Temperatue

[leecara]

what is the perfect temp ive heard about 79.f
i have 2 heaters in my tank both turn off when they at that point and turn back on when they are needed they are both set at 79.f
yet during the day the tank reaches about 82.7 on my digi thermothter and 81 on my 2 normal thermoters (could they be dodgey themoters) i know this is to high i have 4 t5 lighs in my hood but when they turn off its still about 81/82 i am going to buy a fan for the hood but i dont think it will make much differnce i dont live in an exactly warm place but the past week it has been in the 20s so could it been the room temp making the diference if so what can i do
advice needed plz help

 

[sianeds]

If both your thermometers are giving the same readings then they are probably not faulty. I'd check the settings on the heaters first. You could invest in a chiller but they are stupidly expensive. There is a thread on a DIY chiller in the hardware section.

Other than that get yourself a couple of desk fans and point them at the surface of the water. Your evaporation will increase so you'll need to keep an eye on that.

 

[leecara]

well the heaters are set at 79.f
i cnt build a diy chiller as im 14 and not got the time dont know anything about a chiller
i thinking of buying if 2 little fans to sit in the hood to move the air about, half the tank at the top is covered by glass to stop evaporation and anything jumping out but on the other side i have egg crate to stop the fish jumping out and so it fits my skimmer intake
how about a chiiler pack wich you frezze and then put in the lid on the lights to cool down?
im outta ideas anybody got any others...
if i looking at the chillers how much prize wise?

 

[sianeds]

You're talking hundreds £££ for a chiller. The fans should do the job for you. You could float some frozen RO blocks but to be hones I've tried it and it makes very little difference IME.

I'd be more inclined to say your heater is faulty if it's saying the right temp. Try turning it down 1 deg and see what happens...

 

[leecara]

ok well its been quite warm today i was thinking it could it be the room temp? if so then how do i prevent this will the fans do fine i was thinking a couple of mini fans will do

 

[SkiFletch]

Do your best to install fans blowing at the surface of the water. This will increase the rate of evaporation and in-turn cool your tank. Water loss will of course go up, but it is by far the most economical solution. You can set your heaters for a low of 76 if you like, just to make sure they only come on when it really gets cold.

 

[AndyS]

Dependant on your tank size Desk fans could be a little too much. Anything over Nano size should be fine but just keep an eye on the temp during the day, desk fans can really cool your tank down fast if not checked and placed properly. s your tank covered? perhaps opening the hood or feeding hatch will allow better evapouration and cool the water, thats what i did.

Andy

 

[leecara]

well my tanks is 90 us gall-4ft long-2ft high on the top -on one side it is covered by glass to stop evaporation and the other side is egg crate for a custom fit so i will point a desk fan down at the egg crate and hopefully it will cool down and astop a big evaportion loss

cheers lee

 

[leecara]

i have been down to my local lfs and they siad they are having the same problems with there tanks as it is very hot weather over here wich makes a change,but i have removed my digi thermometer as it was reading incorrecty i would never ever sugest to anyone buy a digi thermometer. stick with the normal 1 they are much much more accurate compared to the digi one.
my heaters come on at 77 degrees wich is a good temp i have been told to have in my tank,but my tank is going up to 82 degrees in the day wich is bad ..any way i am really get p.....d off with the temp so now i am consdiering buying a chiller unit..my mum will not pay due to money so i am looking at selling my mini motor to a mate for £200 this is the money i will be hopefuly spending on a chiller.
so anyone know were i can get a GOOD chiller wich is suitable for my tank 350 litres wich is under or around £200

much apprecaited
lee

 

[SkiFletch]

Why do you think 82 is bad? Did some of your corals/fish look stressed? I run my tank at 83-84 all summer with no issues. If you can keep it stable at that temp using fans, it's not really all that bad.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

it's only at about 85+ i start to panic!!

 

[leecara]

well my local lfs has there tanks set at 79 and another lfs has theres at 76/77 i asked if my temp is to high they both said yes you want it about 78
i have no corals
i have 3 green chomis and 2 tank bred perucla clowns they seem fine
to be honest its not a stable temp its varies from 79 to about 83 sometimes 84 and my heaters are set at 77 the fish are ok but when i get corals and more delicate fish wont they be stressed
what do you run your heaters at and what is your ideal temp
i am not running any fans thats why i am considering to buy a chiller .a. for a very stable temp b.to keep the temp at my needs and stuff
so...
what do you run yur heaters at and what is your ideal temp is my temp ok shall i buy a chiller ifso were from?

 

[SkiFletch]

i am not running any fans thats why i am considering to buy a chiller .a. for a very stable temp b.to keep the temp at my needs and stuff

Ah, there's the problem . The reason your tank is swinging from 77-83 is because when your lights are on, all the latent heat they create is just absorbed by the water, thus raising the temp. Adding fans to the canopy is a WAY more cost-effective measure than a chiller. And if the room that the tank is kept in has air conditioning (or even a window-mount unit), your temp can be kept stable.

 

[leecara]

ah yes but im keeping my lid open to circulate air and when the lights off say about 4 hours after they were on the tank is still at 84? also the glass under my lights were not hot so i dont think it is the lights the heaters are set at 77 can they be faulty?,but half the time there are not on so i doubt there faulty cuz when they are on it turns on a little light wich now hardly comes on?
what could it be?

 

[AK77]

Hi Lee,

Yup chillers cost BIG bucks!

I just checked my tank and the temperature is at 83. Its mostly to do with the ambient temperature of the room. My tank is in my bedroom, and as soon as I come up the stairs, the heat from my room hits you like a sauna. I only get direct light in my bedroom before about 9am. The windows are open 24/7 as is my door. I have a desk fan sitting on the window sill to pull in the cooler air from outside.

The tank lights will throw out a lot of heat also. Just put your hand near one of the bulbs after its been on for a while and feel the heat radiating off it. Even if the glass covers don't feel hot, the lights are heating the air in the immediate area, which in turn is heating the water. The combination of the warmer weather and that from the lights is what is elevating your water temperature. If your tank is in your bedroom like mine, electronic items like computers, TV, etc. all throw out a lot of heat too.

I was in my LFS the other day, their tanks are open top, with no covers and they had to shut the MH lights off because of the temperatures - and it didn't even seem that warm in there.

If you are worried about the heat, try leaving the glass covers off, so at least when the air temperature cool off in the evening, the water can transfer that heat back to the air easier with the increased airflow. I wouldnt worry about the fish jumping out the water too much. Its only ever happened to me once when I kept Tiger Oscars years ago. I used to feed them by hand. The fish would jump out the water to take the pellets from my fingers. One time a 10" Oscar leapt right out the tank, went skipping acorss my bedroom carpet and under my bed. My dog was trying to catch it too. Fish survived though lol.

The sheets are there mainly for evapouration purposes and to stop condensation getting onto the lights. They help to keep salt off the lamps too. Keep your curtains drawn if you get direct sunlight for a prolonged period, especially if it hits the tank. This should help slightly with the temperatures. I'd drop an airline into the tank if you dont have one already. Warmer water contains less dissolved oxygen and so you may start to notice the fish "panting" a bit.

So long as the fish look happy and are energetic/eating well I wouldn't panic too much.

AK