Heatwave!!! How are your tanks doing?

rsw686 said:
80F is nothing to worry about. I run my tank purposely at 80. When you hit 84 is when you need to start worry.
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Oh, I was referring to the air temp inside our house, not our tank temps. Our house is almost 50 years old, so when it gets to be > 100F outside for more than just a couple of days, we don't have a choice but to let the air temp inside climb from around 76 - 77F up to 80F, unless we want a $400+ electric bill.

Even with the air temp in the house at 80F, I can keep our sw tank below 84F without too much problem. It usually just means turning the fan up that blows across our sump.
 
turn off your lights.


Open the front end of the hood leave it open put some mesh like they use or screen doors on top.

Which by the way you can get from homedepot!

Then get a little $10 computer fan place it on top and your done.

Or take one of those free standing fans and aim it to blow across the water.


Just make sure you top it off every 4 hours, actually i guess it would depend on the size of the tank.

Make sure you have your heater still plugged in because this method will i assure you bring the temp of the tank down to normal in about 5 hours and keep it there.

Some times though it will drop the temp a littl e to far so you need that heater.

I hope this was some help to you!

cichildcichlid
 
kimmisc said:
I've been in an apartment for about 5 of my 32 years, but nowhere I ever lived was incapable of keeping cool throughout the summer... and when I say cool, I mean what most people would consider cold. (Seems most of my family is hot natured, like me) The thing is, once the building is cooled, it doesn't take as much effort to sustain it as long as the windows and insulation hold the heat out well.

If the AC isn't working efficiently, it's going to work harder, and that alone will make the electric bill outrageous. Fortunately I never had problems with home AC.. I usually have problems with automobile AC failing. My electric is about $80 during mild months and about $120 during July-August and Dec-Jan. Maybe that seems outrageous to some. I'd give up cable before I'd be hot. I'd monkey! Bless you and I hope it cools down soon.

Sorry for getting kinda off topic.
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My FW tank is fine. The difference is that my SW tank has (2) 250watt MH lights over it. I do have central air, 2 units in fact one for each floor), but it is having to stay on 24:7 to keep the temp below 80 in the house.
 
Grins said:
My FW tank is fine. The difference is that my SW tank has (2) 250watt MH lights over it. I do have central air, 2 units in fact one for each floor), but it is having to stay on 24:7 to keep the temp below 80 in the house.
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I feel for you then. I just learned today that SW tanks are harder to keep cool than FW. Always learning.
 
kimmisc said:
If I were struggling with keeping the tank cool, I'd just go ahead and invest in a chiller. I'd rather keep the temperature steadier throughout the days than other attempts at cooling could. Daily temperature fluctuations are unhealthy for the fish, so I've read. Getting a chiller in there would take some of the stress of you.
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If the heatwave lasts much longer I may very well invest in a chiller. But I'm not a big believer in keeping the tanks at a steady 2 degree temp range. I believe in the research that allows a wider swing so that corals can adapt easier to a 10 degree range. But when it gets over 86 I'm concerned.
 
cichlidcichlid said:
turn off your lights.


Open the front end of the hood leave it open put some mesh like they use or screen doors on top.

Which by the way you can get from homedepot!

Then get a little $10 computer fan place it on top and your done.

Or take one of those free standing fans and aim it to blow across the water.


Just make sure you top it off every 4 hours, actually i guess it would depend on the size of the tank.

Make sure you have your heater still plugged in because this method will i assure you bring the temp of the tank down to normal in about 5 hours and keep it there.

Some times though it will drop the temp a littl e to far so you need that heater.

I hope this was some help to you!

cichildcichlid
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Fans run automatically when they lights come on...and yes leaving my hood open and floating ice. Last night I turned the lights to a reduced cycle and hoping that helps until this heatwave has passed.
 
kimmisc said:
I feel for you then. I just learned today that SW tanks are harder to keep cool than FW. Always learning.
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Thanks, I'm managing to keep it from crossing that 86 degree mark so all is fine here. And although the SW tank takes a bit more attention I enjoy every minute of it. Glad to see another Carolianian posting by the way.
 
Ahh, see something else I didn't know. Well if you get a chiller, you can still maintain more control over your temp fluctuations, I assume? It'd still be less stressful for you.
 
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