Temperature Issues

[LionessN3cubs]

grrr forgot to add this question to my last posting. Hope no one gets irritated LOL.


As I said, My tank has been set up for 5 days but cycling hasn't started. It came with a hood with 2 clear incandescent bulbs. I noticed my temperature after the lights had been on for a couple hours that the temp was 84-86 (stick on thermostat). That night I turned the lights off before bed and made sure to check first thing in the morning what the temp was before lights. Its running about 79-80. The tank is kept in the darket part of the room..not even close to a window. I did change one of the bulbs to a blue one as the woman at Petco told me this may help keep the temperature down. Her other suggestion was to take 1 of the bulbs out but Im thinking that when the ambient temperature is running high without lights, any lights at all are going to raise it too high. I've read that the higher temps should actually help the cycling when I get it started but when I add fish, is the temperature going to be a problem for hte platy's cory and (small) otto I intended to get? Any suggestions on this problem? I dont want fried fish when I get them.

 

[WILDER]

The lights should only alter the temp by a degree or two.
The heater should be keeping the tank water to the temp the heater set at, if not the heater faulty.

 

[LionessN3cubs]

I didnt put the heater in. Should ? I didnt think putting the heater in was wise when the tank is running too hot as it is and heaters can't cool the water down can they? TIA

 

[WILDER]

Yes you need to add the heater to the tank.
The heater will only heat the water to the temp that the heaters set at.
The light will warm the water but as long as there not a big swing in temp more than two degrees everythings fine.

Is the tank near a raditor.

 

[ric1984]

Mine is new and staying round 30 the heater is set to 28. The heater doesnt look on does it come on and off when the water changes??

 

[WILDER]

The heater will switch on and off yes.
Two degrees higher is fine its the light, any higher than you start to worry.
A two degree swing either way is fine.

 

[ric1984]

it was thirty before i put the light on it hasnt gone up!?

 

[LionessN3cubs]

Yes you need to add the heater to the tank.
The heater will only heat the water to the temp that the heaters set at.
The light will warm the water but as long as there not a big swing in temp more than two degrees everythings fine.

Is the tank near a raditor.

well as I said, the lights heating it up about 4 degrees after a couple hours...at maximum its 86 degrees. I have forced air heat vents near the top of my ceilings. The ceilings about about 8ft high and the tank is about 6ft off the floor but the tank is at least 2 ft away from the vent and I had hubby, who is 6ft tall stand under the vent when it was on and he can't feel anything from the vent in front of the tank...I'd assume since hot air rises. I dont get why the normal temp of the tank is at 80 degrees when my house thermostat is set at 70 at most ...unless my tank thermometer is wrong, which I supposed is possible! I'll put the heater in now...I just didnt think I needed it since the water is staying above the temp I'd be setting the heater for anyway.

 

[WILDER]

The room temp in the house can also raise your tank temp.
Best to set the heater higher so the temp dosn't go down more than two degrees if you have a 4 degree swing I would turn your tank heater up by two degrees.

 

[WILDER]

http/www.aquariumhobbyist.com/articles/T...ureControl.html

 

[fishyfreak]

"The incandescent light bulb or incandescent lamp is a source of artificial light that works by incandescence (a general term for heat-driven light emissions which includes the simple case of black body radiation). An electrical current passes through a thin filament, heating it until it produces light" incandescent light bulb. So in other words these bulbs do produce a lot of heat and 86 is way too hot as you already know. Any way you can switch to a florescent bulb?

 

[WILDER]

The incandescent light bulb or incandescent lamp is a source of artificial light that works by incandescence (a general term for heat-driven light emissions which includes the simple case of black body radiation). An electrical current passes through a thin filament, heating it until it produces light. So in other words these bulbs do produce a lot of heat and 86 is way too hot as you already know. Any way you can switch to a florescent bulb?

Thats good to know wondered why the lighting was making the temp so high.