The Texas freeze of 2021 changed the way I think about winter preparedness.
We saw frozen pipes, icicles inside homes and terrible water damage after everything thawed. Some aquarium owners also lost entire tanks of tropical fish they had cared for for years. When the grid went down, aquarium heaters, filters and air pumps went down with it.
With another winter approaching, I'm preparing my aquariums in advance. Here's my simple aquarium power outage survival guide to keep fish alive for 24–72 hours—or longer if necessary.
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Aquarium Power Outage? Keep Your Fish Alive Without the Filter
During an aquarium power outage, I would concentrate on three things:
Oxygen, temperature and water quality.
Your aquarium lights aren't important. Your fish can also temporarily live without the normal filter running.
Oxygen and temperature are the immediate concerns.
I've already purchased an AquaMiracle Lithium Battery Powered Portable Aquarium Air Pump. It's USB rechargeable and specifically designed for situations including power outages.
I've also purchased a DaToo USB Mini Aquarium Air Pump, which only uses about 1–3 watts depending on the model. I can run a tiny USB pump from a power bank without wasting precious stored electricity. (The USB Mini's costs very little so I purchased extra for back-up!)
A traditional D-cell battery aquarium air pump is another inexpensive backup. Keep extra D batteries with it and you have aeration that doesn't depend on electricity, recharging or sunshine.
That's particularly important during a gray winter storm when solar charging may be limited.
How Do You Oxygenate a Fish Tank Without Electricity?
Even without an air pump, you can manually aerate your aquarium.
Scoop aquarium water into a clean pitcher and pour it back from several inches above the water, creating plenty of surface agitation.
If the fish begin gathering at the surface or gasping, however, it's time to use your emergency aerator.
One aquarium power outage backup I'm particularly interested in is a Mini Oxydator. It uses a hydrogen-peroxide solution and catalyst to provide oxygen without electricity or batteries.
It's on my preparedness list, although I want to experiment with one before depending upon it during an emergency.
If you've used a Mini Oxydator during a power outage, I'd be interested in hearing how well it worked.
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| Texas freeze 2021 |
How Do You Keep a Fish Tank Warm Without Electricity?
If you're wondering what to do with your aquarium during a winter power outage, start by conserving the heat that's already in the water.
Wrap the back and sides of the aquarium with:
Blankets or towels
Styrofoam insulation
Mylar emergency blankets
Keep a thermometer in the aquarium so you know the actual water temperature instead of guessing.
If you can safely heat water, fill a sturdy watertight bottle with warm water, seal it tightly and float it in the aquarium. Replace it as it cools.
Never pour boiling water directly into the aquarium. Temperature changes should be gradual.
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| Keeping fish tank warm |
How Cold Can Tropical Fish Survive?
There isn't one safe minimum temperature for every tropical fish.
Many tropical aquariums are normally maintained in the 70s°F. Some tropical fish can temporarily tolerate temperatures in the 60s, but species differ and prolonged cold can become dangerous.
Rather than waiting for the aquarium to reach some theoretical "death temperature," my goal is to slow the temperature decline before it becomes an emergency.
Insulation, a thermometer and warm-water bottles give me inexpensive ways to do that.
Should You Feed Fish During a Power Outage?
For a prolonged outage, reduce or temporarily stop feeding healthy adult fish.
Fish can generally tolerate missing meals much better than deteriorating water quality. Without normal filtration, additional food means additional waste in the aquarium.
Also leave the aquarium lights off. Don't waste valuable emergency electricity on lighting.
My Aquarium Power Outage Backup Plan
I've already started putting together what I need: (products have links)
AquaMiracle rechargeable air pump + DaToo USB mini air pump + Jackery power banks with Solar Panels as well as thermometers to check water temperature.
The Mini Oxydator is next on my list as a possible non-electric oxygen backup.
The Texas freeze taught me that waiting until the grid goes down is too late to start preparing.
I don't know if we'll experience another 2021-style winter emergency. But if we do, I don't want to be searching for an air pump, batteries or a way to keep my aquarium warm while the temperature inside my house is already falling.
For aquarium owners, a surprisingly inexpensive emergency kit could help protect fish we've spent years caring for.
Prepare the aquarium before the power goes out.
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