Fish tank heating emergency saga

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Lev

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Dec 18, 2016
Messages
195
Location
Lake District, UK
So I woke up this morning to broken central heating in my old cottage in the lakes. Its bloody cold and none can get out here until tomorrow.

So I go to say hello to bob and the gang, who live in the living room which is the coziest room. They are all snuggling around the heater and I notice my temp is down to 22.5 celsius ( normally 26). Meanwhile I have to set off to work in 10.

Anyway 15 minutes and a skipped breakfast later the heater from my 40L (Im currently doing a fishless cycle on ) is installed in the big tank, although its probably going to be as good as a fart in a storm. Ive also wrapped my tank in insulation foil turned the bubbles off and left the lights on.

Now Im at work worrying about my fish!
 
Hope they are ok.
Sounds like you did the right things.
Don't feed when you get home to help keep their metabolism 'slow' and the tank sealed up.
It will stay warmest left alone ,over being open and closed...
Good luck!
 
Hope they are ok.
Sounds like you did the right things.
Don't feed when you get home to help keep their metabolism 'slow' and the tank sealed up.
It will stay warmest left alone ,over being open and closed...
Good luck!

Thank you I hope they are OK too

will update later :)

:fish1:
 
Tank currently 23.5. Ambient temp in living room is 8 degrees celsius! ! Lighting a fire!!

Fish all acting surprisingly normal. Mollies mating (again)
 
Nice!
Warming the room will help,as most heaters function more on x gallons can be raised x degrees above ambient room temp.
Might help you warm up to!
Be safe.
 
Installed an extra 300watt heater because I can't leave the fire going over night and whilst I'm at work. Working a treat.

Might as well feed them crumbled tenners rather than flake the rate I'm going atm, but gotta love 'em! <3
 
Installed an extra 300watt heater because I can't leave the fire going over night and whilst I'm at work. Working a treat.

Might as well feed them crumbled tenners rather than flake the rate I'm going atm, but gotta love 'em! <3
Think yourself lucky it's not marine or you would be crumbling £50 notes in the water haha

Glad it's sorted :)
 
I lived in an apartment that was actually a porch... $250 per month, I was in undergrad, whatevs. The landlord decided that, since we were students, he could turn the heat off over Christmas break. Except I had a job (so I was there) and a 5 gallon tank. It froze. The fish didn't make it, but the fire belly newt was fine when it thawed.

I hope you're doing alright.
 
Fish can be surprisingly resilient to low temps, and it sounds like you're doing the right things to protect them. At least this is more likely recoverable from than a heater that gets stuck on. When you do get the heating restored, be sure to bring them back up to normal gradually, to avoid additional stress, then watch them for signs of illness.

Fingers crossed for you (and them)! :fish1:
 
How do you recommend bringing them back up to temp gradually? Tank is maintaining at 24 now so not too bad still within the ranges for for all the fish but its usually 2 degrees warmer and I don't want to shock them.
 
2 degrees even C. is not a real big deal.
Just let the tank catch up on its own.
Looks like you have some nice and 'hardy' fish...Most mollies and angels are pretty strong fish...
 
Thanks! Central heating guy there now

Is someone I know and asked if could feed my fish as they had all come to top when he approached (manipulative devils)

How to politely say ABSOLUTELY BLOODY NOT..
Haha
 
I lived in an apartment that was actually a porch... $250 per month, I was in undergrad, whatevs. The landlord decided that, since we were students, he could turn the heat off over Christmas break. Except I had a job (so I was there) and a 5 gallon tank. It froze. The fish didn't make it, but the fire belly newt was fine when it thawed.

I hope you're doing alright.
Oh no student landlords are a different breed, poor fishies
 
Thanks all! All back to normal now and all fish seem no worse for wear

Glad it didn't get much cooler than it did or that I don't have your GBRs in there CB :)
 
I fear power outages in NY! Or furnace issues that I can't fix...
I have generator on stand by though just in case...
I LOVE MY RAMS AND THEY MUST STAY OVER 80!
 
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