Power-cut essentials for pico reefs?

[AquaMatt]

Hi All, 

Long time lurker here. I've got a 15cm cube pico (actual water volume 2 litres) inspired by the work of Salty Gallon and I have a question for the community here.

 

Without stirring political or other debate (please), it is possible that the UK will be subject to scheduled power cuts this winter. What tools, tech and methods do keepers who have experienced such conditions suggest? 

My initial thoughts are a battery air pump and a box of foam, designed around my tank. However, if anyone has any other ideas, I'm all ears. Your suggestions may well help other reefers this winter, not just me! 

Hopefully this thread is purely academic, and its worth noting that supposedly in such a situation we would have a little notice, however any input is gratefully received.

 

Thanks, 
 

Matt

[Tired]

Battery pump and foam box sound like a good plan. I'd also advise removing any livestock you don't mind parting with; a lightly-stocked tank is, generally, better able to tolerate all sorts of nonsense.

[TheCoffeeReef]

I wonder if you could have a powerbank ready that could accept the draw of the heater and pump say? The cuts will likely be during the night if it happens. 

 

What a time to run reef tanks 😅

[Tired]

Oh, yeah, battery backups are a good idea. You can get ones that are meant for laptops, and those usually last awhile. 

[brandon429]

Biologically, your system lives the longest in the challenge condition when it has the fewest running bacteria and the least surface area possible, the exact opposite of what everyone aims for in reefing. 

 

If you keep reef rocks in the display you have enough bacteria and can remove extra surface area that would otherwise contribute to fouling

 

If I knew a series of challenges were coming the first thing I'd get would be the largest lipo battery power bank affordable off amazon. I would then remove my vases sandbed and go rocks and coral only for the duration of the event.  I would then rinse the bed out 1000% clean and put it back after the challenge time. 

 

Reef tanks all run far beyond and over the needs of the actual bioload they carry with the degree of bacteria and surface area we train each other to keep

 

All reef tanks plus their fish loading can run with the exact same ammonia turnover using half their live rock that they currently use, no reef tank running is anywhere near lacking bacteria or surface area. Source for claims: threads where we remove sand and some rocks from seneye owners who track ammonia nonchanges.

 

 

The extra surface area and bacteria are a massive tax on systemic oxygen, working against your bioload taking 02 and generating waste acids and in times of normal temps and flow this is tolerated, enough oxygen remains. 

 

But in stilled times or times of cooling stress right after the reef was running in motion and at 80 degrees subjects millions of unneeded bacteria to simple die off cycles, factor that souping with the 02 command

 

It is less stress on a challenged reef not to over do bacteria

 Thousands of reefs, picos, already run bare bottom it's not a stress to make one bare bottom and then put sand back later.