Power Failure! need your input (Again)

[angel12]

I Dont believe my luck :'( :'( I came down this morning only to find that sometime around 01.40 a the power had gone of and had not come back on as of 10.00

so im just checking with you Guys/Gals out there to confirm my suspisions in that ....

if there is no oxygen to the filter via constant water flow then the microbacteria that have built up inside the filter will I presume Dye :( :(

Hence when the filter does eventualy sprint back in to life al that will be pumped into the Tank is Poison?

This means that if im right im right back at square 1 in that I have to resart to cycle the Tank again :'(

Please tell me this isnt true (even though I know it probably is)
The existing fish in the Tank are ok but im gonna have to find them some temp accomodation (bit like a vacation me thinks)

Im just not having any luck so far here but if anyone can just confirm or deny my suspicions I might be able to sleep eaiser ....

One sad little bunny :( :(

[brewmaster15]

Sorry to hear that.

What kind of filter do you have? If its a cannister... and ts been down for a few hours..Disconnect it and gently rinse the media... Then leave it wet, and put it in plastic bag until the power comes on. leave the bag open a little so air gets in but doesn't dry it out.

If sponges... remove from tank, and treat as above.

If you have gravel substrate... you should be okay... . In any case, plan on a large water change.

cover the tank with blankets to maintain any heat.

if the fish are at the top o the tank, or looked stress. add 1 cap of hydrogen peroxide per 55G water. That should add some oxygen. or vigorously aggiate the water... syphon into 5 gals pal and dump back in from a foot above the tank will add oxygen also.

hth,
al

[GWdiscus]

One sad little bunny,

There are more knowledgable people out there than I, but until they wake up and have their coffee I'll give you what i would do and you can take that with a grain of salt as to whether you follow it or not is up to you.

If you have an outside filter drain it and put the filter medium in the tank with the fish. Then every half hour +/- move the water around and maybe squeeze your sponge filters a little to keep water moving through them. This will freak the fish some but better them freaked until the electric comes on again than they have to live with ammonia build up.

Just a suggestion, good luck.

[mench]

One other thing ya can do is if there is a fish store near you go get a battery operated air pump.These will work in a pinch.

Mench

[angel12]

Ok the above post was typed and hurried a bit this is what happened .... approx 01.40 there must have been a power cut wich lasted for about 6 hrs by my guess just been on to the local power company ...... Now what happened and ive only just relaised is the power returned and the Internal filter that i have in the jewel tank must have started up .. pumping back dead bacteria in to the Tank... :( :(

So what now ? this is a planted and has a substrate is this any better ? I suppose im right in saying the tank is back to day 0 now as far as cycling is concerned .. :(

Is the best thing to do another water change if so what % of water do i need to change luckly/unluckily for the stock that is in there it is quite light I was going to add some more stock tomorrow in the form of a loach for me snails and bristlenose for the algae (not that i have any at the moment) in fact I dont even have a Cycled Tank anymore :(

Im sorry if this post sounds flipant its just that this is a Disaster and whats more there isnt much I can think of that I could have done to prevent it .. unless some wise owl out there has any other ideas .....

Im sitting here with my head in my hands thinking im never gonna get this tank up and running and what makes it worse is this forum with all those lovely pictures of DISCUS

Oh well as ive said before if anyone can advise me as to the correctness of my assumption that the tank is now back to day 0 (or might i get away with it slightly in that some of the bacteria might have survived on the substrate) id appreciate it

over and out

[GWdiscus]

I too would like to know what others think would happen to the biological filter after a day or so without electricity? I'm only guessing, but, if the filter media is in the tank with the fish most of the bacteria should make it through. When the electricity returned only after 6 hrs most of the bacteria should have had enough O2 and food to support the main population. What does die should be sucked out by the power head and a good wc, 60% +, should remove most toxins.

Let us know what happens?

[Carol_Roberts]

I don't knoew what type of a filter the Jewel has. Test for ammonia. If it is zero today and tomorrow you are OK. Do a couple of extra water changes just to be safe

[Tony]

I have lost power for several days during new years when I was having holiday. No casualty.

Those days were like 30 plus temp.... and all tanks have plants, some are bb, and some are gravel bottom, none of the tank are overstock...

I don't think that is the normal case but just try to calm you...

I would say, consider
go easy a bit on feeding for a day or so to see the status of filter
wc but be very careful on temp swing. (may be instead of doing 1 big one, do 25% daily...)
do your regular filter cleanup but not all filters. ( I clean all my canister but leave the sponge filter alone)

ps. good luck and don't worry so much.