Electrical storm

[Dragonslair]

I hope that I can ask this question before my PC goes down.Has anyone experiences an electrical storm? What do you do if the power goes down and there's no backup power source. The aquarium obviously cools down. What can I use for emergency insulation? Are the inhabitants of my little ecosystem going to suffer greatly?
It is just this is the first real big electrical storm that I have experienced since getting the aquarium. The power lines are suffering from electrical shocks from the tremendous flashed of lightning, telephone lines too are suffering static interference. The lightning is forking to the ground..spectacular..but disruptive to the power lines. It is affecting all power sources and transformers and causing power spikes all over.
The anti surge units both in the electrical system for the aquarium and my PC have tripped a few times. Any suggestions?
If I don't get back to you straight away...don't worry it's just that I haven't the electric bill and trying to harness free power!!lol :laugh: :laugh:

 

[Duncan]

disconnect your PC from the phoneline, I've had a modem blown to pieces due to powersurge through phoneline, reconnect once the electrical storm is over.

If you have a coal fire, keep it roaring away and that'll hopefully keep the room warm you could wrap your aquarium with a blanket

Duncan

 

[Macquatic]

Wrap a blanket/s round the tank to insulate it. If you have a battery operated air pump, use it. The filter bacteria should last a few hours but i doubt your "leccy" will be off for too long. Mac.

 

[james80000]

i read somewhere that if the temp drops below 70 degrees, fill a bag with boiling water and submerge in the tank. keep doing this until the water temp stabilises and then until the electricity comes back on
where you would get the boiling water i dont know as the kettle runs off the electricity!!!

 

[Davy Reynolds]

James dont you have Gas

Battery air pump is best to keep things turning. Plus a bigger tank will lose heat slower than a smaller tank. Just think about sruface areas when your trying to keep it warm. A higher room tempture helps to. 8)

 

[Dragonslair]

Thanks guys!
I do have a coal/log open fire. The logs burn on a dog grate so I can keep the room reasonably warm. Will try and get a fleecy blanket around the tank if the temp. starts to drop.
Don't have a battery air pump,but the fish arn't gasping at the surface-yet. The leccy keeps going on and off. The lightning against a sickly yellow and greenish yucky black sky looks really cool. The thunder is so loud that you can feel the reverbration against your chest. It's exciting though.... I must be sad if that is my idea of excitement.lol
Something my father said to me a long time ago,was,son, enjoy the storm and don't worry about being struck by lightning. If you can see and enjoy it you're still alive. When you can't...you're dead. :laugh:

 

[Davy Reynolds]

:laugh: :laugh: The things People say

 

[Alien Anna]

I have "aquired" some insulation matting that is intended for putting behind radiators to increase their heat efficiency. I've stuck some on the back of my aquarium, since it is closer to a radiator than I would like and I thought it would protect it from excess heat, but it occured to me that the matting could be used the other way too - to conserve aquarium heat!


Another emergency idea is to blow up a balloon (or child's inflatable toy) with a manual pump and duct-tape the end around a piece of air-line. Put a clamp on the air-line and stick the open end inside your filter (assuming it's an internal one). Bingo, you have a manual air-pump! I had a friend who's fish were kept alive but a rubber inflatable Postman Pat for several hours.

 

[Dragonslair]

A really good idea of yours for the pump Anna. I'll give it a go.
I'll go to B&Q D.I.Y. store tomorrow and invest in some reflective shielding for the future. Wicked idea though Powers comes on for 10 minutes or so then goes off for a minute and comes back on for 30 minutes and then goes off for 15 minutes and keeps doing this. I hope it settles down. The lightning must be striking a power line somewhere between generator and us. You're talking possibly 80 miles stretch.

 

[cichlidmaster]

Hey AA,
Are you sure that's the ONLY thing your friend used Mr. inflatable for??    :laugh:  :laugh:

Larry

 

[Great Lakes]

Thanks for assuring I won't be the only one raising eyebrows with the bold comments Larry

But you forgot to ask her if she had any pics.. :laugh: :laugh:

 

[Dragonslair]

Typical...gutter level talk you two.
I did wonder myself, but I'm too much of a gentleman to ask a lady such things.lol :laugh:

 

[Macquatic]

I'm not, let's see the pics Anna! Mac.

 

[Dragonslair]

Perv!!! :laugh: :laugh:

 

[Dragonslair]

Storms over this morning...just very wet. The aquafers must be full, there's water flooding from the fields onto the main road. the storm drains can't cope with the sudden flood of water. It's still raining. I hope they don't shout drought this year. :laugh: Went to B&Q this morning and purchased a reel of radiator shielding. I will keep it for the next time. I will probably buy an air pump(battery) from Animal House. A really good place to buy on-line. They stock a full range of fishy accessories. Last night the rain was coming down so fast and heavy that it cascaded over the gutters and caused a waterfall effect over the house. The poor plants in the garden were slightly worse for wear this morning.