How can I cool my aquarium?!

[meeky242]

Hi guys,

My aquarium is currently at 30°C (86°F) and I usually have it about 26°C (77°F). It's a tropical aquarium (see details on my sig) but it wont cool down. I'm about to resort to a fan on the water or small but gradual water changed with cooler water but these aren't long term effects. My house is pretty mild, definitely not hot but I never had this problem with my 2ft tank, if anything it was too cold!

Please help

 

[Mrduna01]

Do you have a lid on the tank? Heater not calibrated?

 

[meeky242]

The heater is set properly and I'm fiddling with the hood right now to try and give the tank room to breathe.

 

[Mrduna01]

The heater is set properly and I'm fiddling with the hood right now to try and give the tank room to breathe.

I would unplug the heater till it cools. My aqueon heater for example is 6 degrees off. I set it to 74 to maintain 80 degrees

 

[meeky242]

Okay, so I've unplugged the heater and will do a water change shortly. I've had the hood off and the top open all night and not a single change in temp so I'm going to be spending today trying to figure out why it's so warm in the tank and what's causing it!

 

[meegosh]

What's the temp in your house? Is it near a window with direct sunlight? Near a vent that's blowing hot air on it?

You can clip a fan onto the rim of the tank and have it blow across the top. That will cool it down.

 

[siva]

Most importantly, unplug the heater. If it's still isn't cooling down, you can float a bag/container of ice.

So you have turned the heater down but it still hasn't cooled down all night? Sounds like you need a new heater. Is the heater light staying on even when you turn it down? Can you get it to go off at all? Are you confident the heater IS off yet the tank is staying this warm?

 

[meeky242]

A new heater was my first thought so it's brand new and one of our best brands here in aus. The light hasn't turned on on the heater unless it's for 1 second so the heater can test the water temp and then off it goes again. The heater isn't/wasn't warm or hot to the touch so it's not been doing much but sitting there it's usually about 24 in my house as were bottom floor with tiles. The tank is near a window but doesn't get sunlight unless I open the blinds in the late afternoon and is in the same space my 2ft used to be but I've not had this problem yet :/

 

[siva]

What on earth? That's really strange... And there's no heater vent anywhere nearby?

 

[meeky242]

Nope that's why I'm so confused. There's nothing outside that could be causing the heat, I have the aircon on at the moment and am freezing my little toes off hoping it'll do something but otherwise I'm stumped :/

 

[siva]

Temp it with a second thermometer? I don't know..grasping at straws. Very strange.

 

[gallowchris]

Sounds like a funny situation. Personally I would get a new thermometer, just the old style glass one. If the temp is still high, get a new heater.
Have you turned the heater down yet? The scale on the heater stops working well after while in my experience, I have mine set at 82f to get 80f.

Other thing is what size tank with what watt heater? That might be an issue

 

[gallowchris]

So do you figure out why/what?