Best 4 Aquarium Battery Backups When Power Goes [2024 Updated]

 What is Aquarium Battery Backup?

Air pumps and powerheads in the aquarium require a steady supply of electricity. However, it can be challenging if you live in an area prone to power outages, blackouts, or rolling brownouts. Thankfully, there are aquarium battery backups available that can provide 24*7 electricity to the fish tank, ensuring the water stays oxygenated.

Jackery Explorer Portable Power Stations come in different sizes and capacities, making them ideal for all sizes of fish tanks. They are built with highly efficient and durable LiFePO4 or NMC batteries, along with leading battery management technology. These aquarium battery backups can provide hours of electricity to all the electrical appliances in the fish tank.

What Happens In Aquarium When Power Goes?

When a power outage happens, the filtration and pumps in the aquarium stop working. This, in turn, leads to the temperature drop based on the surrounding climate. The lack of oxygen in the aquarium can cause fish to die within 1-2 hours. Some of the key concerns of power failure include:

• Oxygen can be consumed within a few hours, and if it is not resupplied, the fish will start dying.
• The ability of aquariums to manage the ammonia decreases due to the lack of oxygen.
• The temperature in the fish tank will start fluctuating when power goes out.

How Does Battery Backup for Aquariums Work?

Jackery Solar Generators for aquariums combine Jackery Explorer Portable Power Stations and Jackery SolarSaga Solar Panels to charge appliances. When the sun's rays fall on the Jackery SolarSaga Solar Panels, the high-quality monocrystalline silicon solar cells of the solar panels convert more sunlight into DC electricity.

Then, it is supplied to the Jackery Explorer Portable Power Stations, where the pure sine wave inverter converts DC to AC electricity. Jackery Explorer Portable Power Stations can also be recharged using a car charger or wall outlet, so you never have to worry about power failure.

How Much Electricity Does An Aquarium Use?

On average, the aquarium uses nearly 63 watts of electricity. However, the exact watt consumption will depend on the size, brand, and electrical appliances used in the fish tank. Here's a table that reveals the watt consumption of an aquarium based on its size and capacity.

Best 4 Battery Backup for Aquarium

Now that you know the importance of a reliable battery backup for aquariums, it's time to choose the one that can protect your fish during short or extended power outages. Here are some of the best battery backups for different sizes of aquariums.

Best Battery Backup for Fish Tank — Jackery Explorer 500

The Jackery Explorer 500 Portable Power Station features an NMC battery of 518Wh capacity and can supply sufficient electricity to common small fish tank appliances like air pumps, lighting, etc. If all the basic fish tank appliances consume 35W, the Jackery Explorer 500 Portable Power Station will provide stable electricity for 12.5 hours. If you have a small fish tank with minimal electrical devices, you may consider this Jackery Explorer 500 Portable Power Station.

Customer Review

"This Jackery 500 is amazing! It is a high-quality power source that has a lithium-ion battery, which is lighter weight than the LifePO4. This is great for power outages in your home, camping, and for HAM radio." — A. Nonny Mouse.

Best Aquarium Battery Backup - Jackery Explorer 1000 Plus

Aquariums that are large in size require more electricity to run air pumps, lights, UV filters, etc., efficiently. Hence, they need a larger battery backup. The Jackery Explorer 1000 Plus Portable Power Station has a LiFePO4 battery of 1264Wh capacity and can charge most devices for hours. If your aquarium uses 63W, this aquarium battery backup will charge devices for 17 hours. If you want additional power, this battery backup for the fish tank can be expanded from 1.2kWh to 5kWh.

Customer Review

"If you enjoy the outdoors but can't live without your gadgets, then you need something like this. The ability to add up to 3 extra battery packs is a plus, totaling just over 5 kWh! The 2000-watt inverter should be able to power most of your devices!" — Chris.

Best Battery Backup Air Pump Aquarium - Jackery Explorer 1000 v2

Air pumps typically draw a low amount of electricity, starting at only 3 watts and going to about 50 watts for heavy-duty models. These air pumps and filters need a 24*7 electricity supply. The Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 Portable Power Station is a compact and mid-capacity charging solution for air pumps and other household appliances. It can provide continuous electricity to a 3W air pump for 303.1 hours. If you've heavy-duty models with air pumps drawing 50W, it can deliver power for 18.1 hours with a single charge

Customer Review

"I’ve been wanting a Jackery for a while now. I finally got one and I love it. I’ve used it only once while dry camping. It ran a crockpot to warm chilli no problem. Ate up quite a bit of power. I also got some panels to charge. I used them the next morning and charged it up. Takes a little longer than when plugged in but to be expected. Charged small electronics like phones etc. no problem. I love this purchase!" — Dianne Wall.

Best Battery Backup System for Fish Tank - Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus

Fish tanks usually come with water pumps, powerheads, air pumps, lights, and filters. The Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus Portable Power Station is one of the best battery backup systems for fish tanks that can power most of the fish tank appliances. It features a 2042.8Wh capacity and can even be expanded up to 24kWh with the help of Jackery Battery Pack 2000 Plus.

Customer Review

"I like this thing; it's got a lot of power. It powered my air conditioner on high. It powered power tools. It's really not that heavy. It doesn't take too long to charge. And I'll be buying everything to expand the whole system eventually." — Michael Wheeler.

How Long Will a Jackery Battery Backup Run a Fish Tank?

The running time of the Jackery Explorer Portable Power Stations will directly depend on the wattage of the fish tank appliances and for how long you want to power them. For example, if you're using fewer appliances with low wattage, then a small Jackery Explorer 500 Portable Power Station would work great. On the other hand, if you want an all-in-one battery backup system for an aquarium, the Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus Portable Power Station seems a sensible choice.

You can also choose Jackery Solar Generators that come with Jackery SolarSaga Solar Panels to recharge the aquarium battery backups. Investing in solar generators offers peace of mind during off-grid living and extended power outages.

How to Choose the Best Battery Backup for Aquarium?

There's no doubt that battery backups can keep all the fish tank appliances when a power outage occurs. However, you'll need to choose the aquarium battery backup that meets the wattage needs of the appliances. Here are some factors to consider before selecting the best battery backup for aquariums.

Capacity: First, you'll need to check and add the running wattage of the fish tank appliances, including powerheads, filters, and heaters. The battery capacity of the power station should be higher than what you require for the aquarium.

Lifespan: Compared to lead-acid batteries, NMC lithium-ion or LiFePO4 has a long lifespan of up to 10 years. Jackery Explorer Portable Power Stations feature NMC lithium-ion or LiFePO4 batteries that are best known for durability.

Safe to Use Indoors: Unlike gas generators, the battery backups do not emit noise or toxic fumes. Hence, they are safe to use indoors.

Maintenance: Choose the aquarium battery backup that's easy to use, install, and keep in storage. For example, Jackery Solar Generators are easy to set up and operate. Just plug the appliances into the multiple output ports and start charging.

Size: The choice of battery backup for aquariums depends on how easily it can be moved from one place to another. It should be light in weight, portable, and feature an easy-to-carry handle for easy transportation.

Quiet: Battery-powered generators do not have any moving parts, and that's why they are quiet. While choosing the battery backup for the aquarium, ensure it emits only 30dB to 45dB of noise.

Aquarium Battery Backup FAQs

How long will a battery backup run a fish tank?

The run time of a battery backup for a fish tank depends on the battery's capacity and the tank's size. For example, if you have a small fish tank that consumes around 20-30W of electricity, a Jackery Explorer 500 Portable Power Station can charge a fish tank for about 15-22 hours.

Can I use UPS for aquariums?

Yes, UPS can supply steady electricity to essential appliances like heaters, air pumps, and filters. Though Jackery Explorer Portable Power Stations cannot work as UPS, they are reliable battery backup air pumps for aquariums.

How do you oxygenate a fish tank without electricity?

You can oxygenate water in the fish tank by dosing hydrogen peroxide in the aquarium. The hydrogen peroxide mixes with water to release extra oxygen molecules without electricity.

What is the backup power for a fish tank?

Portable solar generators act as reliable backup power sources for fish tanks. They can keep the fish tank appliances running during a power outage.

Can I leave my fish tank for 3 weeks?

Yes, you can. However, you'll need to ensure some backup power source for fish tank appliances like air pumps, filters, and heaters.

Can I put fish in the tank after 12 hours?

It's typically recommended to wait 24–48 hours before adding fish to a new fish tank. This will help the water stabilize and the temperature even out, reducing stress on the fish and acclimating them to their new environment.

How long does a Jackery battery backup last?

The run time of Jackery Explorer Portable Power Stations can be calculated with a simple formula.

Working Time = Battery Capacity * 0.85 / Wattage Consumption of Appliances

Let's say you're using the Jackery Explorer 1000 Plus Portable Power Station with 1264Wh capacity to charge fish tank appliances consuming 30W of electricity.

Working Time = 1264Wh * 0.85 / 30W = 35.8 hours

Can UPS be used as a battery?

Yes, you can use a UPS as a portable battery, but it's not always an excellent option for aquariums. These UPS systems are not designed to be backup batteries and cannot supply power for more than a few minutes.

How long does a battery backup last when the power goes out?

The battery backups for aquariums can last from a few hours to multiple days, depending on their capacities. You'll need to choose the battery backup that can supply more electricity than you require.

Conclusion

If you have an aquarium at home, you must create a healthy underwater environment for all fish. Unexpected power outages can threaten the lives of living organisms without emergency preparedness. The right aquarium battery backup can deliver reliable power to the fish tank for several hours or days. Jackery Explorer Portable Power Stations come in different sizes and capacities. Depending on the fish tank equipment and size, you can choose the one that delivers continuous electricity when the main supply is interrupted.