Tank temps

[chadandstacy]

Our tank rarely gets below 78 and is usually more like 82-84, how can we keep it cooler. The fish dont seem to mind so far(about 3months so far) but we don't want to take the chance either. We have a 25 and 15 watt bulb in the hood let me know if you need more info to help out with a solution.

 

[Guest]

I think you have a incendecsant from that pic. Flourescants are cooler. The tank isn't situated in the sun is it? Sorry for the spellings

 

[chadandstacy]

Here is a pic of our lights....

 

[krap101]

the left ones floresent and the right ones incandescent im sure

personally i like floresent because it makes your water look cleaner

 

[Guest]

I think they're both incandescent, except one is blue and one is red. I think the compact floresents that screw into an incandesent hood have a curly tube. The kitchen might make it be warm too, if you are cooking. I did the same thing with my ten. I bought the inexpensive combo and eventually got tired of the hot lights and gave the hood away. The floresent hoods are around 30 at the pet store or you probably could find one cheaper online.

 

[krap101]

oh your right yeah their both incandescents. the compacts go like this

http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=23441;category_id=1857

 

[poppab02]

Go get screw in flourescent bulbs from walmart or target that should help maybe a degree or two without having to purchase a brand new hood. Here's some questions to ask:
1)How many hours a day is the light on?
2)Is your heater malfunctioning?
3)What's the temp in the room of the house you're usually in?
4)Is the tank in the sun?
5)Is it near something else that is giving off heat?

 

[youronlysin]

Those lights get hot! I have the same, one 25 and one 15 watt incandescent in my hood. The heater keeps tank temp at 80 degrees, but if the lights are on all day, the tank temp will climb to 85.
If you want to have the lights on for longer periods of time, invest in flourescent lighting. The ten gallon tank makes it hard to maintain constant parameters.....it doesnt take long to heat ten gallons of water 5 degrees. I only run my lights for about 4-5 hours a day, and the temp climbs about 2 degrees in that amount of time.

 

[chadandstacy]

1)How many hours a day is the light on? Maybe 5 hours a day if that

2)Is your heater malfunctioning? We don't have a heater

3)What's the temp in the room of the house you're usually in? Depends on the temp of the day I guess, we always have our doors and windows open and we don't run our air conditioner at all. We live in the mountains of North Carolina.

4)Is the tank in the sun? No

5)Is it near something else that is giving off heat? It is on our counter between the kitchen and the Living room

 

[Maillis]

I'd look for some screw in fluorescent bulbs for your tank, your LFS or even Petsmart should carry some that will work. The fluorescent bulbs will put off a lot less heat and should help keep your water temp lower.

 

[krap101]

compact florescent

 

[poppab02]

Well, it sounds like your heat is either coming from A) The lights or B) the natural temperature of the house.
If the water temp is higher than the house temp then it's the lights that are causing the problem. Your LFS, Pet Shop, WalMart, Target, Kmart, and probably even Hardware Store is going to have screw in flourescent bulbs which don't give off the same amount of heat the incandescents do.
If your natural house temp is that high then pretty much all you can do is install a a fan to cool the water. That's about all I can think of.

 

[chadandstacy]

Install a fan where?

 

[Aquafriend]

I have a 10g with incandescent lights, and I can't have them on because it heats the water so fast. (Thanks for the ideas people about screw in flourescents, I didn't know about that!) Before my heater arrived in the mail, and before I had fish in that tank, I used the bulbs to heat the water so it wouldn't take the heater so long when it arrived. The bulbs alone kept the water at 77F. Without the bulbs on, the tank temp was 68F. Quite a difference!
Oh, and when my house gets too hot, I put fans around the room, with one pointed at each tank. It helps keep the temp down.