summer heat?

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nitrous

Aquarium Advice FINatic
Joined
Nov 2, 2005
Messages
808
Location
chicago ridge, illinois
what do you guys do in the summer when your tanks get too hot, in my room with my tanks i have a computer which also contributes heat and the room generally gets hot so what will i do if the tanks get too hot? just turn lights?
 
the best way to take care of heat is a window AC unit for the room really (If you dont have central AC)
and your AC could be overstress from too much humidity, a dehumidifier is sometimes needed for homes with alot of fishtanks.

Otherwise, open top (take of the lid(s)) and fans (distilled, RO or RO/DI top off water would be ideal in this situation)

temperary solutions inlude floating frozen water bottels.
 
Great . . . one more expense for the aquarist . . . .55gal tank - $250, Substrate and decorations - $150, various colorful fish - $150, installing central air - $5000, divorce due to overspending on fishtank - $half of everything I own for the rest of my life . . . . .

but I have low blood pressure - priceless!
 
no one has central AC? ok.. northern states seem to be lacking in that department..

wallyworld sells the window units for ~70-80 bucks if you have streeks of heat nothing can beat it.
 
we have ac in teh whole house but sometimes it doesnt go on during that time from spring to summer where my mom doesnt want to pay for it yet but she usually budges and turns it on
 
Alot of houses in this area do not have central air. I'd say about 50%. Most of the older homes do not. It's not uncommon.

I'd say that a window unit would be your best option if the central air doesn't get turned on.
 
All the houses around here have central air units, very few don't, some even have both. As for the heat issue, I have a large entertainement system running, 3 computers running and the lights for my gecko's cage all running at once in my room and my tank stays a nice 78 degrees until I turn off the light
 
i live in FL and i keep my thermostat sat at 75-80 during the summer months (sometimes if im too hot i bump it down but gotta save $$$$) and id say as long as your tank water temp doesn't go above 80 you shouldn't really have to worry about it.
 
nitrous said:
we have ac in teh whole house but sometimes it doesnt go on during that time from spring to summer where my mom doesnt want to pay for it yet but she usually budges and turns it on

it should be fine so long as the water doesnt hit too much over the low 80's but after that.. I think your mom might turn the AC on if she knew it would kill your fish.. :?
 
STL is horrid in the summer with the heat and humidity. Most homes in this area that do not have central air have between 4 or 5 window units. You'd think that it would be cheaper in the long run just to have central air installed. And the units around here are not cheap. We had to replace one for an apt that we rent out and it was about $550. Cheapos generally don't last too long and do not cool as effectively.
 
Install blackout blinds or reflectors on the windows.(Better out then in for the summer), this will also save you some money on central air costs.

Open the windows at night with a window fan blowing in. close them during the day.

Put the tank in the basement :) (that's where mine is) .. With 7 Computers for 8 Processors.. it still get's hot.. but the tank doesn't get too hot.

I also have fans installed on the Canopy which sucessfully plumetted the temps this winter, so much that I had to turn them off (300w heater couldn't keep up to the cooling by evaporation).

Some of the other ideas on here are also very good.
 
Wouldn't removing the lids increase the risk of fish loss due to jumping? I have hatchets and zebra danios so that is not an option. In Oregon most houses do not have central air, especially rental units. Finally, you have to consider that window AC's only work if you have windows that open up and down, rather than side-to-side. They do make portable air conditioners (don't go in the window), but they still have to vent outside and they cost $400-$800.

I am dreading the summer but luckily it only gets to a 100*F or so for a few days, usually it is around 80*F. Increased aeration is my plan. And maybe a fan blowing on the tank, but with lid still on?

I have read that you should turn up your heater to match the usual daytime summer temperature so that your fish aren't stressed by a sudden heat drop at night. Idea is that the fluctuations are more harmful than sustained higher temperatures, which makes sense given the standard heat ICH cure people use quite regularly. Of course, that is usually only for a couple weeks at a time, so I am not sure about long-term effects. Anyone care to comment on this?
 
yes some fish are known to be jumpers, and hatchets do jump from what I recall.. in that case egg crate material can be used over the tank.
 
I get hassled by my parents in the summer because the upstairs central AC (where my bedroom is, and thus all my tanks)has to constantly run(pretty much), even when they try to shut it off during the day. I'm definitley happy that we have central AC. The heat and humidity is sometimes unbearable in the summer. We actually have two seperate AC units on my house. One that runs the first floor, and one that runs the second.

Egg crate is definitley the way to go. You will lose more water from evaporation, but won't lose any fish.
 
Having a monstrous electric bill here in Phx is a way of life during the summer time. During the winter, I typically don't even have to turn on the heater and my bill hovers around $80/month. As soon as summer hits......BAM! I'm paying $250/month until Thanksgiving. Sucks. Fish stay nice and comfy though :)
 
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