Hot, Hot Summer

[nabilbb]

Hi Every one,

What techniques you use to keep your water in the tank cold during this Hot weather? I don't think my discus appreciate this kind of Temperature

[MKD]

How hot are you talking about? You can crack to lid, open door allow air exchange, HOB filter and if its toooooo hot, frozen bottle water let it float in the tank and couple spare ones in freezer.

[afriend]

Hi Every one,

What techniques you use to keep your water in the tank cold during this Hot weather? I don't think my discus appreciate this kind of Temperature

Put a few bubble stones in the tank and start pumping allot of air thru them. Evaporation will cool the water.

[nabilbb]

Hi Every one,

What techniques you use to keep your water in the tank cold during this Hot weather? I don't think my discus appreciate this kind of Temperature

Afternoon period about 85 ~ 86
I am not worried about my Discus, I know they can take it, I am worried about the African Cichlids

[DiscusDirect]

The two suggestions made are great recommendations. I know that when this happens to me, and we are experiencing higher than normal temperatures here in SoCal, I turn the heat down a bit, but still within the range for Duscus and add a couple of air stones.

[rickztahone]

When I had a shrimp tank and when outside temp was hitting 110F consistantly, I was using surface fans with AC running full tilt in my room. I had to do the 2L bottle full of ice quite a few times in the summer 2yrs ago. Wasn't fun. Of course you can always buy a chiller, but at 85F, it isn't nearly as hot as it CAN get. Currently, we are hitting 95F daily here in SoCal

[BroodNV]

I always ran a chiller in my tanks. In the summer my tank would get over 90 at times and melt all the plants in it till i added the chiller.

[afriend]

I like rickztahone's suggestion about using fans as this will increase evaporation as well. So my suggestion now is to use both a fan and bubblestones. I know form my own experience that bubble stones can be very effective. Here's why. I use allot of bubble lift tubes in one of my aquariums to increase water circulation in the tank. Once I really cranked up the air flow in them just to see what would happen. I noticed that the heater came on and remained on full time and that the water temperature dropped. I was using a 300W heater in a 100g tank where the difference between the room temperature and the tank temperature was supposed to be 8 degrees. Instead of 8 degrees, the difference dropped to 4 degrees even when the heater was on full time. Try this, I really think it can work for you.

[DISCUS STU]

In addition to the other ones, I really like the frozen water bottle idea, a water change with cold tap water and Prime will lower temps. a few degrees for a little while.

Exposing the tank and an open lid are a good idea, though one of my Discus jumped out once and perished while I was at work.

[nabilbb]

I never knew there is a chiller, but looks expensive

[DISCUS STU]

I never knew there is a chiller, but looks expensive

They're used for deep sea aquatics like North Atlantic fish and aquatics.

[pitdogg2]

Hi Every one,

What techniques you use to keep your water in the tank cold during this Hot weather? I don't think my discus appreciate this kind of Temperature

None my tanks are in a non air conditioned house depending on temp out side I have had my tanks get to 98* for a week so far this summer. Only thing i do is lower water level to below outputs to splash a little more. I have not lost any fish to this yet in my years and years of keeping fish. I also use eggcreate instead of the glass except under the lights.

[rickztahone]

I never knew there is a chiller, but looks expensive

Check your local Craigslist or the equivalent where you live. Reefers sell them all the time in the $200-400 range.

[Jason F]

This usually isn't a problem here in WA however this summer, and last come to think of it, we have seen temps holding near the upper 90's and into the triple digits for extended periods and my current residence does not have ac. So I've been battling the heat with frozen water bottles, open lids, and fans directed at the surface. I haven't really had to worry about my discus tank since it's the largest tank, larger volume of water takes longer to heat, and late in the day when the water temp might start to climb is when I do wc anyways, however my smaller community tanks are another story.

[DISCUS STU]

My Discus can take the heat and some of them are in the kitchen! lol.

[afriend]

None my tanks are in a non air conditioned house depending on temp out side I have had my tanks get to 98* for a week so far this summer. Only thing i do is lower water level to below outputs to splash a little more. I have not lost any fish to this yet in my years and years of keeping fish. I also use eggcreate instead of the glass except under the lights.

If you use the evaporation technique during hot weather in a humid climate without air conditioning then the evaporation will not cool as much. In a very dry climate it's going to work like gangbusters.

[Altum Nut]

Simple solution...marry someone like my wife who always complains it's to hot and temps inside our home stay at 73F and poor me have to wear gloves from getting frost bitten fingers. I have to make sure tank heaters are working or my fish are frozen.
Not the suggestion your looking for but it's what I go through during the summer months.

...Ralph