UPS for a skimmer

[yeldarbj]

I've read through a lot of the UPS posts suggesting inverters and car batteries, etc. I'm thinking about getting a computer UPS to only run a Remora skimmer with MP1200 rated at 20 watts during power outages. If I bought a 300 watt UPS, how long could I expect the skimmer to run?
I already have a gas generator for the long outages, but I want a backup for nights or if I am not here when the power goes out.

 

[teen]

if your skimmer shuts off for the night or even a week, i doubt your gunna have any problems.

 

[yeldarbj]

If I lose power, everything in the tank shuts down. I want to maintain some movement for the tank during short outages. I know things will be okay for an hour or two, but what if it is out for 12 hrs and I'm not home to run the generator or it's the middle of the night (both of which have happened to me prior to having the tank). I lost power for 18 hours last year during Katrina and I'm over 200 miles from New Orleans (luckily I didn't have a reef to worry about then).
If I want to keep one thing running on a UPS, like a skimmer, I'm wondering how long will it run? Would a single powerhead @20 watts run for an hour or 10 hours?

 

[fishieness]

it depends entirely on the UPS.... some will run for only a little while, while some could go for a realy realy long time.
and why would you run the skimmer? you arent goign to get a lot of flow.... run it with a single powerhead. skimmer are important but you are going to need flow more than nutrient export. and a single powerheads would be more likely to do that overmore of the tank than a single skimmer.

 

[chilwil84]

my 70 watt ehim pump (900 gph) has run for a few hours (longest i have been without power since i got it )without power on a 350 ups if that helps any

 

[teen]

thats what i was getting at. if you need one thing runnig, i would keep your sump pump/main pump, or a large power head running. i would be least worried about my skimmer.

 

[yeldarbj]

chilwil84,
Thanks. That is exactly the type of information I am looking for. If your 70 watt pump will run for a few hours, I would guess a powerhead/skimmer at 20 watts should run much longer.
teen,
If I had a sump, then my sump/main pump would be very important to run. That is why I am not asking about running a main pump, nor am I asking what is the most important thing to run during an outage. The HOB skimmer would serve 2 functions - 1) water movement, 2) waste removal. Both being very important especially during a power outage.
Maybe I would be better off with a lower wattage power head running on a UPS.
Anyone else try running a single powerhead off of a UPS?