the smaller tanks. Plants were also a variable. Most of my tanks have plants with the exception of the Flowerhorns. So in those tanks I added the roots of an Amazon creeper. 
Next time: Have purchased battery operated bubblers.

Bio-load: Stopped feeding fish immediately. Carnivores can go longer than herbivores, but on average you’re good for 2-3 days. Larger fish also tend to have more reserves. Thus adult fish can go longer than juveniles without food – so know your fish. Regular tank maintenance and high quality foods also came into play here.

Water replacement: I could not do warm water replacements after 24hrs owing to my electric water heater. So I warmed water by the fire (could warm a bucket every three hours.) Added water to the most critical tanks based both on bio-load and temperature. I never added colder water to a tank on the decision that heat was more important than oxygen. (and there are other ways to add oxygen)

I also moved fish out of the basement into warmer areas of the house, but only when tank temps became critical. I decided to not move fish if I didn’t have to as I didn’t want to stress the fish more than I had to. I used Occam’s Razor as my overriding principle when conflicted: The simplest explanation is the best. Or less is more.

Nature will find a way. I watched some Chickadees manoeuvre through the frozen trees and I was amazed at their ability to adapt. Animals are incredibly resourceful and have creative survival instincts. Many of our fish can shut themselves down in cold weather to conserve resources. Again less is more. Let the fish do their thing.

I also had tubs filled with water on standby to move fish from upstairs if it became necessary and to have more water heated by the fire. Although, this contingency never came into play.

I don’t think a generator will work for me as I worry about poisoning my family and my neighbours so I will invest in some ups and an inverter for my car.

k.


----------



## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Jackson posted what he did and I thought it was interesting. He put large tea candles under his tanks.. covered the tank tops with plastic garbage bags, and stayed up all night doing half hourly dip and pours of tank water to keep the oxygen up. His apartment got to 66, but his tanks did not drop below 74.. so I'd say it worked pretty well. Labour intensive though.


----------



## Zidartha (Nov 16, 2012)

Fishfur said:


> He put large tea candles under his tanks.


I'm not sure I would put tea lights under my tank directly but I might try this...

"How to Easily Heat Your Home Using Flower Pots & Tea Lights"
http://www.trueactivist.com/how-to-easily-heat-your-home-using-flower-pots-tea-lights/


----------



## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

Zidartha said:


> I'm not sure I would put tea lights under my tank directly but I might try this...
> 
> "How to Easily Heat Your Home Using Flower Pots & Tea Lights"
> http://www.trueactivist.com/how-to-easily-heat-your-home-using-flower-pots-tea-lights/


Very interesting! This could come in very handy if power goes out in the winter again. I will give this a try when I get some candles from ikea.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## Jackson (Jan 30, 2009)

Zidartha said:


> I'm not sure I would put tea lights under my tank directly but I might try this...


They used to heat tanks back in the day in a similar way.

I didn't have them close to the tanks. About 2.5' maybe a bit less. 
It worked great not one fish lost and the temps kept up and didn't drop after a certain point. 
I also used them to boil water to make tea lol

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

So where does the replacement oxygen come from consumed by the tea lights?


----------



## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

What replacement oxygen ?


----------



## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

Fishfur said:


> What replacement oxygen ?


I guess it could be an issue in a small, enclosed room with no air circulation with the outside...

Kinda like what that claypot heater is designed to heat in the first place. Still, maybe 4 tea candles don't consume enough oxygen to cause an issue.


----------



## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Given how hard it is to totally seal most structures from air flow, I'd very much doubt oxygen deprivation would be a worry from a few candles. I'd worry more about fire risks from falling asleep and allowing them to burn unattended. If you tried, I suppose it's possible, but I think very few rooms are that air tight, unless some really high quality sealing and caulking has been done.


----------



## Kimchi24 (Mar 22, 2013)

Oh man, I lost most of my fry (only one left) and 3 guppies. That was the only losses i suffered. Unfortunately, I didnt have much to combat the cold other than lids to keep the temperature in as much as possible. My battery powered bubbler was broken (or no good batteries in my house) and no back up generators.


----------



## matti2uude (Jan 10, 2009)

I can't believe I found a sterbai Cory alive after 5 days without power and freezing temperatures. Unfortunately it was the only one found alive.


----------



## Bwhiskered (Oct 2, 2008)

matti2uude said:


> I can't believe I found a sterbai Cory alive after 5 days without power and freezing temperatures. Unfortunately it was the only one found alive.


Don't tell me you lost all your plecos as well.


----------



## matti2uude (Jan 10, 2009)

Bwhiskered said:


> Don't tell me you lost all your plecos as well.


Not all, but most of them are gone.


----------



## Jackson (Jan 30, 2009)

matti2uude said:


> Not all, but most of them are gone.


Really sorry to hear that Matt 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## matti2uude (Jan 10, 2009)

Jackson said:


> Really sorry to hear that Matt
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Thanks. I have to sort out the tank of ones I saved and see what's in there. I believe I saved the starlights, a couple of 184s, a couple of 134s and lots of corys.


----------

