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Planned Power Outage - Trying to plan ahead - Help


DocHippo
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There is a planned power outage so that my city power company can join ERCOT.  Yes...that ERCOT that caused all the power outages in Texas in February, the wisdom of this choice is another discussion.  My aquarium is at my office and I will be out of town the weekend of the outage for a graduation, but my colleague will be in and out to make sure the equipment all comes back online (I work in a clinical laboratory) so he will be able to plug my pumps and heater back in if all goes according to plan.  I'd like to have an emergency plan that he can implement should things go south.  

I have a USB nano air pump, my aquarium is 10 gallon and has 2 small sponge filters.  Stocking is light, 1 cardinal tetra (more are coming), 3 ottos, a small number of bloody mary shrimp, 3 fresh water limpets, and pond snails

My questions are:

Can anyone recommend a power source that can run the nano air pump form say Friday afternoon until Monday morning?  

Should I set it up so that the nano air pump only runs 1 small sponge filter or should I just unplug the pump I have and replace it with the nano on the battery?   My airline has a splitter so I could divert the air all one way or the other. 

Anything else that I'm not considering? 

Thank you for any advice!

-Lindsay

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6 minutes ago, Miss Dr. Chaos said:

There is a planned power outage so that my city power company can join ERCOT.  Yes...that ERCOT that caused all the power outages in Texas in February, the wisdom of this choice is another discussion.  My aquarium is at my office and I will be out of town the weekend of the outage for a graduation, but my colleague will be in and out to make sure the equipment all comes back online (I work in a clinical laboratory) so he will be able to plug my pumps and heater back in if all goes according to plan.  I'd like to have an emergency plan that he can implement should things go south.  

I have a USB nano air pump, my aquarium is 10 gallon and has 2 small sponge filters.  Stocking is light, 1 cardinal tetra (more are coming), 3 ottos, a small number of bloody mary shrimp, 3 fresh water limpets, and pond snails

My questions are:

Can anyone recommend a power source that can run the nano air pump form say Friday afternoon until Monday morning?  

Should I set it up so that the nano air pump only runs 1 small sponge filter or should I just unplug the pump I have and replace it with the nano on the battery?   My airline has a splitter so I could divert the air all one way or the other. 

Anything else that I'm not considering? 

Thank you for any advice!

-Lindsay

Well... there’s cheap-end products available at stores like Walmart (see photo below). Not sure if it would hold out all weekend, but it would get you something.

I remember Irene made a video about caring for fish in a power outage that was helpful...

And here on the forum, there have been a few threads about this too...

https://forum.aquariumcoop.com/tags/power outage/

B6E20384-E3CD-431A-AF0A-8905712EFC59.jpeg

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Thanks @Fish Folk! I will watch the video.  I was thinking a pack like that might do the trick. I'm hoping someone with some experience using them will chime in.  I don't mind spending a little money for insurance, and it is something that is useful to me outside of fish keeping.  

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I think this math is correct:

current * voltage  = power

Assuming a 20000 mA Hr battery pack running at 5V. That is 20 A Hr or 100Watt Hr.

100 W Hour / .333W (the pump wattage on the website), the pump should run for ~300 hours

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1 hour ago, DShelton said:

I think this math is correct:

current * voltage  = power

Assuming a 20000 mA Hr battery pack running at 5V. That is 20 A Hr or 100Watt Hr.

100 W Hour / .333W (the pump wattage on the website), the pump should run for ~300 hours

🌱🐟 NERMs love us our math!!! 

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If you're able to spend a little extra I highly recommend Anker products. I have their 20,100mAh power bank and I love it. It'll certainly cover your needs, and afterwards it's great to take camping, roadtrips, etc.

Just make sure to get a head start on charging it, it takes ages off a normal USB charger.

Edited by satisfiedghost
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  • 4 weeks later...

I am pleased to report that an Anker 20,000 mA Hr battery pack ran the nano air pump from Friday afternoon until Sunday afternoon with no problems at all.  Everyone survived the power outage with flying colors.  

Thanks everyone for the great advice. 

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