What are you using for a return again? That should be your biggest hurdle getting your bigger pumps started.

Have 300w battery backup/jumpstarter from CT.

Also a Princess Auto portable generator with 2 jerry cans of gas & 2 25' extension cords.

Anthony

Exactly and with the extreme weather the last few years a generator is the only way to go as far I’m concerned. If you can, anyone in an apartment like Catherine would have to have a different plan.

I think that it would work to drive your pumps only. If you needed to drive your heaters at all, it might be too much for that particular model.

Ya I guess your right. So what would you consider the lowest Wattage generator to run the bare minimum.

Hammerhead Pump return max watt. @ 400W ouch

J

If you are in an apartment, what I would do is this:

Get 2 300w battery backups from Canadian Tire. (use one, charge the other - usually power outages are localized so you should know someone with power still). Use these powerpacks for your Hydor Koralia/Tunze/Maxijet 1200 type powerheads.

If you have a bbq or better yet, a bbq with a side burner, use the side burner to heat water to heat up tank water or fw that you then pour into sealed containers to float in your tank.

Have a battery operated air pump & airstones for added circulation.

Throw thermal blankets over the tank to retain as much heat as possible.

PRAY hard! and keep a close eye on things.

Hope this helps.

I know it sounds like a lot but we have so much tied into our tanks that I think its worth the extra effort.

Anthony

Yeah these are really good ideas Anthony! I think I will head out this weekend to CT and get a few of those. Are they around $200 if I remember correct?

Using a 800W PA generator.

More than enough to power my basement return pump for aeration/circulation (Iwaki drawing 262w and pushing 1000gph) and a heater. Have tested without problems.

The fish and corals will go without the MHs and will just have to pretend there's a storm and rely on light through the windows.

I have the same gen as Mark. It's still in the box but at least it's in the garage. I can't remember the last time we lost power for more than a few minutes, but it was cheap and you never know.

On special, my powerpack300 at CT was around $70+tax.