Need advice: Huge temperature increase

[DiscusBR]

In the rush, I posted this in the wrong section. So I am posting again. Here is what happened:

I have 6 wilds in a 75g that is kept in 82F (28C). I came home today and felt very warm water when feeding the fish. I was shocked to find water temperature at 95F (35C). The only thing different in the tank: I cleaned my Eheim canister filter yesterday, including all the tubing. I just found out what happened: I installed the heater upside down, with water entering where it was supposed to leave

I put a bag of ice in the tank. But I have an urgent question: Water in tank is not at 91F (33C). Should I do a 60% water change> The temperature at the water container is 81F (27C).

Also, what do you think will be the consequences of this high temperature exposure on the fish? What about the beneficial bacteria in the filters? The fish look ok, but I am worried.

[DiscusBR]

Well, considering that there is a 10F degree difference between the tank and the water container, I decided not to do a WC. I will just wait for the tank water to cool down. I will need to leave the house now, but will do a WC tomorrow morning.

If you know, please tell me what consequences I might face because of this mistake

[LizStreithorst]

It won't hurt them as long as you had plenty of air or surface agitation. Keep doing just as you are doing. Everything will be fine.

[DiscusBR]

Thank you, Liz. That is comforting. I am glad I took the right decision

[LizStreithorst]

It won't hurt to do small WC until everything stabilizes. Think about how it is for the Amazon. They go forever in hot water until the monsoons come and the water comes down fast, hard and way cooler than what they have been used to. Discus are tough.

[Willie]

I once had a heater get stuck and kept a breeding pair at 99.9F for a week. That was as high as the thermometer reading goes, so it could have been higher. In those days, I changed water weekly.

I only noticed the problem the following week when I put the hose in. Throughout all this, the discus exhibited no symptoms of stress. Food disappeared every day and the water was clear - no problem with the nitrogen cycle. All I did was unplug the heater and the temperature dropped to normal in about 24 hours.

The only casualty was a pleco I found behind the sponge filter, Willie

[Swedgin]

Hi Mauro,

I can understand your concern, but they will be fine, I’ve cranked mine up to 34 celsius at times to get their guts going. No issues whatsoever.

Tobi

[DiscusBR]

It won't hurt to do small WC until everything stabilizes. Think about how it is for the Amazon. They go forever in hot water until the monsoons come and the water comes down fast, hard and way cooler than what they have been used to. Discus are tough.

Thanks, Liz. They are tough, indeed. I might have been more scared than necessary.

I once had a heater get stuck and kept a breeding pair at 99.9F for a week. That was as high as the thermometer reading goes, so it could have been higher. In those days, I changed water weekly.

I only noticed the problem the following week when I put the hose in. Throughout all this, the discus exhibited no symptoms of stress. Food disappeared every day and the water was clear - no problem with the nitrogen cycle. All I did was unplug the heater and the temperature dropped to normal in about 24 hours.

The only casualty was a pleco I found behind the sponge filter, Willie

Wow, boiling for a week and no major problem? I am glad for you. The lesson: always check your tank's equipment and condition.

Hi Mauro,

I can understand your concern, but they will be fine, I’ve cranked mine up to 34 celsius at times to get their guts going. No issues whatsoever.

Tobi

Thanks. They are fine indeed. Temperature dropped to 88F (31C) overnight. I did my WC and now the temperature is at the regular 82F (28C). It was a big scare, but they are behaving normally.

So, folks, double check everything when doing WCs or tank maintenance. Make sure you are not absent minded as me.

[Second Hand Pat]

Good to hear all is well Mauro!! I saw you were given great advice
Pat

[DiscusBR]

Good to hear all is well Mauro!! I saw you were given great advice
Pat

Thanks, Pat.

[Paul Sabucchi]

Glad all is well, maybe consider getting a separate temperature controller such as an Inkbird 308. I acknowledge that discus tolerate high temperatures better than most other fish but equipment malfunctions are always possible, a temperature controller with a big digital display helps to keep matters in check and you can set up beeper allarms to go off if the temperature goes too high or too low

[Jenene]

Glad all is well, maybe consider getting a separate temperature controller such as an Inkbird 308. I acknowledge that discus tolerate high temperatures better than most other fish but equipment malfunctions are always possible, a temperature controller with a big digital display helps to keep matters in check and you can set up beeper allarms to go off if the temperature goes too high or too low

Hi Paul, Originally I had thought the same thing. I backed up my heaters with Inkbirds as well. I had only had the first one a few months when it failed. It just shut down, temps dropped rapidly and no alarm sounded. I emailed the company in China and it was actually during holiday and everything was closed down for a week. Someone actually explained there had been a manufacturing issue and offered to replace it with the better model for free. Less than a year later that one failed. It was on my QT tank and I lost a fish. At that point I realized any electronic device will fail at some point. They were great while they worked. My lesson learned is not to trust anything. Everything will fail at some point. I hope yours keep going strong... maybe keep one eye on them all the time.

[DiscusBR]

Thank you for the recommendation, Paul.

Wow, Jenene, sorry for your loss. You are right, we can't just trust equipment. It is better to always double check.

[Willie]

The best approach, at least in large tanks, is to use two undersized heaters. If one gets stuck on, the other one will shut off and the fish will survive. All my tanks 75 gallons and above employ this approach.

One caution is to resist the immediate impulse to fix things. If the discus are alive, then they can clearly tolerate elevated temperatures. If they have died, then nothing is to be gained. When my heater went berserk, I thought it over and decided the best things to do was to simply unplug the heater. Over time, water temperature returned to normal and there was no shock to the fish.

Willie

[Paul Sabucchi]

Sorry you had a bad experience with the Inkbird, hope mine keep behaving, I currently have 4 Inkbird 308 and 3 STC 1000, oldest is 3 years old and not had any problems yet. 308's should hold up to 3000w (but that is with European 220v, witha110v probably that is 1500w) but you are right any device is prone to fail sooner or later. Using Schego titanium heaters separate temperature controllers are a must as they do not have a built in one.
I suppose the other option would be one of the recent crop of aquarium monitors that can even send a message if something in the tank is abnormal