Hurricane Season 2008

[Delock]

Please stick this

Well folks, that time is around the corner and we need to be prepared for this year.


I know some of us have generators and other ways to keep our fish alive in the event of a power failure. So I was thinking of what is needed for each member to be properly prepared.

If it's ok with everyone, I would like to see if I can set up a group buy to obtain the following items:

1.

2.

I figure with enough of the two above that should last us for awhile. I am welcome to suggestions.....

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Hurricane Season 2008

Uninterrupted Power Supply on the smaller tanks.

Generator for just about everything else.

If the two above don't work out I have a few car batteries as well as a few cars that I can use invertors on to power whatever else.

Also have propane stoves in the event that power is out too long and food becomes scarce......cook the fishies to keep them from dying and wasting away.  :wink:

[thomas]

Re: Hurricane Season 2008

Has anyone still remember the longest power failure period in Houston?

[mahoro]

Re: Hurricane Season 2008

how much do those elite air pump run? 12 - 14 bucks?  
i do have a lot of air pumps that i used to use on my fishing trips, til i decided just bring a big car battery and use a 12v air pump instead, anyways, those air pumps runs either single or double size d battery, the basic model is cheap, 5 - 7 bucks (sometime wally world have them on sale for 3.99 - 4.99), the silent one is around 12, but both can run around 48 hours...

[fishlady]

Re: Hurricane Season 2008

give us the details D......i may want to get a few of these....i already have 2 boxes but you can never have too many i say......



thomas, i don't remember the longest in houston but as i have lived in the outer limits of houston my whole life.....i remember that the lights were off for 4 weeks one time when that tropical storm came thru and we suffered so much flooding from it....ya know when Herman Hospital flooded out....
my son was stuck in a hotel in houston for 5 days trying to get home from work....


so yes i believe in being prepared for the fishies.....they rely on us alot.....

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Hurricane Season 2008

You could get something like a dry cell car battery and a simple power inverter, that way you could keep the single pumps you have running since you would have to worry about filters full of dead bacteria reeking havoc once they start back up with power.

[Delock]

Re: Hurricane Season 2008

I thought about that but I wonder how long would my 2260 run before the dry cell need charging

[JStrider]

Re: Hurricane Season 2008

I hadn't even thought about this much...  I'd be down to get a couple of those battery bubblers.   I do have an inverter and extension cords I could use with my car as well...

need to buy some solar panels!

[J-WS6]

Re: Hurricane Season 2008

Academy sells them for cheap. That's where I stocked up back in '05

[Krisvalkyrie]

Re: Hurricane Season 2008

I would be interested depending on price.

Kris

[Spot86t]

Re: Hurricane Season 2008

Another option is a 12v dual port air pump - Academy has them (Walmart does NOT), and other sporting goods stores 'might' have them.  These have very long battery leads, with squeeze clamps on the end that you would hook onto your battery - intended for marine batteries I would guess.  I think it was a little over 20$.  I've taken a few a/c adapters that put out from 9 to 12 volts DC, and made connectors so they will run on electricity too (connectors can be found at radio shack).  They put out a good deal of air - I ran about 12 sponge filters and still had plenty of air I could have used.  That was with a 12V DC adapter, a 9V puts out a little less air.  You could also rig it with a cigarette lighter end.  It is strong enough for deep tanks where a little more air pressure is needed to get some good aeration.

Another short term power source is what I call a "Jump Box".  I don't know what the technical term for them is, but essentially, it's a rechargeable battery used to jump start cars.  It's encased and has short battery clamp leads and puts out 12V DC (Just like in your car).  Many of them have a cigarette lighter plug built into the case too, so you could run anything that runs with one of those (like a cell phone charger).  The one I had could be recharged with your car (if the power is out).  Don't skimp if you decide to get one.  I had one nice one that lasted years and was dependable, and was gifted with 2 cheap ones that didn't last for 6 months, and the charge was always shortlived.

Of course, nothing beats a generator - but if you have tanks scattered in different rooms, make sure you have enough extension cords to go around.  Make sure they're the correct type too - 2prong vs 3prong.  

My power went out for several hours this past Monday night, and I went into "hurricane mode" just to check that I had enough cords, supplies for everything.  It might not be a bad idea to try that with whatever method you intend to use.  Just go outside and throw the breaker.  Make sure you let your significant other know so they don't think you didn't pay the light bill.  One thing I found out, was that I don't have a covered area to put the generator in without it being in the pouring rain.  I ended up leaving it in the garage and opening the garage door a few feet so fumes wouldn't build up.  This wouldn't have been a probem if there were a way to route the power cords into the house without having the door cracked open.  I intend to build a small, lockable shelter for it, so that next time I'm ready for that.

[Zulaab]

Re: Hurricane Season 2008

I would be interested depending on price.

Kris

Kris -- Look in the fish sale section for the 'Group buy / battery powered airpumps'

The price I believe is 8.65/ each for the fancy one (ie plugs into the wall and when the house looses power the pump turns on)
The other one which is just battery operated and you have to be there to turn it on manually is 7.15 / each

[fishlady]

Re: Hurricane Season 2008

what's up with this group buy?????

[Delock]

Re: Hurricane Season 2008

I should have confirmation soon

[geoff_tropheus]

Re: Hurricane Season 2008

Derek,

What happened to the PennPlaxx group buy?