Hotter...Hotter

[Netherways]

Guys,

Recently moved house and with all the tanks set up in new rooms I noticed a rather strange phenomena last night. My 30 gal tank which is kept upstairs in our "gym" room (Not as posh as it sounds, honest guv') started experiencing an increasing temperature fluctuation. Now it was a flipping hot day yesterday (for England) and the Outside temp was 29C up until around 7pm.

The tank's temperature started just going up by approximately .2 deg C every 15 minutes until around 11pm where it had reached a high of 27.7C (Bearing in mind it had been on 24.1 quite happily until around 6pm.

I tried everything, Turning the heater down, taking the heater out all together. Trying different thermometers to check one wasnt on the blink. And I just couldn't curb it.

The house itself was very uncomfortable and far hotter than normal and this morning at 6am the temp started going down again and was on 27.1C when I left at 8am so I have just put it down to the house being so hot.

My question is this: What can you do to protect your fish when the temp starts going up like that? At one point I was getting so worried I almost considered dropping Ice cubes in but no doubt that would have been foolish and created "cool spots" in the tank that could have harmed the fish far more than a gradual increase in temp.

Is there anything I could have done?

Many thanks,

Alex

 

[LadyMinion]

We've experienced this a lot with our tanks lately. The weather has been so hot and the temp keeps fluctuating all the time. The highest it's been is about 31C!

Ice can help - suspend several bagged cubes in your tank and leave until the ice melts (that won't be long). It won't harm your fish, especially if you pop it near an area of current where the cooled water will be distributed quickly. That said, I would only do it when you are around - some fish swim right up close to the ice and can get caught between the bag and the tank sides.

 

[Def]

I'd be interested to hear recommendations for this. I have exactly the same problem, temp went up to 28+ degrees... I stabilised it with a 10% water change using cooler water, and I froze some tank water, then put it in a breeding trap floating at the top of the tank in the water stream. My fish can't get near the actual ice, it's brought the temp down to 27 again, but I'm also worried about stressing them out with the water. My local shop said not to be too worried unless the temp goes over 30degrees, and I've seen other people recommend floating a sealed bottle of ice in the tank. The shop sells a coolant system for tanks, but it's pretty expensive and the guy I spoke to recommended I didn't get it.

Don't listen to any of what I've said though, I'm very very new at this.

 

[joshua]

I live in Singapore, where it is an equatorial region thus temperatures are about 26-35 deg celcius daily. With this temperature, the day temp for my tank is usually about 30. I got a clip on fan to cool down the water as java and other mosses would simply waste away in the heat. Not sure if fans for tanks are available at your countries (the shop keeper would think u're mad prolly )

 

[Logitech]

The sure fire you can get the temperature down, and I highly recommend this when there are no other options. Simply just take a fan, turn it to high, and fan the surface of your aquarium water. Doing this will, in fact, lower the temperature in your tank about five degrees, it depends though. At some fish and pet stores, you can buy this clip-on fan that clips on to the side of your aquarium. It's pretty small, about three inches and it does work. It's gonna cost you some money but I improvised and I just used my normal everyday, floor fan. I just rasied it up and made it point down onto the tank.
HTH.

 

[kev]

Last year it was recommended to me to take an empty plastic bottle - Half fill with water and freeze

Then secure this in place either near an filter outlet or airstone - This will create a cool stream and bring the tank temp down slowly.

I've got a related question that might help a few people - How does the increase in temp actually affect the fish? - Will it physically harm them or will it just stress them out - Like it does to us?

I know that in there natural habitat temps are going to fluctuate slightly from season to season - but increases of 4 degrees aren't going to happen in a number of hours. Is it going to cause any perminant damage and should I keep a closer eye on exactly what temp my tank is running at?

 

[LadyMinion]

I've got a related question that might help a few people - How does the increase in temp actually affect the fish? - Will it physically harm them or will it just stress them out - Like it does to us?

I know that in there natural habitat temps are going to fluctuate slightly from season to season - but increases of 4 degrees aren't going to happen in a number of hours. Is it going to cause any perminant damage and should I keep a closer eye on exactly what temp my tank is running at?

I think you'll find stress is the main concern as when a fish is stressed it opens the door to all sorts of nasty infections and general illness. The immune system can be compromised and they may refuse to eat.

Also, I'm sure fish can suffer from "heat-stroke" just like we can.

If a fish survives an extremity of temperature, I don't see why they wouldn't continue to live a long life.

 

[Tropjunky]

if i needed to cool my tank i'd get ice around the filter it makes the change more evan and ur heater can deal with it better

 

[Sanj]

OMG i have just noticed today that both my aquariums are at 31C even though they are set at 24-25C. The temp outside isnt that high??

I have also lost a few over th last week when doing water changes, maybe its the heat?

 

[fufanu360]

FLOAT ICE CUBES EVERYONE !!! wuts the diference about cold spots pfff

 

[Logitech]

Just use a fan or float ice cubes in your filter if you have one of those filters that go on the back. I dunno what it's called again.

 

[Def]

I thought of that and got worried that either the fish might stick to the ice (ever licked a frozen icecube and got stuck?), or impurities in the ice would cause problems.

So I scooped out a litre of tank water and froze it overnight, then floated it inside a plastic breeding tray near the pump. Seemed to work.

Disclaimer: I AM A NOOB.

 

[Silly me]

I live in South Africa.. It snowed in the cape yesterday, ( i'm still to see snow ever ) but the cape is 1000km away, still for Rustenburg winter day temp is close to 20 - 22deg but colder in the morings.

In summer my tank get upto 35deg, out side temp in the shade can get upto 42deg..