Water Temperature

[Dallionz]

I have a 55 gallon tank and I have been able to maintain the water at a temperature between 76 and 78. Until summer decided to strike. Now I have a hard time keeping it below 80 during the day, even with the heater off. It seems to stay between 80 and 82. Is this too hot? Is there any way to cool down the tank?

Thanks in advance.

 

[shelly25]

Hi there - I am having the same problem. My water temperature spiked to around 88 yesterday after we hit a high of 90 or so in Columbus. As a result I found a dalmation molly floating upside down this morning. I'm waiting for an answer to my post as well:

http/fish.orbust.net/forums/index.php?sh...topic=38896&hl=

 

[tstenback]

The best way i have found to keep the temp down in the tank is too place a fan so that it blows over the top of the tank (hard to do if you have jumpers.) the other thing i do that i find works great is to put cold water in plastic bottles/containers and float them in the tank. After a few tries you can actually control the temp within a degree during the hottest part of the day. HTH

 

[jvis0606]

I am having the same problem now that the heat has hit NYC.. the tank is currently between 80 and 82 degrees. I have been floating some bags of ice in the tank and it hasn't started working yet but hopefully it will drop the temp a little. How high of a temp can these little guys tolerate?

 

[Sasha]

My larger tank maintain a constant temperature, but my 2.5 gallon tank always gets warmer, even with with teh heater removed. I put some ice in a bag, fill it was a little cold water and float it in the tank. That seems to cool it down a bit. The temperature drops down to it's ideal level, so that's my solution.

 

[Sky042]

I'm guessing the obvious answer or running the air conditioning during the day isn't an answer.

I would say that some form of ice pack would do well. Even if its as simple as loading a ziploc bag with ice and letting it float around in your tank and monitoring the temp to see if you need to adjust it during the day.

 

[daisycat]

I posted this on another thread too...

We keep ours at 80 (hovering up to 82 at times) as standard for our turtle and our fish have never shown any problems.

However, I know what you mean about this heatwave as our tank recently decided to shoot up to about 86. I opened the top and set a desk fan blowing on the top of the water (kind of down/across the top) and within an hour it was back down to 82.

 

[millym]

we freeze empty cool drink bottles filled with water & float them - it does help a little bit ( yes london england does get hot sometimes too!!! )

 

[Guppylover]

I do a 20% water change, but I use cool water instead... not freezing...cool. It's a bit problem here is Australia with heat waves all the time in summer. Fans are good but air conditioning is even better ^__^ cools down the house and the tank. I don't like to use ice cubes or water bottles... if you don't keep an eye on the water temperature it with drop dramaticly and that's not too good with the fishes.

 

[ger87410]

If you keep the lid on tight it will reduce the evaporation which is water's way of keeping cool. I would find controlling the water with ice to be dangerous and difficult I think. hth