got some probiotic fish flakes for ruffles and company

I have sponge filters in both my tanks. If I can get enough juice to run one air pump (I've got one with dual outlets)  I could keep those running. Do you think that would be enough? It would provide bio filtration and some oxygen. I'm not worried about the lights or heater. It's going to be hot without the a/c!

I won't be able to do daily water changes if the power goes out. I'm on a private well. I wonder if I should do a water change tomorrow before the shit hits.

An air pump will make no difference - your fish won't run out of oxygen, they will be slowly poisoned.  The filter works by building up colonies of bacteria that break down ammonia and nitrites into harmless nitrates.  If the tank water isn't circulating over these filter colonies then the ammonia and nitrate levels will increase to levels that will kill your fish.

First thing you should do is stop feeding your fish.   Every bit of food you put in will end up breaking down into toxins.  Tropical fish can survive long periods without food - four days will be no problem.

The next thing you should do is a large water change every day - at least 50%, probably more.  If the toxins aren't being removed by the filter, then you need to mechanically remove them - water changes are the only way to do this.

The other thing you should keep in mind is that while the filter isn't running, the bacterial colonies will start dying, so even when you turn it back on it may be working way below its usual level.  So I'd carry on with not feeding and big water changes to be safe.

Anyway, this is what I'd do.  I've kept tropical fish for a long time, but I'm not an expert, so do some research.  Just be careful, as there is an awful lot of terrible, out of date, rubbish out there.

This was actually pretty solid advice.

Oxygen naturally dissolves into water from the air, so you really dont need to worry about blowing air. Your problem is really keeping your ammonia and nitrates levels low, and that you need to do with your bio-filters. If your filters are not running the bacteria dies in about 8 hours or so. Because Im running a solar battery system, if I go into low power mode, I will run my pump on a on/off cycle of 15min to keep them alive. But this may not be an option for you by the sounds of it.

So, on top of the advice you got from this random new crab person who we will have never ever seen before, getting test kits and some water treatment for the next few days may be your best bet

https://www.amazon.com/API-Nitrate-Freshwater-Saltwater-Aquarium/dp/B002DVVICS

Good luck!

It's too late to order anything, if the hurricane is really bad I don't know if Amazon can deliver out here in the aftermath.

Anyway, I am getting two battery operated livewell aerators from Walmart to run the sponge filters. They run on D batteries, so I don't have to worry about recharging them. Hopefully keeping my sponge filters running will be enough to keep the nitrates and ammonia from building up.  I've had one of them for two weeks, and the other one for several months so they should have lots of good bacteria in them.  The sponge filter on the 70 gallon tank is only for up to 55 gallons, but it's got to be better than nothing. Hopefully enough to keep the fish alive for a few days.

I have another question. Besides the sponge filters, I've got hang on the back filters on both aquariums. The 70 gallon tank has a Fluval 70, it's got sponge, bio rings, and bio balls. Should I take all that out because it's not going to be running when the power is out and all that bacteria and stuff I guess will die without water flowing through it. It gets pretty slimy in there, if that stuff dies and rots will it add to the nitrates?  I think you will say yes. lol

I won't feed the fish anymore! No matter how much they beg. The little shits.

I'm a little confused as to your set up really.

It sounds like you have some 12v car or marine batteries and don't mind using their juice on your tank?  From looking up the Fluval Aquaclear 70 it only has a power draw of 6w.  You could run this off a typical car battery for something like a week if you wanted to, at least a few days.  You would just need a 110v to 12v step down transformer - which I guess is too late to get now.

What are the sponge filters you are referring to?  I guess you are going to drive water through them using these 12v aerators?

By the way, don't get too worried about bio rings, bio balls etc - they aren't needed.  They are meant to increase the surface area and therefore increase the bacterial colony size and therefore the amount of bio load the filter can handle.  Which they might well do, however the  bacteria don't care, they will colonise everything in your filter, including all the sponges.

This whole mechanical stage, bio stage and chemical stage (ie carbon) in filters is a bit of a nonsense.  The whole filter is your biological filter.  My external filter is currently different layers of sponge, with some ceramic stuff I brought from the previous filter to "seed" this one.

And yes, if you filter is slimy, then clean it!

I won't feed the fish anymore! No matter how much they beg. The little shits.

That's the spirit!

Good luck!

Oh no, I was trying to figure out how I was going to run everything if the power goes out, and in my mind I was wondering how to use something like a car battery. THEN I started thinking about a video I watched where this guy sells usb rechargeable aerators, then I thought well I really need to keep the water aerated, then you said I don't need to worry about oxygen, then I remembered the sponge filters and that they run on just air. I know, I am very confusing, I am trying to think of too many things at one time. lol  I am planning to not run the hang on the back filters if the power goes out.

This is the set up -

20 gallon aquarium - Tetra whisper hang on filter and a sponge filter like this (not this exact one) https://www.amazon.com/Hydro-II-Sponge-Pro-Filter/dp/B000NP8W84

70 gallon aquarium - Fluval 70 hang on filter and this sponge filter https://www.amazon.com/Hygger-Aquarium-Sponges-Submersible-Salt-Water/dp/B07RKT6QPV

I am asking if I can keep my fish from dying if I only use the sponge filters, even though the one is not big enough for the 70 gallon tank. I got the Hygger sponge filter a couple weeks ago, and it is for up to 55 gallons. If I don't feed the fish and keep the sponge filter running, I'm hoping they have a chance.

I am getting two portable battery operated air pumps to use with the sponge filters. They are like this (I haven't got them yet, but this similar to the one at Walmart) https://www.amazon.com/Skywin-Fish-Aerator-Pump-Rechargeable/dp/B08B9GLLY7/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=live+bait+aerator&qid=1664216046&sr=8-7

Hmmm...

Well if you can, then the best thing is definitely a car battery and an inverter - that way you can just keep your proper filters going.  Camping shops will probably sell them as a kit and even better they will sell leisure type batteries, which are better suited to this sort of thing.

If not, then that air diffuser thing won't work to drive your sponge filter.  I did find this, that would should work, as it fits an airline:

https://www.amazon.com/AQQA-Aquarium-Multifunctional-Rechargeable-Suitable/dp/B08G8PTST8/ref=sr_1_28?crid=VCF92A0WKP8H&keywords=12v%2Bair%2Bpump%2Baquarium&qid=1664225599&sprefix=12v%2Bair%2Bpump%2Baq%2Caps%2C162&sr=8-28&th=1

But even on intermittent mode it only lasts 24 hours.  Better than a slap in the face with a wet haddock, but you still will be filterless for days.  To be honest, unless you'e already been running them, I'm not sure how much difference the sponge filters will make anyway - as they need to mature first.

Yes, I've already been using them. The Hygger one I've had for a couple weeks, and the smaller one in the 20 gallon I've been using for a few months. The older one is full of bacteria by now, and hopefully the newer one is too. The tank itself is mature, so it shouldn't take forever for the sponges to grow some bacteria.

I don't understand why the battery air pump won't work. It works almost the same as the one you linked, except it only takes batteries. Anyway, this is all Walmart had https://www.amazon.com/Marine-Bubble-Portable-Fishing-Aerator/dp/B011J2FCAU

Also, I just talked to my brother. He says I can run everything on one of the generators, but obviously I can't do that 24/7 for however many days. So I'm wondering just how many hours a day do I need to do it. Like could I run them for 30 minutes every couple hours? Or an hour several times a day?

Me: I hope I can find a way to save my fish during the power outage.

The cory cats:

I don't understand why the battery air pump won't work. It works almost the same as the one you linked, except it only takes batteries. Anyway, this is all Walmart had https://www.amazon.com/Marine-Bubble-Portable-Fishing-Aerator/dp/B011J2FCAU

Sorry, you're right, I was confused.

Also, I just talked to my brother. He says I can run everything on one of the generators, but obviously I can't do that 24/7 for however many days. So I'm wondering just how many hours a day do I need to do it. Like could I run them for 30 minutes every couple hours? Or an hour several times a day?

Maybe one hour on, one hour off?  I don't know how much juice your generator can knock out, so not sure how you should ration...

Keep in mind, that HOB filter you linked before only runs at 6W, which is just a single low energy bulb.  I can't imagine it will get through your deiseal too quickly.

My fish all died.

Sorry about your fish, Alexei. lol

I was just thinking that my mom lives next door to me, and she's going to have a generator running to keep her freezer from defrosting. I wonder if I could run an extension cord across the yard to give the fish some filtration.

Of course the storm could be so bad that none of this matters. I am occupying my brain worrying about the fish because I've already done what I can do to prepare for the storm. 

Sorry about your fish, Alexei. lol

I was just thinking that my mom lives next door to me, and she's going to have a generator running to keep her freezer from defrosting. I wonder if I could run an extension cord across the yard to give the fish some filtration.

Of course the storm could be so bad that none of this matters. I am occupying my brain worrying about the fish because I've already done what I can do to prepare for the storm.

I have some good news besides their death, actually.

You ate them and they were delicious?

You ate them and they were delicious?

Yes.
Everytime I remember they died I scream "WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME?".

Of course the storm could be so bad that none of this matters. I am occupying my brain worrying about the fish because I've already done what I can do to prepare for the storm.

Fair enough!  Think I'd need a distraction.

According to the latest updates the storm might not be so bad where I live. It's a roller coaster!

Anyway, I finally got some batteries today, and I tested the air pumps on the sponge filters. They work! 

Good luck to you and your fish Spacey.

I am now just to the west of the cone of uncertainty! It's really great for me, but wow the people from Sarasota to Ft Meyers and Naples are getting the very worst of it. I think the winds are nearly at category 5 now.

On fish news. One of the angel fish is listing to the side a little bit. I don't know why. Nothing has changed yet. I did do a significant water change yesterday, but I don't think I damaged him in the process.

I am now just to the west of the cone of uncertainty! It's really great for me, but wow the people from Sarasota to Ft Meyers and Naples are getting the very worst of it. I think the winds are nearly at category 5 now.

On fish news. One of the angel fish is listing to the side a little bit. I don't know why. Nothing has changed yet. I did do a significant water change yesterday, but I don't think I damaged him in the process.

Oh no, angel fish are pretty fish.

You mentioned you have a well, it could have a very high lime content which may cause a sudden Ph change. Fish dont like their water Ph to change too much. He could adjust as the water returns to normal. I would just avoid another water change too soon. And if you do, maybe smaller changes.

He seems better already!  He is blind in one eye, I think because the pleco stabbed him with a fin. IDK, I didn't see it happen because the tank wasn't mine at the time. Maybe he was trying to look at the surface for food, and I just thought he was listing.  I really wish I could give the pleco to someone with an even bigger tank. You would think a 70 gallon would be big enough, but I think he would be happier in one of those massive tanks, or a pond like yours. Or if he was in this one by himself or just with the tetras and cory cats. They stay out of his way, but the angel fish aren't as fast and they are too big to hide from him.

He seems better already!  He is blind in one eye, I think because the pleco stabbed him with a fin. IDK, I didn't see it happen because the tank wasn't mine at the time. Maybe he was trying to look at the surface for food, and I just thought he was listing.  I really wish I could give the pleco to someone with an even bigger tank. You would think a 70 gallon would be big enough, but I think he would be happier in one of those massive tanks, or a pond like yours. Or if he was in this one by himself or just with the tetras and cory cats. They stay out of his way, but the angel fish aren't as fast and they are too big to hide from him.

You can ship him to me, im sure he will be fine in the post.
I have 2 . . well, I used to have 2, I can only find one at any time now.

Hows the storm, looks quite windy from what I can see

Hey SG.  That storm looks fucked up - how you coping?

Everything is good where I live! The power didn't even go out, so all my fish preparations went to waste, but I will ready the next time, so I guess it wasn't a waste.

Everything is good where I live! The power didn't even go out, so all my fish preparations went to waste, but I will ready the next time, so I guess it wasn't a waste.

Screw those fish prepariations and get ready for a fish fry!
CHOP CHOP MUTHAFUCKAS!

I'm getting another 20 gallon aquarium. My nephew has given up on fish keeping! There's only one fish, and I think it is a kuhli loach. I'm going to put in the 70 gallon tank, and then clean up the aquarium it has been living in. It's covered with lime scale because the boy never kept the water level up (or changed the water, or vacuumed the gravel, etc).

I was thinking about turning this into a planted tank. I wonder what plants a beginner should try? And what little fish I could eventually put in there. I'm not just going to go fish shopping for the wrong fish. I reckon after the tank is established the loach could go back and maybe get it some loach friends... but I am more curious about what plants to start with. I don't want to be too technical where I have to buy expensive lights and all that. I will be putting the aquarium by a sunny window, so the natural sunlight will help. Plus, I have one of these that I haven't even taken out of the box yet https://www.amazon.com/hygger-Submersible-Sunrise-Daylight-Moonlight-Adjustable-Brightness/dp/B09CL7Q9CH/

I was memeing before but the more I think about it the more I'd like a guinea pig.

Named Shifter.

I don't think they take much care and I could let him out of his cage once a day and put the cage on grass he can eat. I'm not sure if they get tame enough that they won't run away outside. I could get him a lead. Maybe next weekend I'll buy one.

I moved the aquarium yesterday. It took nearly 4 hours! I was afraid I would lose the cycle and everything would look like shit, but somehow it didn't. idk, all the water except about 6 gallons is fresh, but I did manage to keep the gravel and all the filter media wet, so maybe that was enough. I'm not happy with the decorations, but I'm not going to change anything for a couple weeks. I've got a cool piece of driftwood I want to put in there, but I haven't figured out where, and what to get rid of so it will fit.

Why is it so hard to get a decent picture of an aquarium? lol

Found my yellow goldfish dead. Pretty much a decomposing head and the rest a skeleton at this point. I cbf cleaning it right now so I'll just not feed the others so they can clean him up

My son was a little sad to see him like that

I did manage to keep the gravel and all the filter media wet, so maybe that was enough.

It is - the filter is the most important thing.  I decanted to a new tank recently while redecorating and just moved the filter - everything else in the new tank was new, even the gravel.

That tank looks pretty small for that plec? 

Get the boy some plants, at least!  Is that some neon-tetras in there as well?