Why an emergency power supply is essential for your Koi pond
Hello Koi Friends,
I wanted to write a powerful article on a topic that is often forgotten, but can be vital to your pond: the importance of a backup power supply in the event of a power outage.
This hobby is wonderful and incredibly rewarding. Many of us spend hours in our gardens, by our carefully constructed ponds, enjoying the company of our beloved Koi. But let’s face it: Koi keeping is an expensive hobby. We invest in dream ponds, professional filter systems, high-quality feed and – of course – that one special Koi.
An unexpected enemy: power failure at your Koi pond
Wherever you live – Australia, the Netherlands or Japan – power outages are possible everywhere. An accident, a power company failure, or severe weather such as storms or lightning: it can all happen. Some hobbyists say that with a large, deep pond, a short outage won’t hurt. But what happens after a few hours without an air pump or filter system?
Your fish are starting to behave strangely. They school together, swim along the pond edges – a clear sign of stress. Water quality deteriorates rapidly as waste products accumulate. Ammonia rises, followed by nitrite – especially dangerous at high pH levels. And the more fish, the faster things go wrong. The bacteria in your filter no longer receive nutrition, and unwanted bacteria in the pond actually accumulate. The risks increase dramatically as a result. All because the emergency power supply is missing.
What can you do? Preparation is everything
The best thing you can do is make sure your pond system keeps running during a power outage in your Koi pond. Consider:
- A UPS system (emergency power supply for computers) for filters in a dry room. UPS stands for Uninterruptible Power Supply and ensures that in the event of a power failure your air pump, for example, can continue to run for several hours. This prevents early de-escalation before you notice it and you have time to find a solution and/or deploy a generator.
- A generator that switches on manually or automatically. Through a generator, which are available in many different sizes and on e.g. gasoline or batteries, you can keep the equipment around your pond operational for hours to days.
- Solar panels with battery storage for renewable backup are also an increasingly valid option, especially as feed-in of solar panel energy to the grid increasingly costs money in Western Europe.
- A battery-powered air pump with large air stones in the biological filter
For planned power outages: do not feed your Koi 3-4 days in advance and change a good portion of the pond water.
Are you already thinking about it?
Do you have an emergency solution ready for when the power goes out? Let us know in the comments or via social media! What do you use – a generator, solar power or something else? And if you don’t have a backup yet: are you thinking about arranging one?
Remember: an emergency power supply for your Koi pond costs only a fraction of what you spend on feed, equipment and Koi – but it can mean the difference between life and death for your fish.
Editorial note – Practical tips on aggregates
A aggregate doesn’t always have to cost a lot of money, by the way. They are available starting at around €300, and with it you can keep all your air pumps and low pressure water pumps operational. Do pay attention to the wattage the unit can deliver. Models starting at €150 also exist, but these are often too light for full systems.
For a basic supply, a minimum of 2500 watts recommended. Do you also want to run a drum filter? Then a more powerful generator around the 3500 or 4800 watt model is a better choice. Aggregates in this price range are also available with a large tank or very strong batteries that will last you 1 to even 3 days.
Need a creative emergency solution? With a car and an inverter, you can also generate power temporarily. Also: in many Koi app groups there are hobbyist friends who are willing to help you or lend you a generator in case of emergency. In some regions, grid operators will even come with a generator if you report an outage – but prefer not to count on that.
Governments worldwide are now preparing for possible cyber attacks or power outages due to grid attacks, with large-scale blackouts a risk. So it is not an unlikely scenario and not at all unwise to have an emergency power supply on hand. Authorities are reporting a sharp increase in d demand for live emergency power supplies worldwide.
Also, run your generator on a trial basis every few months, and make sure your partner knows how to handle it. After all, if you’re not home, someone else should be able to intervene.
About the author
Con Pismiris is a correspondent for KoiQuestion in Australia. An inspired and experienced hobbyist, he also runs the Koi community Koi Nuts on Facebook – a vibrant place where thousands of enthusiasts share their passion, knowledge and experiences about Nishikigoi.
