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Moderator
 
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Every summer the problems of keeping tank temperatures in the range that is comfortable for fish always rear their ugly heads. This is especially important with reef tanks and corals in general, but it is also relevant for any tank and any fish. When water temperature rises, you get a sort of "double whammy". As the water temperature rises, the metabolism of the fish also rises, and they require more oxygen in the water. However, as water temperature rises, water actually holds much less dissolved oxygen. As you can see -- higher tank temps are a real problem.
The most obvious remedies for a tank that is overheating include mechanical solutions. Air condition the room the tank is in. Put a chiller on the tank (usually pretty much a must for marine reef tanks), or simply blow a fan over the surface of the tank. The first two options are fairly expensive, not only for the equipment but also for the electricity to run them. The fan is OK, but it really doesn't do a great deal in terms of lowering tank temps. The best solution -- involves plastic soda bottles.
A low-tech, low-cost, but effective solution is to freeze soda bottles with water in them. Depending on the size of the tank and how much cooling you have to do, you need to experiment to see if the smaller bottles will do the trick, or if you need to go upsize to the two liter bottles. In any case, freeze at least three bottles of whichever size you decide the tank needs. When you fill the bottle with water and put it in the freezer, be sure to leave the top off, or you run the risk of cracking the bottle. A frozen bottle of water is perfect for cooling down a tank. Experimenting with the size and number of bottles you need, and how often you need to change them, is something that each hobbyist has to do on their own. The plastic bottle puts something between the ice and the fish, and you are not messing around with the tank water in any way. To be even safer, some folks may want to wrap the plastic ice bottle with a plastic fish bag.
Credit for this method goes to Maurino Viveiros, fish room manager and assistant store manager for Rumford Pet Center, in East Providence, RI.
***************************Be warned -- everyone at college has a weird roommate. If you don't have a weird roomate -- then you're the weird roommate.
Conan O'Brien, Stuyvesant High School.
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Fishkeeping GURU
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Last Login: 10/8/2008 4:09:27 PM
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Thanks for the suggestions...this really is a problem for most of us in the summer. I think the fan across the surface trick works pretty well though. Early this week when the temp soared from 65 to above 90 in NH in 24 hours my 72g reef tank went from 82 (where it usually sits due to the heat of the equipment) to 89 in one day. I didn't have my air conditioners set up yet, so I opened the covers just before bed (when I noticed the high temp) and blew a large fan across the surface all night. By morning the temp was 78 (what my heater is set for), and I have run the fan on low continuously since, keeping it at 78 even though it hit almost 100 outside yesterday. The room that tank is in is holding at about 75-80 (no air conditioner in the kitchen+cooking=a lot of heat). So the fan is keeping the tank water room temperature or slightly less. It won't work if it is over a safe tank temp in your home, but not many people could stand living in a house that was 85+ degrees anyway, so I suspect it isn't that hot in most of our houses.
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Starting Member
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Last Login: 9/22/2008 7:12:16 PM
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New Member
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Last Login: 8/28/2008 6:39:39 PM
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| Thank you!!! I live in Arizona and it got to be !103 degrees! in the house (and climbing!!)once!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not good for fishies!!!! ( I lost 2 fish to the heat already and the rest are acting a little sluggish- is that because of the heat????)
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New Member
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Last Login: 7/11/2008 10:46:38 AM
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Thanks for the great tips! it helps a lot. I had a lot of trouble this week when my tank hit 90+, luckily the fan method worked well enough for me, but will keep in mind the soda bottles. The mention about the fish bags, is it necessary? Is any of the soda bottle exterior leakable, posionous? Thanks
20 gallon - melon barb x 3
krib x 2
planted
20 gallon - pending stocking
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Moderator
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Last Login: Today @ 6:19:42 PM
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As far as I know, and with the ones I have used, the outside of the bottle is fine. You might want to watch the fish closely the first time you use a bottle. Don't know if theere is a difference between brands, or between regular and "lite" sodas?
***************************Be warned -- everyone at college has a weird roommate. If you don't have a weird roomate -- then you're the weird roommate.
Conan O'Brien, Stuyvesant High School.
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