High water temp

[Anna94]

I just checked my tank temp again and it only went down to 82. Everything was off for 12 hrs.: the tank light, my bearded dragon's light, my bedroom light, the air was running off and on through the night. My tank should be lower than 82. I even have a ceiling fan in my room running constantly. Why is my water temp so high?

 

[Potluck]

What size tank and what watt heater

 

[Anna94]

20 gallon long and the heater is 100 watt and brand new

 

[IllusionX]

Ceiling fan will only bring the heat down. Turn it off.

Also, what is your ambient temperature?

 

[Anna94]

I have no way of checking the temp in my room (the tank is in my room), but the temp in the house right now is 85 and the temp in the house has been in the 80's this whole month. I turned the thermostat down to 81 about an hour ago snd the air just turned off. My house has always been in the 80's and I've never had a problem with the tank temp until recently. How can I cool it down and keep it cool?

 

[Fresh2o]

An expensive long term solution would be a chiller.
For the short term, perhaps floating bottles of frozen water.

 

[IllusionX]

Well you see, if your house is 85, I don't expect your tank could be any lower than 85.

Adjusting ambient temp, allow 24hours for tank to adjust...

 

[NickNaylor]

Well you see, if your house is 85, I don't expect your tank could be any lower than 85.

Adjusting ambient temp, allow 24hours for tank to adjust...

Exactly. Plus, assuming you're running equipment in your tank, each piece of equipment is likely to add at least a little heat. I would think of whatever your ambient room temperature is as an absolute floor that is unlikely to ever be reached.

 

[TMaier]

What kind of filter? I had my canister in a bucket with ice cubes at one time.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[IllusionX]

Anna94, i am curious where you live, to keep the thermostat at 85. That's 30C! It is stuffing hot for an ambient temp

 

[Coursair]

What kind of lights on the tank ?
I switched to mini CFLs for my smaller tanks partly so they wouldn't heat up the water.

I unplug my heaters for the summer in my small tanks.

You can run small fans across the surface of the water to cool it somewhat. ( laptop type fans ).

I also adjust my timers on my lights to run them during the cooler parts of the morning and night for my plants and to save on "peak" hour pricing.

Depending on your tank, you could also run an airstone or two to keep the surface agitated.

 

[gilpi]

85 inside the house? That is hot!
82 for a tank doesn't have to be bad, what fish?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[nirbhao]

I keep our 29 gallon at 82.

 

[acewiza]

If the fish don't care, you shouldn't worry about it either. At the very least, they will never get ich.

 

[IllusionX]

If the fish don't care, you shouldn't worry about it either. At the very least, they will never get ich.

I think we are all mostly concerned about the 85°F thermostat setting of the house.

We've yet to hear back from OP about this....

 

[Potluck]

It must be hot where the OP is or their home heating system is messing up, like a bad thermostat, I keep my house at 76 tanks at 78-79, 82 for fish isn't bad when you medicate for ich you turn the tank up to 85 But at higher Temps you increase the risk of bacteria.

 

[IllusionX]

Yeah, but OP was mentioning turning the thermostat down to 80 and heard the fan turn off. My guess she is heating go 85°F.... ?

 

[acewiza]

...the temp in the house right now is 85 and the temp in the house has been in the 80's this whole month.

Where in the H E double hockey sticks do you live where the house stays 80 in October?

...I turned the thermostat down to 81 about an hour ago...

Nevermind, just answered my own question. It's a self-induced heating phenomenon.

My house has always been in the 80's

Your tank has always been in the 80s as well, whether you realized it or not.

...and I've never had a problem with the tank temp until recently.

The problem is not with the tank.