Help, ASAP High Water Temps. - Aquarium Advice

gsongy · 06-07-2008, 07:56 AM

My air condition broke last night and I am worried about my cichlid fish. I am new and just bought 6 cichlid fish. I also live in the outskirts of New Orleans, LA. which gets pretty hot and humid at this time of year. Temperatures generally get up in the mid 90's with 100% humidity. The temperature in the house is 80 degrees now, but sure to steadly rise as the day progresses. The temperature in the tank is 80.5 degrees, normally the temp. is around 77-78 degress.

How high of a temperature can cichlid fish take and for how long? I have attached a list with profiles of the different fish I have in the tank.

What can I do to keep the temperature in the tank down without harming the fish to much?

I am at work, so I will have to relay this to my wife who does not know anything about this hobby.

I am planning to tell her to remove about a gallon of the tank water and putting a gallons worth of ice in the tank every hour or so in order to try to maintain the temperature.

Is there a better method that is recommended?

Thanks in advance with any help.

Later, Gerald

rich311k · 06-07-2008, 10:44 AM

Freeze some soda bottles of water and float those, open the tops and blow a fan across it. Up the aeration to keep the water moving and aerated. Evaporation will help cool it. Water changes with cooler water. If you keep it under 90 you should ok.

gsongy · 06-07-2008, 11:28 AM

Frozen water bottles! Thanks a million!!! I never thought of that, cool. I will try it and let you know how this comes out.

Later, Gerald

gsongy · 06-07-2008, 05:05 PM

A/C guy saved the day and ac is repaired. Thanks for the help , I love this site!

Gerald

ccCapt · 06-08-2008, 10:04 AM

A little tip for anyone who may have heat problems. The fastest and most efficient way to cool tank water, if you don't have a chiller, is through evaporation. Nothing will cool the tank faster than clipping a small fan on the rim of the tank or sump or both and blowing air across the water to help it evaporate.

I know this is a fw section, but I have metal halide lighting over my tank and the fans keep my water at 80. It was 91 here on Friday and I didn't have the AC on yet. The highest my tank got was 80.8.

theotheragentm · 06-08-2008, 04:58 PM

Is there any issue with dropping ice cubes right into the tank for freshwater? I've done that before. They melt almost immediately. I noticed the fish stay away from the ice cubes once they get closer and realize they're cold.

rich311k · 06-08-2008, 05:46 PM

I don't think so. I guess you should use dechlorinated water but for the little bit of water from a few cubes I doubt it would matter. A fan across the top and a lot of surface movement from an airstone or powerhead really is very effective. Especially when you replace the evaporated water with colder water.

gsongy · 06-09-2008, 11:17 AM

I will have to invest in a fan, the a/c goes out every year in my house, this is the third year in a row that the a/c failed in the month of June.

When I did my first PWC, I had the hot water set to high and the temp. shot up to 90 degees so I dumped a bunch of ice cubes in with my Stress Coat and it brought it back down to 82 degrees. I was not sure what it would do to the fish, but I thought it would be better than dealing with 90+ temperatures.

Thanks for the info.

Gerald

dskidmore · 06-09-2008, 03:07 PM

I have no A/C at my house. Normally not a problem because I live in the north, but we've had a heat spell lately. I do the same as cccapt. I run a fan accross the water, I leave my lights off until the heat of the day is past, I run air filters, and when it's really bad, I put in one of those bubble curtians. Looks tacky, works great.

Also, up north here it usually gets cool enough at night to do some natural cooling. We open up the house and draw in the night air, and then shut it up tight in the morning. Of course, this means I still have to run my aquarium heater on summer nights, but you can't beat free cold air, and you take as much of it as you can get when it's available.

gsongy · 06-10-2008, 10:13 AM

Wow, I wish I live up north, living in the deep south, we deal with 80 degree temps at night starting in early May!

Oh, with 90 - 100 humidity! We NEED a/c all the time, there may be two days between fall and winter and winter and spring that is pleasant.

Gerald

06-08-2008, 10:04 AM	#5
ccCapt SW 10 & Over Community Mentor Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Northeast PA Posts: 1,524 Images: 3	A little tip for anyone who may have heat problems. The fastest and most efficient way to cool tank water, if you don't have a chiller, is through evaporation. Nothing will cool the tank faster than clipping a small fan on the rim of the tank or sump or both and blowing air across the water to help it evaporate. I know this is a fw section, but I have metal halide lighting over my tank and the fans keep my water at 80. It was 91 here on Friday and I didn't have the AC on yet. The highest my tank got was 80.8. __________________ 125g reef See My Tank Info Check out The build project /Larry

06-08-2008, 04:58 PM	#6
theotheragentm Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,172	Is there any issue with dropping ice cubes right into the tank for freshwater? I've done that before. They melt almost immediately. I noticed the fish stay away from the ice cubes once they get closer and realize they're cold. __________________ Box of Water - My Personal Musing and Photos on Fish Keeping

06-09-2008, 03:07 PM	#9
dskidmore Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Genesee Valley Posts: 2,278 Images: 1	I have no A/C at my house. Normally not a problem because I live in the north, but we've had a heat spell lately. I do the same as cccapt. I run a fan accross the water, I leave my lights off until the heat of the day is past, I run air filters, and when it's really bad, I put in one of those bubble curtians. Looks tacky, works great. Also, up north here it usually gets cool enough at night to do some natural cooling. We open up the house and draw in the night air, and then shut it up tight in the morning. Of course, this means I still have to run my aquarium heater on summer nights, but you can't beat free cold air, and you take as much of it as you can get when it's available. __________________ 75 gallon freshwater Baby shrimp sighted! 2.5 Gallon unpowered freshwater now with high light 0.25 gallon palmtop doomed to an unlit end?

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06-07-2008, 10:44 AM	#2
rich311k Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 8,849 Images: 35	Freeze some soda bottles of water and float those, open the tops and blow a fan across it. Up the aeration to keep the water moving and aerated. Evaporation will help cool it. Water changes with cooler water. If you keep it under 90 you should ok.

06-07-2008, 11:28 AM	#3
gsongy Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Metairie, LA. Posts: 58	Frozen water bottles! Thanks a million!!! I never thought of that, cool. I will try it and let you know how this comes out. Later, Gerald

06-07-2008, 05:05 PM	#4
gsongy Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Metairie, LA. Posts: 58	A/C guy saved the day and ac is repaired. Thanks for the help , I love this site! Gerald

06-08-2008, 05:46 PM	#7
rich311k Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 8,849 Images: 35	I don't think so. I guess you should use dechlorinated water but for the little bit of water from a few cubes I doubt it would matter. A fan across the top and a lot of surface movement from an airstone or powerhead really is very effective. Especially when you replace the evaporated water with colder water.

06-09-2008, 11:17 AM	#8
gsongy Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Metairie, LA. Posts: 58	I will have to invest in a fan, the a/c goes out every year in my house, this is the third year in a row that the a/c failed in the month of June. When I did my first PWC, I had the hot water set to high and the temp. shot up to 90 degees so I dumped a bunch of ice cubes in with my Stress Coat and it brought it back down to 82 degrees. I was not sure what it would do to the fish, but I thought it would be better than dealing with 90+ temperatures. Thanks for the info. Gerald

06-10-2008, 10:13 AM	#10
gsongy Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Metairie, LA. Posts: 58	Wow, I wish I live up north, living in the deep south, we deal with 80 degree temps at night starting in early May! Oh, with 90 - 100 humidity! We NEED a/c all the time, there may be two days between fall and winter and winter and spring that is pleasant. Gerald