# water temp



## tori (Jul 8, 2014)

Here in Australia the temp is starting to rise & im getting a 8000 ltr pond ready for some rift lake cichlids & would like to get as much use as possible out of it over the warmer months. I have some questions about the water temp in the lakes that I hope someone who has been there can answer. Does the water get colder the deeper you go & the temp quoted in books is it measured at the surface or at the depth the fish are collected? Cheers


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Some of the lectures I've attended with well known names in the hobby have talked about this before. Usually the temperature quoted in literature is either air temperature or water temperature within 3 feet of the surface when they have collected fish. I'm reading Tropheus in their natural habitat by Ad Konings now and in Lake Tanganyika, he states that the surface water vary between 77.9°F (25.5°C) in the cooler months and 81.86°F (27.7°C) in the warmer months and that this temperature should be similar in an aquarium. I lean more toward the lower end and keep most of my tanks at 78°F.

You don't mention which Rift Lake cichlids you are keeping so that temperature may be slightly different. If you have good water movement in the pond via air bubblers located lower in the water column, the water should be relatively evenly mixed throughout.


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## tori (Jul 8, 2014)

Not sure yet what to put in the pond cichlids are my first choice but I don't have the tank space in my fishroom to hold the amount of fish over winter that it will take to make setting up a 14x6x3 ft pond worthwhile rhats why I was asking about water temp. I haven't done much diving but every body of water iv'e been in u only have to go done a few feet & you can notice a drop in temp/ The water in a smaller pond was 12 deg c this morning, I never had a pond up & running in the middle of winter to check what it was then. thanks for reply/ cheers


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

However most cichlids don't live in the deepest parts of the lakes (they live near the shores or islands), so I'd go with 78 degrees as ideal. Frontosa are an exception, I've read about how wild caught ones have to be raised to a certain level in the lake in cages to acclimate to the decrease in pressure before they are brought up.


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