# Bracing for the 2013 Ice Storm - merged four threads into one.



## pyro

Warning have been out for a few days now. Threats of heavy ice and prolonged power outages. Are you prepared? I have a battery powered air pump at the ready and many flashlights scattered around the house. What about you?


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## Reis

I mean the power will be off for a few hours. But what's the worst case scenario other than it being off for a few days. What's the most important thing to have running? Heater?

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## 12273

I'm prepared. I'm going to pyros house. I know he he has some stuff. Ha ha ha. Just kidding. 

Im not prepared at all. I have a fresh bucket of water waiting. If I have to ill mix a fresh batch and do small water changes every few hours. And stir the water up a bit 


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## pyrrolin

*possible ice storm like 98*

In Kingston the freezing rain is really bad and it looks much like the ice storm of 98 and power could be lost for a few days.

Is there anything I should do or can do to prepare or if the power goes out to keep the fish safe? This also can not require me to go out to a store to buy anything.

My 90 gallon tanks are probably safe for probably 48 hours or so for temp but guessing about 24 max for filtration before things become an issue.

I do know that I will not do any maintenance on any filters or anything today that could decrease BB.

Worst case, if the power goes out for a few days, I'll probably lose almost everything, fish and plants.

I rent my house and I have basic insurance. Anyone know if it commonly covers replacement of fish and plants?


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## mistersprinkles

pyrrolin said:


> In Kingston the freezing rain is really bad and it looks much like the ice storm of 98 and power could be lost for a few days.
> 
> Is there anything I should do or can do to prepare or if the power goes out to keep the fish safe? This also can not require me to go out to a store to buy anything.
> 
> My 90 gallon tanks are probably safe for probably 48 hours or so for temp but guessing about 24 max for filtration before things become an issue.
> 
> I do know that I will not do any maintenance on any filters or anything today that could decrease BB.
> 
> Worst case, if the power goes out for a few days, I'll probably lose almost everything, fish and plants.
> 
> I rent my house and I have basic insurance. Anyone know if it commonly covers replacement of fish and plants?


No idea if insurance covers fish and plants. Your plants likely won't die. The temperature of the water would go down but probably not enough to kill them. Your fish wouldn't make it though.

Things that help are battery powered air pumps, gas generators, and UPS units. If you got a really big UPS unit and just plugged your filter(s) into it (heaters take too much power) you could run your tank for a day or two during a blackout.


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## pyrrolin

I do have a UPS but it isn't very big. It can run my CPAP machine for a few hours only and I shouldn't waste any of it for fish. Well, if the power was out long term, I would have to try to go somewhere with power so I could sleep safely and I guess I could run filters with the UPS.

I guess worst case, I can sacrifice the tanks that just have feeder guppies and move those sponge filters to main tanks with more valuable fish and be able to hold off major spikes for a bit. I can also move fish around a little.

I guess I do have a plan now then.


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## Zidartha

pyrrolin said:


> My 90 gallon tanks are probably safe for probably 48 hours or so for temp but guessing about 24 max for filtration before things become an issue.


In theory, if you do daily water changes your fish can survive indefinitely without filters. SO wouldn't temperature actually be the issue?


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## mistersprinkles

Zidartha said:


> In theory, if you do daily water changes your fish can survive indefinitely without filters. SO wouldn't temperature actually be the issue?


Yes but when the power kicks back in, the lack of beneficial bacteria in the filters will be a problem.

I suppose if you put all the filter media in the tank and let it float, and did very frequent water changes, you could keep it alive.


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## Zidartha

mistersprinkles said:


> Yes but when the power kicks back in, the lack of beneficial bacteria in the filters will be a problem.


 As long as you add de-chlorinated water the bacteria will be fine. Why would it crash?


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## GAT

Heat will be an issue for your tank. Beneficial bacteria should be living every part of your aquarium once they establish. Filter media just able to hold ton but your tank surface and your plants should be covered by these bacteria as well. I would worry about heat not the bacteria.


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## zenins

Thow some blankets or thick towels over the tanks to hold in the heat and let the temperature go down slowly.
If the power comes back the next day, your fish should be okay for a short period at the lower temperature.
If the power outage is any longer, you will have some fish dying from the lack of heat


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## tom g

*power outage*

Its got me ......damn the generator was on my list today how do u say
[email protected]#$ , [email protected]#$, [email protected]$$
....
Be safe everyone tonite....


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## darkangel66n

I have everything ready including a generator and gas but so far it has been a non event.


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## 12273

How do you set up your generator? Do just plug it in a swtich power supply? 

And what's the output you get and what does it run? And do your neighbours hate you for the noise? LOL 


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## tom g

*generator*

there are two ways that I know of for the generator ... one is start it and run and run in a extension cord depending on the output u have u can run several things not an entire house with the dishwasher going ....
the other way that my friend has set up is its wired into his house so when power goes out u thro the switch so as not to backfeed the house and it will run your few applieances and yes totally pissing off your neighbours .
the best would be if they knocked on your door and asked how u have power 
lol
tomorrow is the day I will go get mine from Costco......


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## 12273

I wish I had one. I'm thinking I could build a insulated box on the side of the house with some kinda muffler system on it to decrease the noise and stay low key. 

Plus, the noise will attract zombies should that day come. Who am I kidding... WHEN that day comes 😎


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## pyrrolin

my gas hot water heater needs hydro to run also so if I lose power, water changes would make the water too cold too fast anyways.

Media wouldn't get enough ammonia and nitrates passing by it to maintain the BB load required for long. But tossing the media into the tank is better than nothing, it would buy a bit more time.

I lived with my parents during the 98 storm and wasn't in the hobby yet. Heat and stuff wasn't a problem as they have a wood stove. In my home we have to rely on the system working or we are screwed. Gas furnace and water heater require hydro to work and all my fish tank stuff needs hydro. I have no way to make any kind of heat without hydro.

So far I have been lucky and no power outages yet, just the odd flicker. Some of the city has lost power though.

Are you guys getting all this freezing rain in the GTA?


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## TorontoPlantMan

I'm in the downtown core and all we have is a crap load of rain lol. The sidewalks are a bit slippery but nothing like what I've been seeing pictures of in the sub-burbs like Brampton and Mississauga, with tree's fallen over and completely iced over roads. Very strange. ! best of luck to you out in kingston, I know it can get quite harsh over there lol


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## ReefABCs

*ICE storm, power out*

Dread this weather, pwr is out here in Fergus 2:43am. I saw a couple flashes from the bedroom Window, that's not good as it was probably a transformer going out.

Anyone else?

I am running a mp40 with a back up pwr supply plus a battery pwr air stone but not sure how good the batt. Is on the emergency air pump it's been in there for years unused.

I put a couple bats of pink insulation on top of the tank that I had laying aro to help hold the heat in as much as possible plus drapped a couple small blankets over the tank for tonight. I have an old cheap generator in the back she'd but it's never been fired up in 8 years or so and old or no gas.

I think this storm might cause pwr out for a while.


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## Taipan

*Canadian Tire Generator......*

If memory serves (and correct me if I'm wrong); Fesso Clown suggested this item when it was on sale at Canadian Tire earlier this year.

Let me say for the record - "Fesso Clown" is a genius! 

The power is out in my area and has been for about 5 hours now. I got a little nervous around the 5 hour mark and just plugged it in. I will be using this intermittently - hopefully it lasts.

I've also made the appropriate calls and have styrofoam boxes ready to transport my livestock to various locations; if need be to preserve them.

Good luck everyone.


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## Taipan

I have the same concern. The power has been out in my area for about 5 hours now. I got nervous around this mark (I have a very high bioload), and just plugged this in. I will be using it intermittently for my circulation pump.

I also have my emergency kit on stand by. It includes Styrofoam boxes for transportation of livestock to various locations, an extra reactor for carbon, a reactor pump, an air pump and airstone. I've already made the appropriate calls to friends and fellow hobbyists to have my livestock temporarily housed offsite as a last resort.

Good luck everyone. This could get ugly.

P.S. - If memory serves (and correct me if I'm wrong); member 'Fesso Clown' suggested this generator from Canadian Tire when it was on sale earlier this year. For the record.....Fesso Clown is a frickn' GENIUS. Thanks for the great suggestion.


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## altcharacter

Power has been down for 2 hours now and my car has a power inverter built in so I ran an extension to the tank. I'm using a 100w heater and my tunze 6025. I'm pretty sure it should be enough to get us thru the night but who knows when the power will come back on

Also busted out our portable camping heaters to keep the house warm 

Good luck guys


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## ReefABCs

Power just came back on at 6:24. Not sure how much the temp in the tank dropped my temp prob
Is not very accurate any more. 
I was just getting up to run some hot water an fill up some empty pop bottles to help keep the water warm but didn't need to

Hope the pwr stays on good luck guys hope your pwr returns soon.


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## Bayinaung

wow damn. GL folks. keeping fingers crossed power in my apt. doesn't go out. Anyone in west end toronto if power goes out and u got winter tires to drive to high park I can put some livestock in my 35G. send me email at [email protected] with your # and I'll call you right back.


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## Tristan

My power has been out for what I can only assume is more than 4 hours ad my ups that had a full charge is dead... I have a pretty large load as far as sps goes, not to mention my current qt tank system with a few rare tangs... I can't get back to sleep for some reason....

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## noy

Power out since prob 11pm. Tank temp @ 70-72. Been using a butane stove to heat room. Fish seem to be struggling - breathing hard. Also been using egg beater to agitate water surface to get oxy exchange.

Sure hope pwr comes back soon... Could be bad

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## Tristan

Good luck Noy. Try some prime if you have it just to prevent an ammonia spike. 

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## 12273

*Bracing for the 2013 Ice Storm*

It is a great idea!

It would be good to have two. One charging with a vehicle and the other hooked up to the tank.

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## 12273

This is prob the best bang for your buck. I used to use a 55lb thrust trolling motor with gps on a 115A deep cycle battery all day on the lake and still have power left at the end of the day.

I can honestly see this pushing a couple power heads and maybe even a heater for a few days.

My battery once lasted me 3 days in northern Quebec on a fishing trip and still had juice when I got home.

This could be the best $300 investment we could make 









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## Letigrama

Noy, could you go to Canadian Tire and get a generator. you have tons of beautiful stuff.

They are saying the power might take up to 72 hours to get back,

If anyone wants to bring some livestock here, i got extra heaters we can put the buckets downstairs. you can bring your heaters too. I have a house full of people today. my family and friends have no power, I wont mind someone else here. 

Im at Keele and Lawrence area.


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## catfishgurl

*Put a winter coat on your tank!*

You can conserve heat in your tanks by insulating them. As one of mine is on an cold outside wall I had bought this silver colour bubble wrap, sold in home despot and the like, to put between the tank and the wall in the winter. Its used for building insulation. I'll make a "coat" with that and some duct tape. I think even a blanket or duvet even a thick newspaper coat will help. (the newspapers not as crazy as it sounds, I use it in the summer to keep ice cream frozen 1 hr +)
If its not too long I think I'll be OK for a while without filtration as I have live plants. I do have a battery air pump for some circulation and plan to use that.

Good luck and Merry Ho Ho to everyone!

Catfishgurl.


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## altcharacter

Most generators are sold out in all stores. Go to Walmart and get yourself a inverter for your car and run an extension. I have a 800w running my tank, tv, furnace, fireplace, and charging our cell phones


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## fesso clown

What I have and suggest others get is an Eliminator from Canadian tire. It's not a generator but a 12V battery pack with a built in inverter. They are around $100. Will run a powerhead and a heater for at least a day. Canadian tire also has a great no questions asked return policy....

http://answers.canadiantire.ca/answers/9045/product/0112014P/no-motomaster-eliminator-800a-powerbox-questions-answers/questions.htm


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## ReefABCs

noy said:


> Power out since prob 11pm. Tank temp @ 70-72. Been using a butane stove to heat room. Fish seem to be struggling - breathing hard. Also been using egg beater to agitate water surface to get oxy exchange.
> 
> Sure hope pwr comes back soon... Could be bad
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Sorry to here but if you have hot water, (Gas water heater) fill up any kind of container with a lid with hot water and put in the tank to raise the temp. just keep an eye on it so you don't let it jump up to fast.

Check rental places for a generator if possible as well. If possible get out to Big Als and buy an battery pwr air pump, but I guess stores may not be open if pwr is out all over.


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## Letigrama

mark went out to get a genarator just in case. All stores are sold out for generators and salt....

If anyone needs to bring fish with buckets here, send me a PM. My power still on


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## snaggle

I lost power for 10 hours here in Trenton, I turned up a space heater in the fishroom as well as turned the furnace up. The fishroom went from 23 down to 18 overnight. but all seemed to fair well.

How did every one else fare? I am not sure if everyone in Trenton has power back yet, I heard that most of Toronto was without power this morning.


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## noy

*ICE storm, power out*

Thanks for the suggestions

Just got back with generator btw scar costco has a bunch. Just got it Set up now.

Well 2 casualties so far my flame angel and kole are goners. Sucks had them both for over a year. The yellow tang and clown not looking so good.

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## bettaforu

Just a tip to help out anyone worried about temp drops.....use up any seranwrap/plastic wrap you have on hand and cover the top of your tanks where there is gaps, this will help keep the water warm a bit longer.

I use this method when I breed my Bettas so the fry can survive any drafts or cold air that might get into the tank. The plastic wrap keeps the moist heated water inside, and I only leave a tiny corner not fixed so air can get in.
It has worked for me in the past and may help keep some heated tanks warm a little longer.....worth a try and cheaper than replacing lost fish.


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## bob123

In 2002 we lost hydro for 2 days, I covered my tanks with towels and blankets and everything I could use to retain heat. To keep pipes from freezing I had a propane heater that attached to a propane tank and placed it in the basement. I lost some fish but not all, the ones that died were not covered by insurance, but I learned a lesson for about $20 a year I have insurance for loss of livestock during this type of situation. Good luck to all that lost power.


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## Letigrama

OMG! at least you got the generator. We got none around here but my power is not out.....my family and friends are all booking hotels right now as they say 72 hours until power restored


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## noy

Yeah went to Home Depot the guy ahead of me got the last one there.

There are tons of large branches down and even a small tree in my hood

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## Letigrama

My BIL is in etobicoke, his backyard tree literally split in half. Thankfully missed the shed and the house..


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## Fishfur

Used to be all I worried about for a longish power outage was my freezer full of food, for which I now have surprisingly cheap insurance coverage in case of power failure. But I'd still have to insulate the thing with every blanket and rug I can find to wrap around it, they expect you to try to save as much as you can.

I guess I'd be sleeping without my CPAP.. I'd never really thought about losing it for long, but it would mean being dead tired for sure. Guess I'd better look into what sort of insurance rider is available for livestock or plant losses in case of power failures.

My two biggest tanks are right in front of the living room windows, where they would chill very quickly indeed if the heat failed, and ours hasn't been working properly this year.. I think the only reason I'm not freezing is being on the southwest corner, with the solar gain that gives me.

I should get some battery power pumps, some of that bubble foam insulation and invest in a power supply backup asap. I actually have a fair bit of ordinary bubble wrap, without the mylar layer, so I suppose that would be better than nothing.

I did have one night when most of the tanks chilled to around 66 F, [ because I left the balcony door cracked open for air and it got much colder than expected, with high winds helping the chill penetrate]. But there were no losses that time, fortunately.

I don't keep any species that require high temperatures, so most of my fish are able to tolerate some chill better than tropical species can.. well, except the frogs and the Darios I just got, which are in the frog tank. It isn't in a window, so it is much warmer than any of my other tanks. So far, I find the shrimp I have appear to be able to tolerate chilling better than fish can too, for at least some time. For days without power though, I am sure losses would ensue.

One of the troublesome issues for me, being on a tenth floor, is that thanks to my back problems and other health issues, I can't get out of or into the building if the elevators are not running. More than a flight or so of stairs are too much for me. If you can't walk well or manage stairs, it can be a major disadvantage with high rise living.

When I first moved into this place, we lost power for 3 days in a really bad heat wave, due to a fire on the 6th floor. This was before I got hurt, so it was more of a nuisance than anything else. Climbing to the tenth floor in pitch dark, eating pizza or burgers 'cause I lost the contents of the fridge and freezer by the second day.

So I'm wishing us all luck, with no repeats of the ice storm, or prolonged power outages. Happy Holidays.


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## cape

Can you please provide product name / code and price? Would help out a.bunch. thanks.



noy said:


> Thanks for the suggestions
> 
> Just got back with generator btw scar costco has a bunch. Just got it Set up now.
> 
> Well 2 casualties so far my flame angel and kole are goners. Sucks had them both for over a year. The yellow tang and clown not looking so good.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## cape

Thanks for the suggestion. Does this require a charge before using?



fesso clown said:


> What I have and suggest others get is an Eliminator from Canadian tire. It's not a generator but a 12V battery pack with a built in inverter. They are around $100. Will run a powerhead and a heater for at least a day. Canadian tire also has a great no questions asked return policy....
> 
> http://answers.canadiantire.ca/answers/9045/product/0112014P/no-motomaster-eliminator-800a-powerbox-questions-answers/questions.htm


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## noy

Mine is a champion 5625 4500 watt generator bought it
At costco 399

Pretty well run the tank @4500 w

Working good so far my yellow tang and clown
Recovered


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## pyrrolin

I have physical problems to, 10 floors would totally screw me for days if I was even able to make it.

I am currently in a townhouse with 3 floors including the basement. What I really need is a bungalow style so there are only 2 floors total but not to easy to find.

I got very lucky and no power outages and the storm seems to be done now so basically in the clear.,


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## fesso clown

cape said:


> Thanks for the suggestion. Does this require a charge before using?


Pretty sure they come charged up.


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## Reis

Lost power for 8 hours and got it back! I was shocked! So many trees have fallen in my neighbourhood so I'm kinda thanking the fish gods that I was able to get power back. Power went off around 1am and I just got power back around 9ish this morning. I'm located near Keele and Rogers. 
When the power went off I threw old winter jacks over my tanks and threw on some towels. Tanks dropped down from 81F to 74F and so far no losses. The temperature has been going up slowly and so far no losses. I wish everyone the best of luck! Keep them warm and use battery packs on an air pumps! I do recommend gas powered generators and using an extension cord!

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## cape

Called both markham and scarborough costco, both said they are sold out of generators! :/


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## noy

*ICE storm, power out*

Yeah I was there this am and only 3 left when I left. Try Home Depot too and cdn tire. You may have to travel a bit.

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## Sameer

*[PICS] Ice Storm*

Serious stuff. Places around us were and still are without power, we are very fortunate to still have out power. Took alot of pics. The darkness was the main enemy today. Post yous pics here as well.

Hope everyone without power is doing well, all 250,000.


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## Zidartha

Wow did i jinx myself. Without power since 11pm. Heat is indeed an issue. 4 heated tanks in the house. Giving up on the one in the basememt. 

Blankets on everything. Helping.

Havehot water. How bad an idea is it to add very warm/hot water periodically dose with prime? Would these fluctuations be worse than leaving them cold?


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## Reis

Wow insane pics!

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## darkangel66n

Power was out for 4 hours only for me. Generator did the trick and kept everything going. All looks good here at least. Good luck to those still without and if anyone is in the Oshawa area and wants to bring their stuff here I will make room for whatever you have till you get power back.


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## cerebrous

Power is back... Touch wood most everything survived... Tank is warming up now post with update later


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## fury165

Seems a generator is a must have, a bit of cheap insurance in the event that you need it.


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## Flexin5

Power went out for about two hours, threw in a extra thermometer and temp had dropped to 77 from 79, if it had hit 75 I was ready with an extention cord to the car and an inverter. Lucky for me the power came back on and stayed on


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## BillD

Fill a soda bottle with hot water and float it in the tank. No different than having a heater and the temp rise won't be quick


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## Fishfur

That's a much better idea than the one I had BillD.. In any case, so long as the temperature doesn't swing too wildly, too fast, should be ok, or mostly ok. Gradual changes are less stressful than sudden ones. Good luck.


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## BillD

It is still drizzling here, which means that if the predicted wind comes, the ensuing damage will be far more significant than what we have seen so far. There are so many broken trees in the green belt across the road it is unbelieveable. A bunch of wind, on branches that are still getting heavier and there will be a lot more. No end in sight for the cold temps, so unless we get some serious sun, the ice won't melt off the branches.


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## splur

Terrifying, luckily no power outage here but I couldn't imagine having to run out and get a generator to keep the filters/pumps/heaters going.

Hope everyone is safe.


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## Y2KGT

All ice storm threads have been moved to the General Discussion section and merged into one thread. 

Good luck to everyone affected by this storm. It's amazing to see some of our members offering to help others in need. 
--
Thanks...Paul


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## pyro

Power went out here at 11am and came back on at 6pm (ish). No issues in the fish room, all livestock looks fine and only one filter didn't restart. The room is insulated well so the temperature didn't drop too much.
We, on the other hand, went to my parents (8 blocks away) who had power and had supper! HA! In your face ice storm!


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## Ciddian

Yarg my power is on again finally. Its been out off and on since yesterday. My moms street is hit pretty bad. Her driveway is full of trees... I am really worried more are going to come down.

Tanks are okay, I am going to do some some of those hot water bottles.. Great idea!


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## unk3wl

*still no power, since early this morning..*

110 gallon cichlid tank, 9TH floor apartment, got a battery operated air pump running, tank temp hasn't dropped too much yet, still at 25.4C, added a couple bottles filled with hot water, worried about going a few more days without power. Got about 25, 1-3 inch Africans, would hate to lose them....


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## FishHobby

Hello! I am currently in North Etobicoke (just moved in) if anyone needs a place to keep there fish...I will be glad to assist as long as you bring your heaters, filters, and tubs. 

I have couple of tubs I can provide if needed. Please PM me first...so I know what your bringing as my place isn't that big. I already have couple of family members bringing there stuff. Hope to help anyway I can. All the best!


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## PACMAN

FishHobby said:


> Hello! I am currently in North Etobicoke (just moved in) if anyone needs a place to keep there fish...I will be glad to assist as long as you bring your heaters, filters, and tubs.
> 
> I have couple of tubs I can provide if needed. Please PM me first...so I know what your bringing as my place isn't that big. I already have couple of family members bringing there stuff. Hope to help anyway I can. All the best!


that's a kind gesture!

I'm in north Etobicoke as well. (Kipling/eglintonish area) No power for me. I'm going to take the chance with my tank. You are lucky you got power! I have a fireplace to warm my aquarium room, and I am charging my battery backup for the pump at my aunts place.


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## noy

Still no power. Over 24 hours now. Generator going good and I would highly recommend this as a must have equipment. Running this overnight tonight.

3 losses total. All before I got the generator. Can't seem to get tank temp much over 71 and this is due to the low room temp (24 hrs no heat).
I think my losses were due to lack of oxygen than temp. 
Even though it's only 71 fish are quick active and doing well. Sps and nps all look good with surprising olyp ext. Worried about gonio's and other Lps. I think water movement and aeration is much more important than temp. Hope everyone is hanging on.

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## Kweli

Power went out at 245am. Still out today at 11pm.... nothing dead yet but temp at 69 after turning fireplace on. I keep scooping water out and dumping it back in. Hoping for the best.


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## jd81

I think it was a close one for me. Power was out all day, tank temperature dropped to 70 F, Fish were breathing heavily. I think 1-2 more hours, and they would be done.

I kept thinking about whether to buy a generator or not. 
Canadian Tire website would show that one of their store had this one in stock:
http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/champion-1500w-gas-generator-0550314p.html#.Ure09fRDsU8

I finally decided to go get it, took me 45 mins to be able to get into the car because doors were frozen. After 40 mins drive, I found out why that store was the only one that had it in stock..... it was because that store was closed all day due to power-outage 



noy said:


> Just got back with generator btw scar costco has a bunch.


Sorry for your loss.
Can you tell me which model does Scar Costco has? I am starting to look into getting a generator or inverter, to be better prepared for next time.

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/m...utlet-and-inverter-0111871p.html#.Ure3RvRDsU8

Would this inverter be any good? I think my tank would survive with a 250-Watt heater + 1 mp40 at around 40%.

Is it easy to connect this to a car?


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## cerebrous

All survived except two small frags of sps

Here is what i did for 2 fully stocked tanks a 80g and 46g
- inverter from car running one power head at the surface (inverter would not run a 200w ehiem heater) 
- gas stove running a warm water bath. 
- ziplock with tank water goes in water bath
- warm water goes in the tank each hour multiple bags

Hard to keep up and temps got down to 16c
But all survived it seems


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## Kweli

Power back at bloor and Kipling. 22hr outage.


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## mistersprinkles

Kweli said:


> Power back at bloor and Kipling. 22hr outage.


Power also back at Liverpool and Kingston Rd, Pickering. 24 Hr outage.


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## coldmantis

Yay power back a little after 24hrs, hope it stays that way

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## AquaNeko

Power was out in my area from 23:30 - 04:30 on Friday/Saturday. Thankfully the temp was just above freezing and dropping slowly and it was not till the last hour that I started feeling a little chilly in the toes (had socks on).

My basement I think was probably 15-16C as I have the thermostat set at 16.5C for the house. My 10gal has 2 x heaters in there. 50W + 25W to keep the temp at ~70F (middle of green zone). I think the thermometer read 58-60F when the power came back on and I checked the temp.

I was thinking if the power was still out by 6am I would be slowly warming up the tank with a mix of hot/cold water. Personally I was ready for the storm myself with food and gear ready to weather it out. I was in the middle of making dinner when the power cut out. I have a few stoves for my hiking use so I took my pop can alcohal stove out and started using it for cooking as well as my canister backpacking stove.

Perfect timing as I changed my plans and decided to make scratch made pasta sauce with my canteen cup and try out some ingredients that did not need refridging much. The pasta sauce came out not bad. If you want the recipe just ask. I also made pasta in a thermos cup 30/70 al-dente/soft. If you want the timing and water ratios for the pasta just ask.

The skies lit up with a purple/blue light show every few mins which I thoguht was lightening in the cloudy sky but when I fired up the scanner and heard reports of power lines arcing and hydro vaults blowing up/arcing I realized the light show in the sky before was arcing/hydro vaults blowing up. I saw trees cracking and falling from the weight of the freezing rain. A neighbours tree snapped a trunk a minute after I was outside checking the conditions.

I'm not sure but I thought that a water pump or system was down on the radio and having seen red-brownish/brown water out the taps before I took a precaution and filled up a few kitchen pots (a few gals) and canteen just in case the water is mucked up for a day I still have water to use. Listening to the new earlier tonight at like 00:30, I see those in high rises may have thier water pumps turned off which after this storm may be a good preparation lesson to have a few water storage containers on standby and rotate the water 1-2 times a year (use it for plants, cooking, washing, etc). The news also said that Toronto Hydro is reporting up to 72hrs before power is returned. When the power was cut here thankfully cell service was still working and also cell internet. It took me a while to get the cell internet to kick up but once I got it working I was able to get reports from Toronto Hydro. At that time Toronto Hydro was reporting 12-16hrs before power would return.

I am not sure but do they allow generators in apts? Is there a noise db limit if they allow generators? IIRC Honda makes a 1000W and 2000W quiet petrol generator. They are touted as being IIRC the 'quietest' of generators out there. I think at 50% output the noise is ~40dB which is good if you had to run it stealthy be it for zombies or to keep a low audio signature to keep people from knowing and trying to steal it.

Also are charcoal bbq's allowed in apt/high rises? If so you could make a wood gas gasifier out of 2 tin cans by just drilling/punching holes and using a can opener. Should take you 1hr to make the first time. Took me that long the first time as I was slightly confused but while building things made more sense then. Next one I made took half the time. Basically the wood stove is a 2 stage burn stove. It burns from the top and drafts air from the bottom lifting the wood gas up to re-burn it. This design makes it nearly smokeless unlike burning wood in the bbq normally or in a fireplace. I mention this stove because you can use it for cooking or heating water for use in putting it in bottles and putting the bottles in the fish tank to keep the temps from dropping to low. I know the city allows small cook fires. I used a pasta tin so you can guage how large it is.

Someone here mentioned the reflective bubble material for use on thier cold wall and I think tank. That product is called REFLECTIX. I think 1 ft x 10ft or 15ft costs ~$15.xx IIRC when I got it. It is pricey but useful. Many backpackers use it for making pot cozies to save a lot of fuel as when a recipe calls for simmering IIRC the rule is to put the food in the pot cozy for 3-4x the recipe simmer time. (ie. Recipe calls for 10mins simmer you put the food in the cozy for 30mins). If you already have foam under the tank then what you can do is make tank cozy sleeve and lid then slide that over the tank.

Another user mentioned battery operated air pumps. They are useful but I had a PennPlex B11 I think that took 2 x D cells (used AA to D convertors) which I was using for a mini hydroponics experiment and had the unit on continiously for a few days (I think 3 days min) and after using it a few times for many days after battery changes I think I burned out the motor. So just giving my experience with it should you have to handle a 72hr situation or longer.

Here is an idea which everyone should have a water bottle in thier home. The larger the water bottle the better. Punch a hole on the side of the bottle say 1/2" - 1" from the bottom of the bottle then cut a small piece of air line tubing and friction fit the tubing into the hole for a nice tight seal. Now fill the bottle with dechlorinated water or tank water and use a paper clip or spring paper clip or rubber band to control the water flow. You want a slow steady trickle. Now put that bottle higher then your fish tank. As the water trickles down it will push air into the tank about 1/2" to 3" under the water. The higher the bottle is from the tank the deeper the air bubbles will go. The downside to this design is you need to fill it often unless you have a large bottle. Something 1gal min. will work.

I went out for a couple walks and to get some groceries and saw large chunks of my area without power right now. A street beside me with a light show last night according to the fire dept on the scanner had some wires or hydro vault down. If you walk take a good flashlight and scan the trees before you walk to see if the trunks are cracking or you oculd walk around it if you could. A good investment for all to get if walking is http://www.32north.com/work/1-stabilicers-ice-cleats-original.html . Worth every penny. I have this model and it goats up slick as smooth ice sidewalks and roads. Hell I was able to run full speed up hills and stop on a dime without slipping while everyone is slip and sliding.  Best part is the replaceable cleats. You will likely lose 4-6 cleats per foot per season if you are hard on them. 

http://powerequipment.honda.ca/generators/inverter-series/eu1000ikc2/specs

52dB @ 7 meters  and 29lbs  Pricey tho



BillD said:


> Fill a soda bottle with hot water and float it in the tank. No different than having a heater and the temp rise won't be quick


+1. Combined with a sponge filter and air pump to lift the water to keep the water movement going to spread the heat slowly. I think putting gravel in the bottle and having it sink into the tank beside the sponge filter will help move the heat around better.



jd81 said:


> Sorry for your loss.
> Can you tell me which model does Scar Costco has? I am starting to look into getting a generator or inverter, to be better prepared for next time.
> 
> http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/m...utlet-and-inverter-0111871p.html#.Ure3RvRDsU8
> 
> Would this inverter be any good? I think my tank would survive with a 250-Watt heater + 1 mp40 at around 40%.
> 
> Is it easy to connect this to a car?


I cna't read the Q&A as my firefox is boinked but IIRC for those high wattage units they come with battery connectors so you can screw them onto your car battery. Not sure if it has a cig port. I was thinking about what someone here said about running an extention cord from thier car invertor to thier tank and thinking about what I saw on the news a few days ago about cars being stolen when they are running. I figure if you are running an extention cord it will leave the door ajar or not close. For those without garage space doing that on the drive way might put you are a risk on the theft. Thinking more into this if you clamped the invertor to the car battery and ran and extention cord under the hood then close the hood it would keep the car less prone to being broken into.

Something to know about inverters. IIRC the amount listed on the unit is the max the unit can handle. What you want to look for and read carefully is the CONTINUOUS WATTAGE rating. For example a 75W cig port inverter I have says 75W but when you read it carefully it says 75W Surge MAX and it will run continuously at 60W or less. Hmm... I might have to test that with my 25W and 50W Hydors.


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## fury165

The Lebovic Jewish Community Campus (Bathurst and Major Mackenzie) is open 24 hours to anyone who needs a place to get out of the cold.

http://salsa4.salsalabs.com/o/50830/blastContent.jsp?email_blast_KEY=1234723


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## Bantario

I have battery operated air pump for anyone who wants to borrow it, no batteries....

PM


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## tom g

*ice storm*

first and foremost I hope everyone is safe and sound . a few days before x mas not sure about anyone else but this sure was a eye opener ,,I didn't relize how dependent on electricity we are .my first order of business for the new year will be a total set up for the zombie accropalys.i think we should start a thread on neccs for this kind of incident in the future and where the best place to buy the stuff is . I went into princess auto and at 4 pm they had lots of stuf still. not quuite sure what the damage is on my system will start peeling away blankets soon and getting things in order .all I could do was cover with blankets and hope that was enough.the trees are all down everywhere the streets are ice.again I hope everyone is safe .
things that are on my list ..
-GENERATOR first and foremost .
-propane tanks filled including spare not tucked away in backyard .
-camping attire propane stovetop and lantern.
--flashlights had them and tonnes of batteries .
-propane heater ..to purchase lil buddy from princess auto 189.00 works off of two mini propane tanks for the stovetop burners excessive heat and can be used on a table top .friend uses this to do winter maint on his boat.
-
I know most things are expensive to buy but we can certainly put a few bucks away to prepare for ongoing troubles .
please feel free to add to this or we can start a new thread ....prob would be a good sticky .


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## 12273

Tom. I am guilty of not preparing enough. I have camping gear, survival skills and a good assortment of boom sticks . But when it comes to my house or fish tanks I'm vulnerable. I don't have generator either. 

And honestly. If crap really hit the fan a generator on the side of the house would fall prey to thieves in short order should there be a long term outage. And long term I mean 3-4 days before people get squirrelly. If that. I'm a firm believer that it doesn't take much for a society to go nuts and turn into animals. I don't believe in zombies or anything but the "people", the average joe will do whatever it takes to feed and keep his family safe. And at the end of the day you have to do the same. 

Anyways, I hope all are safe in this unfortunate event and don't forget how vulnerable we are and don't take things for granted. 


Sent from iphone using auto correct! Can't you tell!?


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## sig

I have this one and it was OK, but you can not run the car 72 hours. Gave up yesterday in the evening. 
No power yet from Saturday., Fortunately have small tank and few friends, but many corals, snails probably gone.

http://www.amazon.ca/Cobra-CPI-880-Inverter-output/dp/B001TE0IMG

*100% free webcam site! | Awesome chicks and it is absolutely free! | Watch free live sex cam - easy as 1-2-3*


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## fury165

aquaman1 said:


> Tom. I am guilty of not preparing enough. I have camping gear, survival skills and a good assortment of boom sticks . But when it comes to my house or fish tanks I'm vulnerable. I don't have generator either.
> 
> And honestly. If crap really hit the fan a generator on the side of the house would fall prey to thieves in short order should there be a long term outage. And long term I mean 3-4 days before people get squirrelly. If that. I'm a firm believer that it doesn't take much for a society to go nuts and turn into animals. I don't believe in zombies or anything but the "people", the average joe will do whatever it takes to feed and keep his family safe. And at the end of the day you have to do the same.
> 
> Anyways, I hope all are safe in this unfortunate event and don't forget how vulnerable we are and don't take things for granted.
> 
> Sent from iphone using auto correct! Can't you tell!?


If people go nuts during black friday sales for iPads, LCD TVs, PS4s - things that are not essentials, can you imagine what they would do should we really have a catastrophic event that leaves everyone vying for food, water and essentials?

I know a few Preppers who have been preparing for end of times, Zombie apocalypse, the collapse of the banking system et al. While I don't subscribe to all of their philosophy, i have to admit that there is merit to the notion of being prepared to a certain degree. Food, water, medicine and equipment like flashlights, batteries, tools, candles, generators etc are things that we should be "stock piling" during the GOOD times.



tom g said:


> first and foremost I hope everyone is safe and sound . a few days before x mas not sure about anyone else but this sure was a eye opener ,,I didn't relize how dependent on electricity we are .my first order of business for the new year will be a total set up for the zombie accropalys.i think we should start a thread on neccs for this kind of incident in the future and where the best place to buy the stuff is . I went into princess auto and at 4 pm they had lots of stuf still. not quuite sure what the damage is on my system will start peeling away blankets soon and getting things in order .all I could do was cover with blankets and hope that was enough.the trees are all down everywhere the streets are ice.again I hope everyone is safe .
> things that are on my list ..
> -GENERATOR first and foremost .
> -propane tanks filled including spare not tucked away in backyard .
> -camping attire propane stovetop and lantern.
> --flashlights had them and tonnes of batteries .
> -propane heater ..to purchase lil buddy from princess auto 189.00 works off of two mini propane tanks for the stovetop burners excessive heat and can be used on a table top .friend uses this to do winter maint on his boat.
> -
> I know most things are expensive to buy but we can certainly put a few bucks away to prepare for ongoing troubles .
> please feel free to add to this or we can start a new thread ....prob would be a good sticky .


+1 i like the idea of a thread, i'll have to dig out some links I've got somewhere from sites which give pointers on emergency preparedness. Some of them could be viewed as tin foil hat worthy, but some of us could sure benefit from the info right about now.



AquaNeko said:


> I'm not sure but I thought that a water pump or system was down on the radio and having seen red-brownish/brown water out the taps before I took a precaution and filled up a few kitchen pots (a few gals) and canteen just in case the water is mucked up for a day I still have water to use. Listening to the new earlier tonight at like 00:30, I see those in high rises may have thier water pumps turned off which after this storm may be a good preparation lesson to have a few water storage containers on standby and rotate the water 1-2 times a year (use it for plants, cooking, washing, etc).
> .


Consider purchasing water purification tablets or something like this portable water purification http://www.mec.ca/product/5012-998/katadyn-vario-microfilter/. I bought one a few years back and never had a need to use it yet, but glad that it will be there when i need it.

Stock piling bottled water is a good option too, just realize that there is an expiry date on these. The problem for me is storage space and the fact that my wife finds it too convenient to grab one instead of filling up a water bottle fron the RO system


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## 12273

That's the same one I have!!!! 

I can vouch for that product. I filtered water out of a swampy part of a lake and the water went into a nalgen bottle that screws on it. 

Water came out clear, odourless and tasteless. Amazing product that could save your life one day. Best $100 I've spent on camping gear 

For someone that does camping this is a great way to save on weight. No water bottles! And no boiling water. I'm not talking camping where you pull up a car and pitch a tent. I mean real camping 


Sent from iphone using auto correct! Can't you tell!?


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## Taipan

*Contingency plan in effect.....*

Shut down tank today. Some losses (always the sentimental ones)....but not a catastrophe.....yet (hopefully). I planned for 24-36 hours with no power. Just couldn't keep up. THANKS to all the generous offers of assistance. One word: Karma.

As much as this is a pain in the ass.....this is a 'good' thing. I will tear down and finally set up my new build. This was the kick in the pants I needs.

Good Luck everyone. This was and still is ugly for most. I'm guessing my area won't be up and running for at least another day; maybe two. Too many mature trees and downed power lines.

Happy? Holidays. Stay safe and warm.


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## fury165

Taipan said:


> Shut down tank today. Some losses (always the sentimental ones)....but not a catastrophe.....yet (hopefully). I planned for 24-36 hours with no power. Just couldn't keep up. THANKS to all the generous offers of assistance. One word: Karma.
> 
> As much as this is a pain in the ass.....this is a 'good' thing. I will tear down and finally set up my new build. This was the kick in the pants I needs.
> 
> Good Luck everyone. This was and still is ugly for most. I'm guessing my area won't be up and running for at least another day; maybe two. Too many mature trees and downed power lines.
> 
> Happy? Holidays. Stay safe and warm.


Sorry to hear Red, hope you and your family are faring better.


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## Taipan

Thanks. The same to you and yours.

I've already mentioned somewhere on the forum....but here's my contribution:

When power is restored....run CARBON like crazy. There will be a lot of toxins in your water.


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## tom g

*saddness*

hey red if u need any help with anything let me know ... we have power here and if I can help just let me know ...
hope u were able to salvage some of your beautiful pieces 
let me know , phones don't seem to be working that great 
cheers 
tom


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## Zidartha

Power still out. Looking for battery bubblers. If you yave seen them in stock somewhere or have a spare please pm me.


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## george

Had to leave house (as no power) and left with my family including two kids (smaller one of 2 months) to TankCla. Came back this morning to check out the house and it was nuts. The fallen tree barely missed the roof, power line is on the ground and will be fixed on Friday. 

Picked whatever corals were on plugs and covered the tanks with blankets. Whatever cookies were in the oven at the time when power went out went on the BBQ and are pretty good.

May post some nice pictures later.


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## 12273

^^^. Look at fishing tackle shops. I use them for minnow buckets while fishing. Usually $20. 

Canadian tire should have some for nice fishing season. 


Sent from iphone using auto correct! Can't you tell!?


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## Y2KGT

One of our members is looking for help in housing a few saltwater fish.
http://www.gtaaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?t=52913
Please help if you can. He is in North York and needs help ASAP.
--
Thanks...Paul


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## Sameer

Just snapped a pic, not that great. All the trees are sparkling


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## Ciddian

I have a battery operated pump if anyone needs it. It is on its last legs.... but it makes bubbles!

If anyone needs anything let me know. I have a 90 FW. I just don't really have friendly tank mates.


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## tom g

*offfer*

I have a empty 35 gal and 10 gal if anyone is in need ...
I am going away for 2 days so hopefully the power outages will stop and be figured out . but when I come back I can start up a qt tank if anyone needs in my basement .
let me know 
cheers 
tom


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## Taipan

"You're a good man Charlie Brown"......


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## Zidartha

Power is back. 40 hrs without power and no discernible losses yet. Just in time too as I was about to start peeing into water battles to try and keep tank temp up... 

Fish are really stressed so fingers crossed.

Big ALs Scar just got Battery Bubblers in and they have a wait list if you need one. SO call and get yourself on list if you need one.

Thanks for your great suggestions. It's times like these that I am grateful for this wonderful community!


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## PACMAN

sigh, power still out. Kipling & kingsway


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## Zidartha

I really need to stop jinxing myself. Power off...






k.


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## Ciddian

Ya mine has started bliping... O_O


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## Kweli

PACMAN said:


> sigh, power still out. Kipling & kingsway


Your near me. I'd you have anything you want to put in my tank email me

Id take fish... I'm I'm scared we would never be able to get them out


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## noy

jd81 said:


> Can you tell me which model does Scar Costco has? I am starting to look into getting a generator or inverter, to be better prepared for next time.


Champion 5625.
It is 4500W rated. You can basically run your entire tank with it (and I am - return pump/skimmer/powerheads). Been running for over 36 hours with no problems.

Not sure how practical an inverter tied to your car is - except for shorter outages. I ran the generator the entire night and left it on when I went to work. Don't think I would run my car the entire night. It basically uses about 8 gallons of gas each 24 hours.


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## cerebrous

If some needs help running buckets and heater I got power back!!!

Pm


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## unk3wl

*Finally got power-36 hrs later*

had to breakdown and buy a generator, but the fish all made it and now if something like this happens again, i'll be prepared.


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## altcharacter

If anyone is near me I would be glad to house their livestock until the power comes back on. I was out for 30 hours and ran a 800w inverter on and off to keep the tank at a modest 75 degrees. No losses that I can see but I do have 9 gallons of saltwater mixed and ready to be changed in the morning. My car only used 1/4 a tank of gas (around $9 worth of gas) for the whole time and the inverter powered 3 lights, 100w heater, 50w heater, [email protected]", 42" LCD TV, Modem, Router(yes we had wi-fi), 2 cell phone chargers, chromecast, MP10, Tunze 6025, Koralia nano 425, Eheim compact 3000, Cadlights skimmer, and our gas fireplace downstairs.

For an area that was really hard hit my house and our nextdoor neighbor (he had a 2kw generator) were the only houses within miles to have electricity. I thought of plugging in the christmas lights but my wife said it would be showboating. 

My suggestion for people is either get a generator or a inverter. The only problem with a generator is that it won't supply power to everything. Mainly phased or staged motors. An inverter means you have to run your car but atleast you can turn your car off for a period of time.

Here's a pic of my house during the ice storm running my inverter.


power by relax142, on Flickr

Good luck to all, and if you need to drop off livestock please don't hesitate to knock on my door if you know where I live or PM me. I'll be up all night getting drunk


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## Zidartha

altcharacter said:


> I was out for 30 hours and ran a 800w inverter on and off to keep the tank at a modest 75 degrees. No losses that I can see but I do have 9 gallons of saltwater mixed and ready to be changed in the morning. My car only used 1/4 a tank of gas (around $9 worth of gas) for the whole time and the inverter powered 3 lights, 100w heater, 50w heater, [email protected]", 42" LCD TV, Modem, Router(yes we had wi-fi), 2 cell phone chargers, chromecast, MP10, Tunze 6025, Koralia nano 425, Eheim compact 3000, Cadlights skimmer, and our gas fireplace downstairs.


Ok, I'm sold on the inverter; it sounds like a great idea or an electrical fire in the making. What inverter (make, model) do you use to run all that? And equally important, how do you like Chromecast?

And I now have warm water and empty bins if anyone needs to temporarily re-home fish (bring heater and fish) or want to borrow bins/water. I know that just East of me, much of Scarborough, is still without power.

k.


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## tom g

*Wtf*

I want to know how u got football.............I thought if u had power that the cable would be down .........or are u on satellite or antenna .


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## altcharacter

Over the air antenna. We get 32 channels that are true HD (sattelite and cable are 720p) at 1080p all for free. Then we use the chromecast to watch netflix and YouTube so we really don't miss anything at all.

As for the chromecast we love it!! We are thinking about getting a second one for the basement TV. Well worth the $35


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## tom g

*free to air*

will love to find out more about chromcast will look into it and also getting a 
antenna I know the one thing that was driving us nuts was that we had no info 
and no communication to what was happening out there ..


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## 12273

Get an iphone. I have a iphone 5 with unlimited everything and 3 GB of data for $80 a month. Without the need for a house phone it's actually cheaper in the end. Plus, it's rare that cell towers go down. 

iPhones will also serve as a GPS Even without reception it should work for maps and such. 

Honestly this phone is worth the $450 you'll pay. And it's only a two year contract now! Suckeerrrs LOL. 


Sent from iphone using auto correct! Can't you tell!?


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## noy

Finally got power last night late. Kept the generator running a second night though just in case.

I think my little clown trigger and his little friend the six line wrasse are the biggest survivors out of my livestock. Both were in a 20 gallon qt tank and the temperature dropped to 62F for the most part. Both (and the hermit crab in there) are alive and kicking! I only had a 150W heater and could not get the temperature up any higher.

The main display is back in business. The attached photo shows the tank with the 3 heaters driven by the generator during the power outage. 3 losses in total (flame angel, Kole tang and purple dottyback) and no coral losses. No losses in the nano either. I think if I reacted quicker in getting some aeration/movement in the tank (even manually) I probably wouldn't have lost any fish (i.e. stay up all night).


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## AquaNekoMobile

I use android so not sure if the iphone crowd has this but look up 'scanner radio' and get the free app. It lets you listen in real time to local fire/ttc/police and more. I have mine with the fire depts saved as well as ttc because the damn ttc seems to always say technical difficulties or something to that the telling you if the delay is due to ....IDK someoe that purposely wanted to test Newton's law of motion by jumping in front of a moving train. 

I found the toronto fire very handy able to listen to a lot of local calls when I was without power for almost 5hrs. As said in my previous post I did not know that the purple blue colors in the sky was not lightening till I heard the scanner and toronto fire talking about arcing and hydro vaults blowing up. It does eat data tho if you are on the cell internet. IIRC it ate about 20mbs for on /off use over 2nights. Not sure what bitrate they are streaming at. If it is 16k then ok. If it is higher like 64k I hope they are able to give the user a choice sothey can take a lower bitrate to save on cell data for those without high or unlimited data plans. Oh yes, it works well on wifi.

Edit:

I used the scanner radio about 3hrs during our blackout and aboutan 1 hour on sunday when I went to get some groceries. So about 20mbs for about 4hrs use.


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## Nicole

*Aerators*

For anyone still looking for a battery powered air pump they are available in stock at some Canadian Tires http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/search-results.html?searchByTerm=true&q=min-o-life
You can actually look up which locations have them in stock. Unfortunately they're about twice the price of Petsmart's but the truth is, it's still worth it. I snagged one today at the Richmond Hill North store just in case I lose power again, but could only get the one with the bucket. $30 well spent. 
I'm in richmond hill, if anyone needs anything PM me.


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## casparproject

Our power came on just now after three days off. I used a propane stove on the back deck to heat water and mix w tank water to right temp, and pasted hand warmers all over the glass for two days, then bit the bullet and relocated my fish. What a mess. Gotta get me an eliminator for next time.


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## AquaNeko

I wish I could offer more help but offering my small part to help out others.

We lost power for ~4.5-5hrs so the beneficial bacteria is all there from my understanding as it was not long enough for die off. I have a 10gal that I use dual filters on. 

If anyone needs biomedia or beneficial cultures (will bottle it) I can help out. I have a few filter floss pads in my water intake holder box on my AC20 and also have a filter floss pad I just cleaned out a a few days ago before the storm but the couple I have in the AC20 intake box have a lot of benefical cultures on it. 

If you need it just ask and message AquanekoMobile as I will be out and about.


EDIT:

My tanks are all freshwater for the filters. I also a 5.5gal with a AC20 but very light bioload in there but that filter is up for offer as well. Stay safe and warm everyone.


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## sig

The biggest problem with humans is the short memories and tendency to repeat mistakes.

The next time will come ant the same people who plan to be ready, will not be ready again.

I told myself several times during this year - go and by generators, but it never happened and money were wasted on another unnecessary BS.
There is also possibility that you will buy it now and will never need it 

*100% free webcam site! | Awesome chicks and it is absolutely free! | Watch free live sex cam - easy as 1-2-3*


----------



## Y2KGT

sig said:


> The biggest problem with humans is the short memories and tendency to repeat mistakes.
> 
> The next time will come ant the same people who plan to be ready, will not be ready again.
> 
> I told myself several times during this year - go and by generators, but it never happened and money were wasted on another unnecessary BS.
> There is also possibility that you will buy it now and will never need it


I couldn't agree with you more Greg. But this time I'm getting a generator for sure. 
--
Paul


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## goffebeans

Day 5 and still no power. Suspect it'll be the weekend until it's restored. going to have to rebuiLD after this.

I was able to save a few fish that looked like total goners but not out of the woods yet. Still trying to setup a 20 gallon to hold the remaining fish. 

Alive:
Multibanded angel
Yellow tang
Orange false perc
Black false perc but she's looking bad.
Clown goby

I have some corals that are half dead that I'd like to give away today. Preferrably scarborough or markham or parts of north york so that i can drop off.
2 frogspawns. one octo one regular
Torch coral
Large leather
Small Kenya tree

***update
Gave the corals away unfortunately lost everything else the next day except for a few snails and conchs which I also gave away.


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## rickcasa

goffebeans said:


> Day 5 and still no power. Suspect it'll be the weekend until it's restored. going to have to rebuiLD after this.


Sorry to hear you're still without power. 5 days is torture. My tank survived 46 hrs with no heat (down to 58F) with no casualties except for my prized gold torch. 1 head has melted and the other 2 are hanging by a thread...likely goners. I consider myself lucky considering I'm fully stocked with 22 fish, 3 nems, lots of corals, inverts and gorgs.

From this experience, I feel that oxygen was key and temp secondary. So if you only have a UPS which I had 2 of, 3 hrs of flow even with one pump (MP40 in my case) was sufficient every 12 hrs. When I peeked in with a flashlight, they were all moving and breathing normally. I think the cold kept them in a suspended animation of some sort and required very little oxygen. The corals were another matter as I was prepared to lose most, esp my gonis, nps and other torches, but I was pleasantly surprised and now after 20hrs are all in full extension.

I have these 2 UPS fully charged. PM me.


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## rickcasa

noy said:


> Not sure how practical an inverter tied to your car is - except for shorter outages. I ran the generator the entire night and left it on when I went to work. Don't think I would run my car the entire night. It basically uses about 8 gallons of gas each 24 hours.


Practicality goes out the window in dire circumstances. I had a 400W inverter hooked up to my car and provided light and charged the wifi/tablets that kept my 2 toddlers and baby entertained and distracted for a few hours until we sought shelter with family. But I'll take your lead and won't to be caught without a generator from this day forward.


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## goffebeans

rickcasa said:


> From this experience, I feel that oxygen was key and temp secondary. So if you only have a UPS which I had 2 of, 3 hrs of flow even with one pump (MP40 in my case) was sufficient every 12 hrs. When I peeked in with a flashlight, they were all moving and breathing normally. I think the cold kept them in a suspended animation of some sort and required very little oxygen. The corals were another matter as I was prepared to lose most, esp my gonis, nps and other torches, but I was pleasantly surprised and now after 20hrs are all in full extension.
> 
> I have these 2 UPS fully charged. PM me.


Yea I thought things would be fine after I provided some circulation overnight. Everything looked fine and then the temperature plummeted. When I went to check them the next day all of them were laying flat on the sand. Some never came back from suspended animation.

Didn't have much of a choice. Either abandon the two pregnant ladies and the baby or the house.

The corals are off to a new home. Fish are being held temporarily in a bucket

How would a generator be hooked up to run heat for the entire house?


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## Fishfur

I only lost power for a short time, a few times, so the fishies et. al are fine, but my car was a nightmare to deal with. I would, well, maybe not kill, for a garage .

Can you safely run any kind of fuel based heater indoors ? I'm thinking you'd have to have a window open for ventilation. I know kerosene heaters can be a hazard, I lost two friends to carbon monoxide that built up in their trailer from such a heater one night. Maybe a catalytic tent heater ? I used to use one of those in my old van when I slept in it on weekend camping trips. I'd leave the roof vent and one window cracked open to be safe.

As for the car, when I finally went out to see it, I thought it would take me days to get the ice off it. Just so thick and totally covered.. like the broken tree branches. But a neighbour of mine showed me a neat way to get ice off a car.

All five doors were frozen shut, three of the locks were frozen too, door handles had over a half inch coating on them and I couldn't even get into the car to get the ice scraper, so without her help I've have had a tough time, and would not likely have been able to deice the van by myself. Or it would have taken me two or three sessions over a few days. 

But my neighbour kindly helped me out, coming over from having cleared her car, with a BIG rubber mallet. The mallet made a very difficult job much easier. Body panels tend to bend slightly, and the mallet doesn't damage paint or properly attached body trim.. but a good rap with the mallet really cracks the ice coating. Mind your eyes.. the chips do fly !

Once I got a door open, I turned on the engine and turned defrosters on full blast, making the windshield much easier to deal with, and while it warmed up, we dealt with the body, hood and roof. Had an inch thick ice dam behind the tailgate holding it shut, but the mallet proved to be vastly superior at knocking that off too - better than any ice scraper I've ever tried. Once the mallet breaks the ice, it's so much easier to get it off, even using a brush on the paint, or the mallet, both are less risky than using a scraper on the paint.

So I went and bought my very own rubber mallet at Cantire, about 13 bucks if memory serves.. I'll be keeping it handy for future ice or sleet events. Today I went down to get my turkey which I left in the car, stupidly. It WAS a fresh one.. now it is frozen. sigh, be having it tomorrow I guess. Doors were again frozen shut, I had to basically thump one with my butt a few times to break the ice seal enough to get the door open. LOVE our weather !

I will also be investing in a UPS of some sort, asap.. as power outages, with or without ice storms, are promised to become more frequent as time goes on, from what I hear and read. Battery powered pumps on the shopping list too, though with more than four tanks going, I'm guessing one needs a pump per tank ? It's only money.. nothing a lottery win can't fix, right ?

Hoping all are having a decent Christmas one way or another.


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## splur

Fishfur said:


> I only lost power for a short time, a few times, so the fishies et. al are fine, but my car was a nightmare to deal with. I would, well, maybe not kill, for a garage .
> 
> Can you safely run any kind of fuel based heater indoors ? I'm thinking you'd have to have a window open for ventilation. I know kerosene heaters can be a hazard, I lost two friends to carbon monoxide that built up in their trailer from such a heater one night. Maybe a catalytic tent heater ? I used to use one of those in my old van when I slept in it on weekend camping trips. I'd leave the roof vent and one window cracked open to be safe.


The question is are you willing to risk it? Best bet if you ever run a generator, car, or anything fuel-based near the house long term is to have a working carbon monoxide detector indoors on at all times. Then you can be sure and be safe. Carbon monoxide can leak through the walls of the garage, as what happened to a couple residents during this ice storm.

Apparently those kerosine catalytic heaters are near 100% fuel efficient, meaning little carbon monoxide produced and typically have an oxygen safety shutoff. But again, are you willing to risk it using it without proper ventilation in your house or potential malfunction?

Be careful everyone!


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## Jackson

I had no power from Saturday 11pm until Tuesday 6pm. 
I didn't sleep until last night. 
I spent all that time keeping all my fish alive.

It was really stressful but payed off. 
Thanks to large tea candles and big black plastic garbage bags which I used to trap the heat in my tanks and the candles went under the tanks to keep the temps from dropping. They didn't go below 74 and inside our place was 66. Used the dunk and pour method to keep the oxygen levels up. Every half hour it was pouring doing that to each tank.
I even used the tea candles to boil water. 
We used some of the water to warm the tanks filled bags with it and floated them.
Every store in and around the Gta were sold out of generators and propane stove tops. 
I found one monday at Canadian tire in uxbridge. 
They were bringing in 35 of them. 
I was third on the list reserved one Monday night picked it up when they received them yesterday morning. 
I got to the store at 9:10 and only 3 were left mine and two others who picked them up as I was leaving. 
Ran it for a few hours and then the power came back. 
Now I'll never be stuck in that position again.

I feel bad for everyone who lost anything. I know what it's like having suffered a big loss once. It was a heart breaking experience.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Fishfur

Safety with any fuel based heating device is the number one consideration of course.. the times I used the catalytic heater, I always did make sure there was plenty of ventilation.. and the van itself was anything but air tight.. I had a propane tank inside it.. fuel tank for the van as it happens, and there was a hole in the floor where the filler pipe went through to allow the tank to be filled, so anything heavier than air would sink out that way.. but still, a risk one has to consider carefully. 

I used to be asked if having that inside fuel tank didn't make me nervous, but really, it never bothered me any more than a ordinary gas tank does. It was inside a custom fabricated steel box that cost me about four hundred extra at the time, to comply with regulations. Only problem I ever had with it was when the filler cap was knocked off by flung up road debris, which allowed the propane to escape. No sparks, thankfully, so no giant flame thrower effect. Fortunately I made it to a repair place in Streetsville before I ran out of gas.. and they were able to fix it relatively cheaply.

I think the candle idea Jackson just described was pretty darn clever.. a lot of work maybe, all those dunk'n pours to keep the oxygen up, but worth it in the end.


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## AquaNekoMobile

Curious if any other gtaa members are still in the dark? I heard the reports this morning I think it was like 18,000 still without power but with the warm up some branches and ice caused some more power outages to jump to like 25,000ish.


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## goffebeans

Just got back power today! Seven days.
Now what to do. Should I keep the sand? Everything must be dead the indoor temp was 43 today so I wonder how cold the tank actually got in the middle of the night.


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## 12273

If it were me id do a complete tear down and clean everything. Soak the sand in fresh water and rinse it a few times.

Sorry to hear. And good luck. In sure people will help out &#128516;

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## AquaNeko

As of a couple hours ago.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ice-storm-aftermath-30-000-customers-still-without-power-1.2477813

I heard there are some small pockets of apt/condos in the Yonge & Finch without power.


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## Zebrapl3co

I am surprise you guys actually managed to find a wifi to post. Well, I guess many of you have a smartphone.
I have 3 days of blackout, got my power back for 1 day, then took 2nd black out for another day.
I lost all my f2 zebra plecos. One of the tank broke down and once 1 fish died, the rest follow in quick order. My other tanks are OK. Wish I had the wifi to read some of the posts. Not sure if it helped, but I think the hot water in the bottle would have made a difference. I did the stupid thing of adding hot water into the tank. Big mistake, boiled water has no O2 in it. I think I might have made it worst. Should have gone with the water bottle as I have plenty of hot water. I am not sure what did them in, but it's either the temperature or the O2.
The good news is, my F1 breeding zebras are OK. So I got throught this out of cheer luck because I don't like to overstock my tanks. And the fish tanks are in the basement, which is about 5 - 10 degrees warmer as it's underground.

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## sig

My next purchase

http://radioworld.ca/axis-p-10311.html

or this one

http://www.amazon.com/Ambient-Weath...er+with+NOAA+Certified+Weather+Alert+&+Cables

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## Ciddian

Ya I totally agree with you sig. Decent price too. 

I did pick up a bunch of wind up flashlights. They sure come in handy. Esp with a little one wanting to use up all the lights! lol


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## altcharacter

Good idea with that radio and the charger. I own a few wind up flashlights and they aren't what they live up to be. You end up winding it up for 5 minutes and it only lasts for 2...

A good LED flashlight will last a long time with a few AA batteries. It's less frustrating in the end


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## noy

sig said:


> My next purchase
> 
> http://radioworld.ca/axis-p-10311.html
> 
> or this one
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Ambient-Weath...er+with+NOAA+Certified+Weather+Alert+&+Cables


haha - just ordered one from amazon. good call.

also bought the air pump on the bottom from big al's

http://www.bigalscanada.com/online_catalog/aquatic_catalog/files/assets/basic-html/page85.html


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## AquaNeko

I do not work for Can.T or get kick backs for mentioning the sales. Just items I think would help others next blackout.

Jan 3 - 9/2013

Energizer batteries 20% off
Space heaters 20% off
6V lantern LED floating lantern 50% off
Pocket flashlights 50% off

Kitchen aid accessories (can opener) 50% off for those that need a large grip for opening cans. (also good for making wood gas stoves)

Stainless steel travel mugs/food flasks/commuter sets 40% off
Ice chopper 50% off (if you live in a house this is the next best thing to salt to get the ice off)
Kerosene heaters 25% off
Gloves, hats, mitts 30% off (essential)
Misty mountian thermal fleece underwear 30% (layer up)
-40C hunting boots for $30/25% off (boys/mens sizes but handle to keep a pair for grip. Ladies you just need to size up 1-2 sizes ie. Med = Med+, Lrg)

Auto safety kits 30% off (IIRC any kit over $20 normally has a 1YR auto service included. I looked into this before when Ciddian posted her car post. IIRC no km limit to any Can.T store or IIRC 50-100km max anywhere, batt jump, fuel)

Snowbrush and jumper cables 25% off (car essentials)


I recommend with lights to have 2-3. Think of it this way, a main light and a backup light. Or if you have 3, defence/primary, main light, backup light. 

Stuff can break or springs compressed and such.


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## AquaNeko

sig said:


> My next purchase
> 
> http://radioworld.ca/axis-p-10311.html
> 
> or this one
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Ambient-Weath...er+with+NOAA+Certified+Weather+Alert+&+Cables


There is an updated Eton model which The Source stocks. It is the IIRC Eton Solarlink FR170 (170, no typo) which has a very unique and handy feature. It allows you to charge up the radio via sun/crank/DC/AC then when you need to power a USB device the feature diverts all stored power 'dump charge' to the USB port which is helpful as some devices cut off if you do not supply it enough current which can happen if you are hand cranking it.

http://www.etoncorp.com/en/productdisplay/microlink-fr170


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## AquaNeko

Hmm.. does this site support youtube or video embeding? Anyways, that is about hurricane prepareness which is good for covering many things for us as well.

Also consider a solar panel like the Coleman 7.5W folding solar panel which has a usb port (1A) and the sizing can fit into your cargo pocket. The pouch that covers the USB port allows to put a small USB battery pack or charging cables to cover both day/night. Can.T sell is for IIRC $49.99 on sale and I heard Princess Auto has that as well. Price is nice for the weight/power.

http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-22007-7-5W-Folding-Panel/dp/B007JU9K32/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Add a 2xAA/AAA usb charger and you have many bases covered. If you camp or hike around the city or bike you can have power always while outside. I own this and have used it a few times. One con is the backpack loops are weak and will break if too much weight is in the pouch bouncing around.

For those that are more static and staying at home Can.T has 10-15W solid solar panels at around the same sale price once in a while. Downside well...it's not really portable if you don't drive.


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## AquaNekoMobile

Another big storm is coming sunday. Lets hope there are no power outages then.

I've been checking my local Can.T and it seems road salt/ice melter is in short supply in stores around the GTA. Short of raiding a local city run salt storage depot  anyone seeing salt/ice melter in your area?

http://www.theweathernetwork.com/weather/canada/ontario/toronto?ref=topnav_fourteenday_weather

Looks like after the ~10-15cm/~6in on sunday the temps are dropping in the next 2 days and the winds are kicking up to 50kph. If you have not got some groceries yet and lights and batteries might be a good time to do that.


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## Sameer

Stores were full today, not even a cart avail. as people were waiting outside waiting for people to unload their groc. The coming storm seems to be an okay one. Around 15 cm is not that big. I remember many years ago we used to get 30 cm storms, those were the days. So I dont think there should be outages. The wind picking up will only make it worse for drivers. Another two days of cold weather after that, which seems to not be as bad as the past one we got. Although the US, weather channel is making a big deal out of it as they are saying it will be the biggest cold outbreak in over 10 years.

Also, cp24 sucks baaad in terms of weather. I hate them. weathernetwork is OK. The best is environment canada. They are the most accurate. Same goes for else where. I watch US weather as well and their weatherchannel is good but their noaa is most accurate.


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