Tank gets too warm

csacord · 07-10-2004, 12:50 PM

Hey there Nano peoples

I have a 18tall because I have no room for the big guys and a limited budget. Nano life is perfect for me and I am loving it.

My problem lately is heat. I run my 36w 50/50 10 hrs a day. Combined with the summer heat, my tank has reached 82-83 degrees! Is this a problem? And if so, how do I control the temp. HELP.

I will post pics of my humble beginings soon.

Thanks a bunch

RobinsonFam1 · 07-10-2004, 02:25 PM

yeah that is getting too warm. by lowering the temp in your home it will help. you will probably need to get some sort of a fan on those lights to help remove the heat. i was having the same problem with my 5 gal bow, when i put a 1" fan on the lights it now stays a constant 74-76. surface agitation will help with a little more evaporation also.

dancn · 07-10-2004, 06:47 PM

my tank stays about 82-84 and everyone in my tank is fine. my nano is only 10 gallons w/ an 80w pc. all i have running is the pump for water movement close to the surface and that little red sea nano filter. my 46 gallon at home stays the same. no problems w/ either tank. i do have a pump running inside that tank as well. that tank has 2 x96w pc.

ruhspolostar · 07-10-2004, 11:20 PM

id say its hot, give us tank spec or pics, they will help w/ diagnoses

beach bum · 07-11-2004, 01:38 AM

I don't think those are dangerous temps, mine runs 81-83 w/o incident. As long as you keep the temp stable that is more important. But if you want to try something, then try and rig up a fan and/or encourage as much evaporation as possible, which obviously will require more top-off water attention.

good luck.

ruhspolostar · 07-11-2004, 01:45 AM

eh, mine is at 77.7 all the time, I see it like this, the recomended temps for tropical tanks are 72-82, and the recomended temps humans can withstand goes up to 130 degrees F, but do you wan to be kept at 130 degrees ,so your fish probally dont want to be at 82-84 all the time

dont know if thats stupis, just how I see it

beach bum · 07-11-2004, 12:17 PM

quote from Bob Fenner: "tropical systems can move higher periodically, and short durations at temperatures up to 84 to 85 degrees F are generally not a problem. Temperature stability is more important than any given set point."

I only put that particular quote to help csacord feel more comfortable about his tank temps, not to try to sound authoritative and convincing, I just know what works for me. But comparing 82 degrees in a reef tank to 130 degrees for humans is wrong and misleading - some natural coral reefs reach over 90 degrees F in water temerature on occasion.

bb

ruhspolostar · 07-11-2004, 09:49 PM

Quote:

But comparing 82 degrees in a reef tank to 130 degrees for humans is wrong and misleading - some natural coral reefs reach over 90 degrees F in water temerature on occasion.

& I never said that was a scientific basis, just a good analogy I go by to promote comfort, it normal for reefs to go to 82-84, its normal for the valley to go to 115 I still dont like it

beach bum · 07-12-2004, 12:44 AM

Quote:

I still dont like it

me either!

I guess I just always run my tank at 80 so that when the house temp does rise, the change isn't as big as if I kept it lower. Maybe I will try a lower temp (76-77) on one of my tanks just to see if I can pick up behavioral changes (and hence, know more what I'm talking (typing) about!

-Chris

ckreef · 07-12-2004, 12:21 PM

10 gal w/ 86 watts of light, AC500 refugium and a power sweep for circulation. My tank goes from 81 - 83.5 I would like a smaller swing but currently everything is kickin butt so no reason to try and fix what isn't broken.

Voyeur · 07-12-2004, 12:54 PM

From what I understand the biggest difference in the temp changes are a higher metabolism in the animals at higher temps.

Can be a good thing as you get more growth,but it also means you have that much more biological activity going on so you may need to pay a little more attention to water parameters.

Its more like a lizards metabolism than ours as far as heat goes,the warmer it is the more efficient they work,up to a point.

hth

John

ckreef · 07-13-2004, 05:16 PM

Voyeur --- you are absolutly correct --- on thing to consider is that the higher temp/metabolism/biological activity also means more waste which translates into a faster growth rate for the nusience algae's. Sometimes a lower temp with slower evrything makes for an easier tank but that is always offset by the "hoops" you have to jump through to get the lower temp.

Boekhtiar · 07-13-2004, 07:29 PM

Higher temperature if it comes in a spike will cause the coral to expel the symbiotic micro-algae (we usually can't see it) on their surface. This in turn will deprive the coral of one of their food resources causing eventually starvation. Due to the fact that different corals have their own nutrient requirement, some genus/species fare better in higher temperature than others. For an example of the heat spike crisis in a macro-scale, you can search in the web for the mass coral death in the Maldives a few years ago due to increase of temperature spikes. Nature doesn't usually tolerate fast changes.

ckreef · 07-13-2004, 10:45 PM

Very true Boekhtier --- A sudden spike is definatly not good --- I hope everyone realizes that the higher temp and bigger swings we are talking about is gradual over time or throughout the day depending on what we are talking about.

When a situation like your house AC breaks while you're at work and the tank temp spikes for a day or two that will usually result in disaster.