# Tempature Problem



## Sebrina (Sep 16, 2010)

Hey guys,

I'm about 1/4 way in through a fish less cycle and just bought a bunch of more stuff I wanted for the tank and threw out a stick on thermometer because it was showing consistent 85-90F readings. So I bought a digital one with a probe and it's still showing 85 at night with lights off and 90 during the day with lights on. I have no heater installed and the tank is no where near a window or direct sunlight. The room is A/C'ed but the room still gets sort of hot in the Summer and it's the hottest room in the house. I've got a 55g starter kit which the hood is made of 2 plastic tops and a light fixture with some florescent bulbs on top. People have mentioned to add fans on top but I see no way they would fit and since I have no fish nothing to worry about right now but I do need to fix this soon. Any suggestions?


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Where are you taking the reading at? Surface, half way down, bottom? Temp will vary from top to bottom. 

For the most part, not much you can do. Everything that requires electricity in your tank adds to your heat level. I have similar issues and keep my AC at 75 degrees during the day. I also have a UV sterilyzer and a circ pump, that doesn't help. I leave my lights off during the day as there are no plants in my two main tanks and my temp hovers around 80. Nothing I can do unless I plan to turn off some other system.

You could try re-locating if practical. Shut down non-vital items if you have any other than your filter.


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## Sebrina (Sep 16, 2010)

jrman83 said:


> Where are you taking the reading at? Surface, half way down, bottom? Temp will vary from top to bottom.
> 
> For the most part, not much you can do. Everything that requires electricity in your tank adds to your heat level. I have similar issues and keep my AC at 75 degrees during the day. I also have a UV sterilyzer and a circ pump, that doesn't help. I leave my lights off during the day as there are no plants in my two main tanks and my temp hovers around 80. Nothing I can do unless I plan to turn off some other system.
> 
> You could try re-locating if practical. Shut down non-vital items if you have any other than your filter.


Right now I have Rena canister filter XP2 and a Penguin Bio-Wheel 350B filter, no other electronics are hooked up. I did have a heater but I took that out certainly no need for it. I've got the probe attached around the halfway down mark on the left side, I've also taken a digital arm pit thermometer and measured the temp that way and it gave me the same read I believe there was a .4 difference with the in tank temp being 89.7 and the regular armpit thermometer giving me a read of 90.1 at the surface. The reading was done in the middle of the day with the lights on, at night around 12-1am and I assume later on I can get reads of around 85 but that's as low as it will go. I have the A/C on turbo with no temp regulation full blowing all day on and the room still gets hot sometimes during the day it's a pretty warm room. No idea what it will be like in the winter but will any fish survive in this environment or is this fatal for the tank, also maybe a powerhead near the top? Think that might cool things down? I'm looking at ways to glue some plastic on the bottom of the light fixtures so it will raise the lights up a few inches as well.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Wow, I guess you won't have an ich problem in the Summer time. Ich stops reproducing at 85 and starts to die off in the 87 mark or so.

Fish will live in that environment. I would look at the fish and maybe pick those that are used to a warmer water or have a high tolerance. Oxygen levels are more and more depleted the higher the temp. Not sure what the difference would be from a 78 to a 90 would be though. May be good to get something extra to add a little surface agitation or point your canister filter output pointed up to the surface or spouting kind of half-in, half-out. Just something to stir the surface more.

I bumped my temp to 89 to fight an ich problem with quite a few community fish and only lost one, but think she had ich up on her gills. They seemed really active during that period also. I know that doesn't speak to long-term.


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## Sebrina (Sep 16, 2010)

jrman83 said:


> Wow, I guess you won't have an ich problem in the Summer time. Ich stops reproducing at 85 and starts to die off in the 87 mark or so.
> 
> Fish will live in that environment. I would look at the fish and maybe pick those that are used to a warmer water or have a high tolerance. Oxygen levels are more and more depleted the higher the temp. Not sure what the difference would be from a 78 to a 90 would be though. May be good to get something extra to add a little surface agitation or point your canister filter output pointed up to the surface or spouting kind of half-in, half-out. Just something to stir the surface more.
> 
> I bumped my temp to 89 to fight an ich problem with quite a few community fish and only lost one, but think she had ich up on her gills. They seemed really active during that period also. I know that doesn't speak to long-term.


I took your advice and turned the canister's sprayhead upside down, I also have an air pump and a decoration here I just got that incorporates a little bubble wall effect I guess I'll hook that up to it as well. I'm just worried about the fish, not to mention this pretty much leaves me at a blank. I'll have to research fish that are good in warmer climates and make sure I don't pick anything that's too sensitive to warm water. And suggestions for some good fish suited for warmer water? As of right now I had thought about maybe some Discus and some small school fish maybe tetras or something once the cycle was complete but now I don't even know...


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## intensejustin (Sep 8, 2010)

Discus do great at about 88 so they should be fine...


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## brimac40 (Jan 11, 2010)

What is your room temp ? That can really be your only true culprit .

Sorry , but these small motors are not going to generate enough heat to impact 53 or so gallons of water . They can get slightly warm to the touch , but let's say your room stays at 76 degrees , they are not going to warm your water up to 85 to 90 degrees , unless something is very wrong with the motors . They may impact the temp by a couple of degrees , if that , and they would have a bigger impact on very small aquariums , but not 10 to 15 degrees on a 55 gal .

The biggest factor on your aquarium water temp. is the ambient temperature of it's surroundings eg; the room it is in . If your room/house stays at 85/90 degrees then the water temp. will eventually equal out to *around* 85/90 degrees . The only way to lower it then would be with a chiller (very expensive) . If your house stays at 69 degrees , then your aquarium water would be , without a heater , *around* 69 degrees give or take a degree or two for electronics .

You can keep your A/C or Heat(in the winter) on 75 , but that does not ensure that your entire house will be that temperature . More so with older houses that have less insulation . You have to remember , unless you have a thermostat in every room , temp will fluctuate from room to room . My living room may be at 75 degrees and my den will be 73 (where the thermostat is at) while the back bedroom will be close to 85 (the only un-remodeled room in the house) . This is why I do not have an aquarium in that room , it's just to warm in the Summer .


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

Wow...that is warm. And odd to say the least. As with what Brimac mentioned...what is the room temp? And more info on the lights too.

If not already doing so, leave the doors on the hood up. You many want to explore going open top too if the temp doesnt come down a few degrees.


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## Sebrina (Sep 16, 2010)

Thanks for the replies guys,

The room temp fluctuates in the late Spring early Summer between 85-95 degrees and pretty much stays there. The problem is this room has the least airflow of the entire apartment since it only has one twin window opening which faces to the rear of the complex, the back is surrounded by other buildings which doesn't let any wind or much airflow in. I really have nowhere else to put the tank except in my kids room but the last time I put a turtle tank in there the water I had in it magically turned into chocolate milk (literally), the turtle somehow survived though but I doubt tropical fish would. As far as the building structure it's not wood at all and as far I know (I'm no contractor) not insulted it's brick on the outside and concrete on the inside, not sure if that would be good or bad, I know how hard the walls are because the last time I tried to hang a painting on the wall the regular nails would bend and break I had to buy special nails meant for concrete.

I looked at some chillers but wow even the smallest are more expensive than an A/C unit. Speaking of which I have my A/C on turbo always on but lately it's not doing much I'm not sure if it needs a recharge or if it's just kicking the bucket, it's really only 3 years old but I keep it always on during spring/summer. Now in the fall/winter the temps are normalized as far as room temp but I've had my tank for about a week and a half so no idea what the water temp will be like, either way I have a heater just not installed at the moment. I was wondering if maybe getting rid of the lights all together and using small led in-tank lights would make it any better since without lights my water stays at around 85 degrees all the time. Problem there is I won't be able to use real plants and it might be hard to actually light up the whole aquarium which is pretty much the center-piece of the room and I really do love how it brings the room to life when lit up.


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

If your room is maintaining those kinds of temps, really your only option will be a chiller. Don't even think fans blowing across the top will help much.

A blackwater tank sounds like nice viable option.


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## mk4gti (Jun 15, 2010)

Sometimes in the summer my 90 gallon gets a little too warm, i just do water changes with cooler water, its easier for me though cuz its freshwater and my tap water is really good so i can get it done quick and easy.


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## Sebrina (Sep 16, 2010)

Thanks for the suggestions guys I appreciate it, I ended up dishing out for a chiller it hurt a little bit but temps are now stable day or night and I have piece of mind. I started a new thread describing my setup and added a few pictures to my gallery if you want to check those out, always open to ideas too if you you think there's room for improvement. *w3


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