Help overheating!

[Emma1]

Hi all,

I have kept tropical fish for a few years now and just bought a marine setup. It's a AQUA ONE tank 90litres.It has a powerhead with spray bar, protein skimmer, a 150watt heater, an internal filter which doesn't seem to do much, and another one which just moves the water, 2 blue and two white lights I'd always wanted one and found it in the paper as a complete setup with living rock, coral, fish etc. After getting it home and setting it up all seemed well. I bought some books...as you do.... and noticed the temperature should be around 77-79. This is where i hit my first problem. When i went to buy the tank, the digital thermometer was saying 86.8 and i asked if this was normal and he said it was fine. (obviously not!)

I thought it may be the heater and so turned it off to see if this would make the temp go down but no luck. I have also tried to turn off all the pumps one by one but still no luck. Even at night when the lights are off it never goes below 85. Why is it over heating? My other tank is in the same room and at normal temp so what is causing this?

If anyone has any ideas i'd be most grateful.

Thanks

Emma

[Subliminal]

You sure the thermometer is correct? If you unplug your heater, you'd sure think the temp would go down!

[LordsSoilder]

I'd use a different thermometer, unplug the heater and one thing you might check is your house heat... room temperature is as warm as your room! Also if your tank is over the heat duct you may get some heat off of that...

I'd suggest starting with the thermometer first...

[5xevy]

Yeah, I'd also say to check your thermometer first. If your second one has the same high temp then you may have to decrease the actual room temperature, perhaps with an AC or fan. If that doesn't work then you may have to purchase a small chiller.

Sometimes multiple pumps and equipment, and depending on your lights- they can all generate a lot of heat. What kind of lighting do you have? My MHs used to raise my temp up to ~86.

[jojo22]

I like the AC unit route but thats just me.

[SHK_ATK]

or you could use the cold water bottle/jug method just float the bottles in the water. Also having a fan blow over the surface of your tank might help as well.

[jojo22]

If you have a canopy install some computer fans to push air in one side and suck it out the other, also suck air out the top as heat rises it will be quickly pulled avay from the tank.

[Germanman]

yea what is the lighting set up? fans are goos they work great for me. and try the pinpoint temp monitors they are extremely accurate.

[Emma1]

Thanks for your help, but have two themometers, different ends of tank so thats not the problem, and even at night when the lights go off the temp doesn't go down. My freshwater tank is a good 77 and it's in the same room. I think i was stupid and niave getting a second hand tank before i knew more about it. Think my best bet may be getting a new tank and starting from scratch! I live in England and it's not that hot here.

I think i may give the fan thing a go until my new tank is up and ready...... what kind of fans would you suggest and where would you place them?

And thanks again for all your suggestions.

The heater has been off a week now and the max temp is 88.6 going down to 85.6 at night.

Emma

[Reefscape]

you can get little clip on fans from Wilkos, Argos etc etc...aim them so they are blowing across the top of the tank itself..like over the water....

Niko

[OldManOfTheSea]

Well when its hot weather for one thing and your tanks temp are up, they just not drop like over night or so that it takes time as well what heats your tanks water up are pumps as well, just do not look at it as if its the heater a lone here. Some other things you might want to try and that are fans. To have them blowing over the tanks water surface and do this as well to your sump if your one. You can also get yourself strong zip lock bags and place in them ice, use the cubes, they will last longer then the crush ice. I see your two types of tanks, and you no problem with the freshwater tanks temp which agrees with my views that your pumps are as well heating your tanks water.

Buddy

[Reefscape]

It is actually a good point noted there by Buddy....bags of ice are a very cheap and efficient way to get the temp slowly down...

Niko

[Catpicklesdog]

Emma, I too live in "sunny" england and am having the same problems. My temps have been very high and I actually lost fish in the summer last year and had to float bags of ice to cool it down a bit. This year I've alreay noticed the temp rising and I've lifted my lights a bit (as they get really hot) and put a floor fan at the end of the tank so that it blows the lights as well as the surface of the water.

Hope this helps

[OldManOfTheSea]

AW Shucks Niko, its only that I had to do this any number of times through the years :rolleyes:



Emma, I too live in "sunny" england and am having the same problems. My temps have been very high and I actually lost fish in the summer last year and had to float bags of ice to cool it down a bit. This year I've alreay noticed the temp rising and I've lifted my lights a bit (as they get really hot) and put a floor fan at the end of the tank so that it blows the lights as well as the surface of the water.

Who let the cat in? LMBO

[LordsSoilder]

Just thought of another possible answer...

You could try using those blue ice packs you put in the freezer... you could freeze like 10 of them and put one a HOB filter... then when it melts do another and then another ... keep using then freezing...

Sounds like a pain, but if you dont want a chiller this might work...
-LS

[Subliminal]

I think you guys are overshooting this one.

If fish have been kept in the house for years, and this issue is just cropping up, chances are it's one of the pieces of equipment.

I'd check the thermometer first, then probably the heater.

I'd be willing to bet it's one or the other.

[Reefscape]

no, i have just the same issues my self, since the warm weather has landed here..there is nothing wrong with my heater or thermometer...I just use fans too cool it down...

Niko

[Subliminal]

But, if they've kept fish for years w/o having this problem, why would this be the first time they've had to deal with it?

I mean, I guess the lights could affect it some, but I'd think if it was an environmental thing, they'd've dealt with it before.

[Reefscape]

when my halides come, it has a big effect on the water temp, especially when the weather warms up..

[Catpicklesdog]

But, if they've kept fish for years w/o having this problem, why would this be the first time they've had to deal with it?

I mean, I guess the lights could affect it some, but I'd think if it was an environmental thing, they'd've dealt with it before.

If I read it right she's had tropicals for years but only just got marine which is what she's having problems with. I also think it's because our British summers are starying earlier and getting hotter than what we're used to. I didn't have a problem when I first started it was only last year I had probs and looks the same again this year. Although saying that this year I've also had cavitiy insulation done as well!!!

[Germanman]

Just thought of another possible answer...

You could try using those blue ice packs you put in the freezer... you could freeze like 10 of them and put one a HOB filter... then when it melts do another and then another ... keep using then freezing...

Sounds like a pain, but if you dont want a chiller this might work...
-LS
they sometimes leak...ever smell the outside of one...they arnt really a safe thing to use.
and i agree with niko the lights can really make a change...i purposely turned off my fans and in one hour the tamp raised over 3 degrees...turned the fans back on and dropped to where it needs to be....keep in mind my halide is 3 inches from my aquarium top and in a canopy...one 4inx4in fan keeps that cool even in the summer.