Water temperature!

[Wannaknowaboutsand]

I have a 55 gallon tank. It's one week into a fishless cycle. I used a couple of live plants and Cycle (only because it was there and free).

Now the water temperature is stayig high at night it is going down to about 78F and during the day its up to 82F. The heat never comes on. The air conditioning in the room is set at 78F all day. my suspicion is that the light is heating the water I am running it from about 6m to 5 pm at night when I get off work.

Does anyone know about this?

Also I live in a hot climate it was 87F today.

 

[cometcattle]

You must have some large temp. changes in that room to make 55g move that much. Do u turn your a.c. off during the day?

 

[Angry_Platy]

During summer, my tank would get up to 90F simply from the outside air temp. On really hot days I wouldn't put the light on at all as I suspected it was heating my water.

This isn't a problem providing you have plenty of oxygenation in the tank via airstones or filter current etc.

 

[Wannaknowaboutsand]

As stated before AC is set 78 all day.

 

[Angry_Platy]

I forgot to mention...I used to put bottle of ice in the water....to cool it down....which led to all my fish getting ich.....so in the end they were all happier and healthier with the higher temp.

 

[Wannaknowaboutsand]

Ill keep that in mind. LOL

 

[Inchworm]

Hi Wannaknowaboutsand

It's unusual to hear about a 55 gallon tank overheating because of the lights. You're not using incandescent bulbs, are you? This is usually the case when we hear of small tanks overheating. My advice then is usually to use smaller bulbs.

In any event, if your room temperature remains constant, but the water temperature changes, you could have a problem when it comes time to add fish. The fluctuations are not good for fish. Ich and bacterial infections can be the result.

If you are unable to use cooler light bulbs, try adding a heater with the thermostat set at the higher temperature. This way it will stay constant at least.

If it becomes necessary, you may want to choose fish that do best at warmer temperatures, rather than cooler ones.

 

[Wannaknowaboutsand]

Thanks this is good advice.

Anything else I should know about?

 

[Inchworm]

Hi Wannaknowaboutsand

That's the most of it when it comes to temperature. The only other thing I'd suggest to most new fishkeepers is that once you get fish, check the temperature of the water you are adding during water changes.

Keeping a steady temperature (within a degree or two, anyway) is so important and yet is often overlooked. The little bit of extra effort it takes is well worth it in the long run.

Please let me know how you resolve this overheating problem.

 

[Wannaknowaboutsand]

Well I think Ill just bump the heater up to 80F which is within the limits of the fish I want. I just had the nitrite and ammonia levels reduce to 0. I just did my water change and aam going to get my fish(FISHLESS CYCLE IS GREAT!!)....... YYYYYAAAAHHHWOOOO.

1 week and 2 days. I feel great.

 

[Bol]

Just for the heck of it, I would measure the air temperature around the tank at the time that the tank reads 82 degrees. Slim chance, but just because the air near the AC thermostat (assuming that thermostat is accurate) is near 78, doesn't necessarily mean that's true throughout the house.

Also, does the tank get hit with any sunlight?

 

[Wannaknowaboutsand]

ok the air temp is slightly higher. I will set the heater up to keep it at 80f then it will only raise 2 degrees during the day.


I swear checking that ammonia and nitrite is like a pregancy test.




And now I am a proud parent of a budding mbuna tank!

4 yellow labs.

Thanks everyone for all the great advice. I learn more here than I did from any other source. You are all truly special!

 

[MadCow]

Congrats on the quick cycle. I agree the fishless cycle is great!! I recommend it now to anybody who wants to know and even some that probably don't wanna know. Sorry I can't help with your temp question, I just wanted to offer my support and wish you good luck with your new tank. Enjoy.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi Wannaknowaboutsand

Good luck with your newly cycled tank.

I hope you're not leaving the forum now though. The fun's just beginning.

 

[Wannaknowaboutsand]

YEAH tell me about it. I just checked the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. The ammonia is at 0 the nirtate is at 5ppm and the I get a reading of .50 on the nitrite!

WHat could happen?
Im had to go to work so at lunch Ill do a water change!