What Happens to Your Aquarium During a Power Outage?

There’s a storm raging outside and suddenly the power cuts out. What now? After you scramble to gather candles, flashlights, and all the other power outage essentials, your mind may go to: “But what about my aquarium? Will my fish be OK?”.

First off, don’t panic. Your fish will be just fine in a short duration power outage. However, after several hours, it’s time to start noticing what’s happening inside the tank and what you should be looking for.

Without electricity to power them, filtration systems, heaters, pumps, and aeration equipment cease to work. Be prepared for this eventuality and learn how to protect your freshwater fish and saltwater fish until the lights come back on.

Power’s Out: What Should You Do First?

For the first few hours, you just have to monitor the water and keep a watchful eye on your fish. One of the biggest concerns during an extended outage has to do with gas exchange. When pumps stop moving the water and disturbing the surface, oxygen can’t be replenished normally, allowing carbon dioxide to accumulate.

Too much CO2 can be dangerous for fish. If you notice your fish are gasping or their gills are moving rapidly, this may be a sign of low oxygen levels.

If you don’t have a battery-powered air pump, you can manually aerate the tank. Scoop aquarium water into a clean pitcher and pour it back into the tank from above. The splash and surface disturbance will allow oxygen to get in, while allowing carbon dioxide to get out.

Speaking ofbattery-powered air pumps, this is a great backup investment for any aquarium owner.

• Some backup air pumps can be plugged in and will automatically turn on when the power goes out – especially valuable when no one’s at home at the time of the outage.
• For longer duration outages, home generators can kick on and operate vital aquarium equipment.
• Focus on the essentials such as pumps and heaters over lighting, as your fish will be just fine for a while without their lights.

What About Water Temperature?

Temperature considerations are a priority during a Michigan winter outage.

The good news is, aquarium water doesn’t instantly become cold when the heater stops. In fact, tanks of water can retain heat for longer than you think.

If you are concerned during an extended outage, you can:

• Wrap the aquarium with blankets to slow down heat loss.
• Place securely-sealed plastic bags of warm (not hot) water into the aquarium, where they float and act as heat packs.
• Use a thermometer (ideally, digital) to monitor the temperature.

Should You Feed Your Fish During an Outage?

Fish can generally go without food for a short period of time, and uneaten food and fish waste can lead to water-quality problems that you don’t need to hassle with during a power outage. It may be tempting to compensate for the disruption by sprinkling more food into the tank.

But as we often remind customers at Moby Dick Pet Store, “a hungry fish is a healthy fish.” Overfeeding can actually create more problems now than temporarily feeding too little. This goes for normal everyday aquarium maintenance as well.

Does the Type of Aquarium Matter?

The quick answer is yes. Factors such as tank size, fish population, species, and water temperature will all play into how long you have before the power outage becomes more of a concern.

For example:

• A heavily-stocked aquarium may use available oxygen more quickly than a less crowded one.
• You’ll need to more closely monitor tropical fish during winter, more so than other species that may better tolerate cooler temperatures.
• Saltwater aquariums require different circulation and oxygenation practices than freshwater tanks.

This is why your outage plan should be based on your specific aquarium, not just how many hours the power’s been out.

Aquarium Emergency Kit: What Every Fish Owner Should Keep at Home

Searching in the dark for essential supplies is never a good idea. It’s best to be well prepared beforehand. Keep a small aquarium emergency kit on hand that contains:

• Battery-powered air pump and extra batteries
• Digital aquarium thermometer
• Spare heater
• Buckets
• Fish nets
• Water test kit
• Water conditioner
• Gravel siphon
• Clean towels

Buckets and a gravel siphon can be used in everyday maintenance, as well. Now only are they useful for routine partial water changes (every two to four weeks or so), they can come in handy in the event of unexpected accidents. Let’s say your child accidentally dumped an entire container of fish food into the aquarium, the buckets and siphon can make the process of removing the excess food easier.

Call Moby Dick Pet Store

A little preparation today can make a longer outage much less stressful, both for you and the fish. If you’re still unsure what your aquarium needs during a power outage, stop by Moby Dick Pet Store today or call us at (248) 673-2520. Our staff will be happy to put together an emergency kit with backup air pumps, heaters, thermometers, water-testing supplies, and other essentials based on your tank and the type of fish you have.