# High temperatures in the summer



## nauTik (Mar 18, 2009)

I've been having some serious problems getting my temp down or at least stable now that the temps are heating up here in Michigan. At the moment our AC is broken, but since my tank I'm having issues with is on the 2nd level and near a window (not in front of it, just next to it). I'm assuming I may still have problems after it's repaired.

Right now the temp has shot up from 81* to 85.6* and it's been sitting at about 85.6* for a while now. I've done a small water change and kept the water level lower in the tank so both my HoB's create more oxygen distribution. At the moment I have 2 small JD's and a 2 small texas cichlids I'm holding in it for a friend probably only for a week more or so (its a 75G tank btw). I'll be stocking it up with haps and peacocks soon probably juvies.

I have 2 questions though.

1. if my temp at least stays at around 84-85 throughout the day and slowly drops off to the lower 80's at night, is that going to be a huge problem for my haps and peacock juvies? I want to keep the temp as stable as possible, but it just seems like an uphill battle right now.

2. Any ideas what I can do to at least stabilize my temp better during the summer? I don't even have my heater in my tank anymore and my temp seems to just steadily rise up all day long, then steadily drop all night long.

I've read about using frozen bottles of water and ice cubes, but that just doesn't seem very practical at all considering I'm not home every hour of the day to check my temp. Not to mention I would assume that would result in a sharp temp drop every time I put in the ice.

My best idea at the moment would be daily water changes and keeping the water level lower for the filters?


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

If you have a glass canopy on your tank, just open the front half of the glass and use a piece of egg crate (light grid for drop ceiling) to allow more heat to escape from the tank. That's what I do during the summer since I don't have air conditioning in my home.


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## nauTik (Mar 18, 2009)

Deeda said:


> If you have a glass canopy on your tank, just open the front half of the glass and use a piece of egg crate (light grid for drop ceiling) to allow more heat to escape from the tank. That's what I do during the summer since I don't have air conditioning in my home.


I have a plastic top with lids on each side and pretty much closes around all my equipment that goes into the tank, with 2 sets of lights(which I don't believe add much heat to the tank but I've been leaving them off as well). I could see that being a problem as far as keeping heat in the tank, however if I do open it up more I have a fear of losing fish due to them jumping out and drying up behind the tank :\


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## Cichlidude (Feb 7, 2010)

Freeze some water bottle and let them float in the tank to bring the temperature down.


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## nauTik (Mar 18, 2009)

Cichlidude said:


> Freeze some water bottle and let them float in the tank to bring the temperature down.


as I mentioned in my original post I'm looking for a more realistic method. Not to mention I don't like the idea of my tank looking like a polluted landfill with water bottles floatin' around in it. Maybe that's just me.


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## Cichlidude (Feb 7, 2010)

OK, buy a window air conditioner, heck they so cheap less then $100 bucks.


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## nauTik (Mar 18, 2009)

I guess I was more curious about the first question than the second one. Unless there was some crazy DIY chiller fix that someone came up with.

Would 84* temps during the day and lower 80's during the night be unhealthy at all for my future fish?

I suppose I like the egg crate idea best so far though.


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

is your heater running?


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## nauTik (Mar 18, 2009)

cjacob316 said:


> is your heater running?


nope, unplugged it and let it cool off in the water for 15-20ish minutes then removed it. It hasn't been in the tank all day, which is why it seems so odd that my tank temps are climbing so fast...


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## LSBoost (Jan 21, 2010)

86 Degree is okay for fish, especially since the temperature slowly drop down to 80 at night. If I were you I wouldn't worry about it. Besides, you already take the first step by increasing oxygen exchange, big plus on that :thumb:. I'm not sure why the ice bottle method is being recommended so much but that method will cause temperature to swing around too much. I wouldn't do it; it's just too much work.


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## nauTik (Mar 18, 2009)

LSBoost said:


> 86 Degree is okay for fish, especially since the temperature slowly drop down to 80 at night. If I were you I wouldn't worry about it. Besides, you already take the first step by increasing oxygen exchange, big plus on that :thumb:. I'm not sure why the ice bottle method is being recommended so much but that method will cause temperature to swing around too much. I wouldn't do it; it's just too much work.


Thanks :], and yeah I really don't understand that method at all. When I googled my issue that and throwing icecubes in the tank was all that came up, and honestly I just don't see what good that would do. Hopefully when I get the AC back up and running things cool off for a bit, but good to know if they don't I'm fine as long as I keep that oxygen up :thumb:


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## Dook (May 13, 2009)

gradual temp increases like that are exactly what you see in actual nature. It's the sharp changes in temperature that stress fish and send them into shock.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

As an old boy living quite near the hubs of ****, I have some experience with this problem! I moved here and took up my fish hobby after not doing it for a while. It took a while to figure the temperature swings. Leaving the top open so there can be more evaporation is the way I worked it. Rather than no lid which leaves the fish to jump out, I went with a canopy, open on the back with half lids directly on the tank back half. Increasing circulation both in the water surface and the air around the top improves evaporation. This acts the same as sweating does for us, cooling the water. Lighting was switched from incandesant to twisty CFL. If you have lights you will have constant heating. Lifting the lights, even an inch will helps lots more than you might think. Try propping them off up off the glass and inch or so to see how much. 
I feel for you but keep in mind that I lived through somewhere around 60 days in excess of 100 degrees last year. I pray that it does not become the norm here.


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## nauTik (Mar 18, 2009)

PfunMo said:


> As an old boy living quite near the hubs of #%$&, I have some experience with this problem! I moved here and took up my fish hobby after not doing it for a while. It took a while to figure the temperature swings. Leaving the top open so there can be more evaporation is the way I worked it. Rather than no lid which leaves the fish to jump out, I went with a canopy, open on the back with half lids directly on the tank back half. Increasing circulation both in the water surface and the air around the top improves evaporation. This acts the same as sweating does for us, cooling the water. Lighting was switched from incandesant to twisty CFL. If you have lights you will have constant heating. Lifting the lights, even an inch will helps lots more than you might think. Try propping them off up off the glass and inch or so to see how much.
> I feel for you but keep in mind that I lived through somewhere around 60 days in excess of 100 degrees last year. I pray that it does not become the norm here.


I like that idea, I'll definitely try the raising my lights thing as well, since my aquarium does look so dull without the lights on :\

So far I've managed to keep my temp down at a steady 81-82 and today is much hotter than yesterday. Thanks again for all the help guys :]


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## LSBoost (Jan 21, 2010)

That's good 82F is 100% safe. :thumb:


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

Yeah I feel your issue as well Nautik. I just put my AC on a timer or would stop home during my lunch break and turn it on during the hottest days. I know you don't have yours up and running but I hope you do get one soon. I recently moved into a new place and I will be faced with this issue again. I"m leaning towards just setting up a timer again for my Ac to do my whole apartment and then when I get home the place will be nice and cool. But then you think of the energy issue. I was even thinking on getting a Chiller for my tank but again you think hmm they are about 300 to 400 bucks and the Ac is about the same price for a decent size one that will do the whole room. There are just a lot of things you have to think about you know? Just my 2 cents


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## LSBoost (Jan 21, 2010)

You're making fish keeping much harder then it should be.. Just my .02cent


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## nauTik (Mar 18, 2009)

Dj823cichild said:


> Yeah I feel your issue as well Nautik. I just put my AC on a timer or would stop home during my lunch break and turn it on during the hottest days. I know you don't have yours up and running but I hope you do get one soon. I recently moved into a new place and I will be faced with this issue again. I"m leaning towards just setting up a timer again for my Ac to do my whole apartment and then when I get home the place will be nice and cool. But then you think of the energy issue. I was even thinking on getting a Chiller for my tank but again you think hmm they are about 300 to 400 bucks and the Ac is about the same price for a decent size one that will do the whole room. There are just a lot of things you have to think about you know? Just my 2 cents


Yeah the heat has been rough lately haha, luckily I'm getting the AC setup tomorrow so that's going to be nice :thumb: . I was thinking about getting a chiller too, until I saw how crazy expensive they are lol, pretty insane.

I don't know if I'd be able to get myself to run the AC just for my fish alone, that's a lot of money. A well placed box fan and an open door has been working pretty well for me to get a nice cross-breeze going in the room with my tank.



LSBoost said:


> You're making fish keeping much harder then it should be.. Just my .02cent


haha I think I'm the same way sometimes


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## Cento (Mar 30, 2005)

Other then some increased aggression with your JD, I don't think you'll have any problems, though their natural habitat is at around 78.

But 85 isn't HORRIBLY far from 78. If you're keeping fauna that require temps that are 72-75, then that's a different story..... I'm going through that right now... :roll: I have Amano shrimp and cory cats in my 10 gal, thats soaring to 83-85's.

I'm in an apartment, and apparently it's "illegal" for the 'super to turn on the AC before June 1st where I live, even though we've had record shattering temps for the past week...... :?

If it's not long term, I think you'll be fine.


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## nauTik (Mar 18, 2009)

Cento said:


> Other then some increased aggression with your JD, I don't think you'll have any problems, though their natural habitat is at around 78.
> 
> But 85 isn't HORRIBLY far from 78. If you're keeping fauna that require temps that are 72-75, then that's a different story..... I'm going through that right now... :roll: I have Amano shrimp and cory cats in my 10 gal, thats soaring to 83-85's.
> 
> ...


Yea I was worried about the JD's, luckily my friends taking them back in a few days, just had to hold them while he switched to a larger tank. Not gunna lie though, I'm lovin their little personalities :lol:


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## ksk_che_che (Sep 26, 2007)

Get a small clip on fan and run it blowing across the top of the tank this will help with air flow :thumb:


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## chrisFewell (Feb 3, 2009)

mine went into the 90*s last summer.. all the fish seemed happy. i did put icecubes in there daily though.


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