A number of our members experienced a power outage this year; some for most of a day, and some for more than a day. I posted a question in the Fishnet Forum on Compuserve, and the next time I logged on, I had several messages containing suggestions. I will just list them here, along with other tips I have discovered; any of you who have tried these may forward your experiences to me for inclusion in any follow-up piece I may publish later.

If you have a way to keep your home heated, you should not have to worry about tanks losing temperature. Of course, anything you can do to insulate your tanks will help, even if your home cools dramatically. Don Roberts, the resident expert at Pet Warehouse, adds that the foil-backed blister pack material is readily available at most home centers, and is relatively inexpensive.

Our own Lenore Bijan used a single, battery-powered air pump, moving it from tank to tank, with some success. This item was mentioned in several responses I got on Fishnet, and also by Don. The main help these provide is to maintain surface agitation so there is the necessary free exchange of gases at the water surface. These are also inexpensive, but don’t wait till you are out of power to look for them; some stores may carry it, but only stock one. I noted Pet Warehouse does carry them; order several now, so you will be prepared [don’t forget to stock up on batteries, too].

If you have a gas water heater or range, you might be able to float some milk cartons or jars in your tanks to help keep the temperature up. Another forum member suggested heating rocks, to place in the tank. I would want to be sure this didn’t affect the pH. And do not try heating them in a fire, or on a camp stove; it would be safe, though, to place them in a pan of water heated in this fashion.