# 75 Gallons SETUP W/Temperature NOT COOLING



## brokenarrow (Aug 28, 2016)

hello,

i have done some research and still can't find an answer to my problem with my new 75 gallons temperature not cooling.

ok, so i am in the process to complete my water cycle using TWO Sunsun 404B Filter and i have noticed my temperature reads at 82+ for 4 days. I also noticed my green light on the Heater has not changed to Red meaning in heating mode so I am assuming its perfectly normal. 
I was having some concern that maybe the water is a bit too warm (no fish in tank, just water cycling), so I decided to unplug my heater and see if my water will cool down and in which its been more than 24 hours and my temperature is still at 82+ mark. 
Should I be worry or is it just because my house temperature is at around 76 to 80 ? I am also running my central AC set to 76 and sometime 77.

please let me know why is my water temperature not decreasing even when I have the heater OFF ? (the 75 gallons tank is placed away from window)

thank you in advance for any info.


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## tanker3 (May 18, 2015)

1) Are you sure your thermometer is correct? 
2) DO you have another pump in the water that may be heating the tank.


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## nodima (Oct 3, 2002)

Probably normal, but get a second opinion (Thermometer). The cheap thermometers we have in the hobby are not always accurate.

Couple of other thoughts:

There is not a huge difference between your ambient temperature and the tank temperature, it is not a stretch to believe that two canisters will add a degree or two to the tank temperature - providing that 2 -6 degree difference you state.

Does the tank get ANY sunshine? That will help heat it up.

Finally, a 75 gallon tank has a significant thermal mass, meaning temperature changes will take a while to happen - with such a small difference between tank and room temperature it will take a while to come down those few degrees.


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## brokenarrow (Aug 28, 2016)

tanker3 said:


> 1) Are you sure your thermometer is correct?
> 2) DO you have another pump in the water that may be heating the tank.


hello and thank you for your response !

1) - I am not too sure if my thermometer are accurate but will have to take a trip to Petsmart and purchase a DIGITAL thermometer and give a shot......

2) I am not running any pump as I have enough water movement on top surface to provide oxygen.


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## brokenarrow (Aug 28, 2016)

nodima said:


> Probably normal, but get a second opinion (Thermometer). The cheap thermometers we have in the hobby are not always accurate.
> 
> Couple of other thoughts:
> 
> ...


Hello nodima and thank you for your response !

FYI, my 75 gallons tank is against a wall not between to windows but it is across a window which is about 15 to 20 feet away.


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## tanker3 (May 18, 2015)

A digital my not be anymore accurate then the thermometer you already had. You can test the thermometer by putting it in a glass of ice water. The ice water would be 32 degrees. Then you would know how far you are off by.


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## LXXero (May 4, 2016)

Your canister filter's pumps are most likely the culprit, and both may be adding a degree or two to the water, and since you keep your house on the warmer side, 1-2 degrees per pump might be enough to take it into the 80s.

Some fish will be more aggressive / higher metabolism if you run the tank that hot. If it becomes a problem, cool the house more, or you'll need to buy a chiller. Typically you see chillers on big saltwater tanks with 400w metal halide fixtures pumping out serious heat into the tank....but you shouldn't need it typically on a freshwater tank....that is another question though, what kind of lighting fixture? You could run the lights less, as well, this may also help reduce temperature. Running without a lid would help as well, evaporation will cool the tank, but of course that means you'll be losing water faster...


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## brokenarrow (Aug 28, 2016)

LXXero said:


> Your canister filter's pumps are most likely the culprit, and both may be adding a degree or two to the water, and since you keep your house on the warmer side, 1-2 degrees per pump might be enough to take it into the 80s.
> 
> Some fish will be more aggressive / higher metabolism if you run the tank that hot. If it becomes a problem, cool the house more, or you'll need to buy a chiller. Typically you see chillers on big saltwater tanks with 400w metal halide fixtures pumping out serious heat into the tank....but you shouldn't need it typically on a freshwater tank....that is another question though, what kind of lighting fixture? You could run the lights less, as well, this may also help reduce temperature. Running without a lid would help as well, evaporation will cool the tank, but of course that means you'll be losing water faster...


thank you for your response,

last night when I got home from work I took out the thermometer and placed in a cup full of ice with water, the thermometer cooled down to 35+ F. degrees and placed back inside the 75 gallons tank, the thermometer quickly raised back up above the 80+ F. degrees not reaching 90. This morning, before leaving to work I checked the thermometer and it is still at above the 80+ F degrees mark, THIS IS WITH THE HEATER COMPLETELY OFF FOR MORE THAN 48 HOURS SINCE SATURDAY.........

oh boy........ not sure what to do... so concern if my new cichlids will even survive or be healthy and happy....


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## Vociferus (Aug 10, 2016)

Try turning off one filter?


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## LXXero (May 4, 2016)

brokenarrow said:


> thank you for your response,
> 
> last night when I got home from work I took out the thermometer and placed in a cup full of ice with water, the thermometer cooled down to 35+ F. degrees and placed back inside the 75 gallons tank, the thermometer quickly raised back up above the 80+ F. degrees not reaching 90. This morning, before leaving to work I checked the thermometer and it is still at above the 80+ F degrees mark, THIS IS WITH THE HEATER COMPLETELY OFF FOR MORE THAN 48 HOURS SINCE SATURDAY.........
> 
> oh boy........ not sure what to do... so concern if my new cichlids will even survive or be healthy and happy....


Easy thing to do is just turn your AC down to 74 or something, especially if it's becoming a big enough problem that it hurts the fish. Either way you're gonna need to spend more money to get the temp down, either keep the house cooler, or buy a chiller, which is basically an air conditioner you plumb to the tank. Otherwise, try blowing fans across the tank surface, that will work, but it will also increase evaporation.

running a single larger canister will likely put out less heat than the pumps from 2 separate canisters. I'm not sure the sunsun's are good or bad in regards to heat, but there are certain brands of pumps known for running hot and/or making tanks hot, danner mag drives come to mind.


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## brokenarrow (Aug 28, 2016)

Vociferus said:


> Try turning off one filter?


yes, maybe I should try to turn off one but I was told by PROS! two is better than one and NEVER THINK THAT YOU ARE OVER FILTER !!!!

thank you....


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## Vociferus (Aug 10, 2016)

If your tank is heating up without the heater running, then it's likely your filter adding heat. Turn one off and see what happens. You can't really over filter but that's not what your problem is.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

2 filters is always better than one.

Buy an accurate thermometer. One you use to check the internal temp of meat is what I use. My wife brings those home from work so convenient.

If your tank really is 82 degrees and your house is 80 degrees at the hottest part of the day it's clear that your filtration is heating up the water. I wouldn't freak out about that anyways. Cooler temperatures are around the corner for you there in OK. Looking through your older posts you mentioned African cichlids. Your source in town only has Malawi fish and Jewels to my knowledge. 82 degrees will not kill them. Be sure that your canisters are breaking the surface for maximum agitation.

And 80 degrees in the house would kill me! Not sure how the humidity is there in OK, though. There is a member here from Minnesota and their house is in the 50s winter time. Now that's cold...


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## brokenarrow (Aug 28, 2016)

Iggy Newcastle said:


> 2 filters is always better than one.
> 
> Buy an accurate thermometer. One you use to check the internal temp of meat is what I use. My wife brings those home from work so convenient.
> 
> ...


thank you for your response !!

well, my house is not at 80 degrees or maybe it could be but I am running my Central AC at 76/77 but never it is set to 80.

As of today, Fall is here, outside is at around 60 to 80 depending of the day but still my 75 gallons tank is at 82 degrees..... with NO HEATER.
I have to say it must be my two SunSun 404B running 24/7 that is causing the heat.


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