Need Help Cooling My Tank

Jenste · May 26, 2010

i can not get my tanks to remain in a normal mid 70 F range....

- i have removed the heaters from my tanks completely so i can rule a heater problem out
- none of my tanks get direct sunlight
- i have windows open and ceiling fans on constantly (we don't have AC)....
the house if quite cool and comfortable from all the air circulation....but my tanks are all above 80 degrees F!!!

so...
- I have every shade/curtain closed in the rooms the tanks are in to further prevent sunlight coming in
- i keep the tank lights off
- i have been doing massive water changes every day to get it back down to the 70s, but the next day my temp is up again...
- I have been putting freezer packs in the tanks, ice cubes in the filter out let...nothing is working...

now my frogs and fish do not seem too affected yet....but i know this is not good for them in the long run...what can i do?

help? lol

WILDER · May 26, 2010

Just increase aeration.
Altering the temp all the time will just cause stress and desease.

betta fish · May 26, 2010

Filters also give out heat due to the motor heating up especially if it's larger than the what the tank requires, I found this to be the case in one of my tanks and changed the filters around which decreased the temp spike, unless of course you have an external :unsure:

Jenste · May 26, 2010

I have a very large air disk in one tank along with air stones, and multiple air stones in my smaller tanks - - and i mainly external HOB filters that give the "waterfall" effect into the tank, and in one tank i don't have a filter at all...just a MASSIVE amount of water wisteria floating (only 4 guppies in the tank and its a 10 gallon)...

so i don't think airation is a problem nor the heater

i was wary about using the airdisk because most other ACF hate water currents - - if anything my frogs LOVE it - - haha

both my females love sitting on it so the bubbles go on their tummy and legs - i managed to snatch a picture

K-Holed · May 26, 2010

Have you tried measuring the temprature of the surrounding air? Plus it might be worth trying another thermometer if your room seems quite cool.

Jenste · May 26, 2010

all of my tanks are registering about 80-82* right now and they are all in the same room on different ends/tables...the room temperature is 71*

this morning 50% water changes on them and put ice cubes in and freezer packs floating.... i am stumped....

i have no idea what else to do...?

fishnovice · May 26, 2010

Why not leave a bucket of water in the same room and measure temp changes in the bucketas a "control". If bucket overheats too, then it's not the filter or anything else in your tanks

Jenste · May 26, 2010

ok, will do! I will set up the 3 gallon water change bucket and see how it goes....because i have the heaters completely removed from the tanks, lights off, shades drawn, fans on, etc....and my tanks are registering 84* and its 10 pm!!!

we have no more ice in our freezer lol...i have the trays full of water but it will be a few hours before they freeze through enough to be taken out

Inchworm · May 26, 2010

Hi Jenste

I'm having the same problems here in New York. I have cory eggs hatching (in 80 F. water) that I didn't expect until tomorrow at the earliest. I can't cook in my kitchen because I have my fry tanks there for ease of daily water changes. They will be moved out to another room tomorrow, first thing, or maybe even tonight.

All I can suggest is to run exhaust fans or put a box filter in the window and reverse it to pull the hot air out. Try to get a cross breeze going. This will also help with excess humidity. As for the tanks, do extra water changes if necessary to keep the chemicals low and the oxygenation high. Ice cubes in the tank are not a good idea because it's only a temporary fix and the fish are swimming back and forth in different temperatures. You want to reduce their stress and not add to it.

Good luck. I hope this heat wave settles down for awhile. I'm not ready for summer yet.

Jenste · May 26, 2010

thanks inchworm - so you are right near me! I am in Rhode Island...

it is a pain...I didn't think about constant changing temps...I just saw that putting ice cubes in every few hours seemed to keep the temp from creeping up...

and its frustrating because I am in the process of trying to get these frogs to breed...but they need a "spring rain" simulation which I am finding impossible to replicate with this heat! for the next few days the weather report is predicting mid to low 70*s....so hopefully that will give me a hand while i try and budget a decent Air conditioner....

Inchworm · May 27, 2010

Hi Jenste

How's your temperature doing? It's a lot cooler here today and the high is only predicted to be 71 F.

smudgedj · May 27, 2010

If your room temperature is 71 and nothing is heating your tank then I suggest you get a new thermometer.

Jenste · May 27, 2010

I would think it a thermometer mistake too if it wasn't for the fact that it was multiple thermometers in multpile tanks....temp is 78 now according to the fiancee...hope it continues to drop by the time I get home from work! Fingers crossed