# Tank temp too high?!



## aritg3 (Feb 18, 2008)

The tempature outside the house got very hot starting yesturday. I noticed today that my chilid tank is 83f degrees. I typically keep it about 80f degrees. I did a water change with 79f water with hopes this would help bring down the overall temp. I also turned on the airconditioner. My water heater has been turned down low.

How do the rest of you deal with the hot summer tempatures?

-Ari


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## zazz (Apr 5, 2008)

my tank is at the ambient temp of 85....i just grin and bear it ....maybe get a cooling unit...but living on the equator...its like this all year round. Running an aircon just for the fish 24/7 would be expensive.


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## Lesley (Sep 20, 2003)

I was just going to post the same question. 
The fish in both my tanks are up breathing at the surface. I put a powerhead on one to help with more oxygen. Are they in any danger when it gets hot like this?


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## bentcountershaft (Nov 23, 2007)

If you are around to monitor it, you can put some ice in a leak-proof bag and let it float in there. I wouldn't leave it unattended though as it could make the temp go lower than you want. I wouldn't do it at all unless it was getting very hot though, as a more constant but higher temperature is probably better than heating up then cooling down and back and forth repeatedly.


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## zazz (Apr 5, 2008)

i know of other cichlid tanks that survive at high temperatures....a lot of people have told me that its too high and the fish will get into trouble but i do not think its quite cut and dry as it seems.

prehaps if the temp is a constant then the fish will somehow get used to it ...maybe its the change that upsets them.

but to say that above a certain temp that the fish will die is misleading.

having said that i am in the process of starting my tank with 40 new fish in high temp...and my only experience before was with talapia....now that fish is idestructible....it could probably survive a nuclear holocaust.

also my goldfish dont mind at all and they are supposed to be from colder climes than lake malawi.


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## Britnick (Apr 18, 2008)

Hi

Check this thread out http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=172444 .


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## kewlkatdady (May 15, 2007)

i live in TX...
My house stays around 75-80 during the summer...

my tanks are around 82-83 with no ill affects.


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## fishyfishyfishy (Dec 24, 2005)

83 wouldn't concern me. Biggest concern with warmer temps is there is less oxygen in the water. If you have a good filtration system, you're probably fine...especially with a wet/dry setup.

Here's some things you can do though:

Keep the aquarium lights turned off.

Make sure the room does not receive direct sunlight.

Remove the hood and lid from the tank.

Place a fan so that it blows directly across the tank water or the sump if you have one. The increased evaporation will cool your tank by several degrees easily.

Float icepacks in the water/or sump. What I also do instead is have a couple of 2 liter soda bottles filled with frozen water. In an emergency, I just sit them in the sump.

Make sure changes are gradual. The sudden temperature drop due to a big water change with water that is much cooler is probably a bigger problem than the warmer water was.


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