Lowering Temperature

[Jaz]

Hi all, great forum here.

After a bit of a search and a read I thought I'd ask what you guys do in summer to keep temps down in your aquariums?

The particulars of my tank:
3ft
Internal filter
Hang on filter
Pebble substrate

My light is currently on from 9 through to 6, using only one of the elements of my twin element light.
I've covered one half, the other is uncovered.

I currently have no heating at all, but I live in QLD so the ambient temp of my house lately hovers around 30, so my tank is the same.

Fish:
1 silver shark
1 red-finned (or rainbow) shark
4 clown loaches
4 neons.- there were 14 a week ago- I think mr silver perhaps got hungry. (none found dead)

It worries me that all of the above fish like a temp around 23- 28, so a constant 30 will have their metabolisms going wild (thus decreasing lifespan I've been told)

Suggestions? Throw a lump of ice in every noun again? I don't really have the $$$ for chiller at the moment, Does a fan make a difference? I don't see how it would.

[volenti]

A fan blowing on the water surface will do the trick, as the water evaporates it takes energy away from the water that's left, cooling it in the process. You'll have to top up the water as it evaporates.

[sharkybubba]

Goodluck with the cooling, volentis suggestion is probably a good one! also just a quick note so no one is wrongly accused here hahaha, but it would be your red fin shark that will be eating your little guys unfortuantely! red fins are highly aggressive fish and are smart enough to only show their true colours when the lights go out!! beautiful fish to look at but not such a friendly community fish which i have found they are 'marketed' as. however just to confuse things silver sharks are also known to eat fish but this is generally when they are larger and on their own (they like to have mates!). just keep an eye out to make sure other fish dont seemed stressed- they like to chase fish until they can no longer swim and then they kill them (nasty buggers!) and to add my disclaimer- this is all in my own experience haha! :biggrin: once again goodluck with your cooling, here in melbourne my trouble is heating :biggrin: !!!! cheers!

[Aussie]

The fan trick does work, but help's run your electricity bill up. I normally just get soft drink bottles. Take the label's off and clean off any excess glue. Fill with water, freeze them, then let them float in your tank, drops the temp right down.

[Jaz]

however just to confuse things silver sharks are also known to eat fish but this is generally when they are larger and on their own (they like to have mates!). just keep an eye out to make sure other fish dont seemed stressed- they like to chase fish until they can no longer swim and then they kill them (nasty buggers!)[/b]


That is an interesting point you allude to. I only have 1 red fin cos I was told they can get agressive in greater numbers.

I did originally have 2 silvers, but one died after a while, and I've yet to replace it. You think it would be in the best interest of the remaining one that I do so? THe remaining one is about 10cm long now so I don't think it would be a good idea to stick a juvenile in with it.

[sharkybubba]

That is an interesting point you allude to. I only have 1 red fin cos I was told they can get agressive in greater numbers.

I did originally have 2 silvers, but one died after a while, and I've yet to replace it. You think it would be in the best interest of the remaining one that I do so? THe remaining one is about 10cm long now so I don't think it would be a good idea to stick a juvenile in with it.[/b]

yea good point about putting a younger one in! i know when we lost one of our silver sharks when we were keeping them we were advised against putting a littley in with the bigger one so we just kept our eyes peeled for a while and eventually stumbled across a donation to the aquarium that we saw fit to buy but unfortunately despite him being large enough to fend for himself he was still eaten. i have always been told that silver sharks definately like to have mates with them though, however i am a little iffy on the rainbow sharks but you are right about them becoming more aggressive in numbers! when we did have them they didnt last to long as they tore through about 4 fish so we ended up donating them to an aquarium. i guess what im trying to say is that perhaps chuck a post up in the selling section, see if anyone has one they wont mind departing with, if not ask around at your lfs and see if any of them would keep an eye for you, i know my lfs was more than happy to help out when we were looking. also try livefish.com, sometimes they sell larger sized fish and you could possibly find a bigger mate for your guy. Goodluck!! :biggrin:

[Marc]

I also have cooling problems in Summer in Melbourne. My problem however is that even Aussie's suggestion above doesn't work. I have two tanks (1000L and 700L) and the volume of water is simply too much to gradually drop just through frozen bottles. We've had a heat wave down here and I haven't seen my heaters turn on for quite a few weeks.

All I find I can do is simply increase my amount of water changes, and fill with cold water.

[sharkybubba]

All I find I can do is simply increase my amount of water changes, and fill with cold water.[/b]

Had the same problem the other day when it got ridiculously hot. Practically boiled my fish and when i got home i found that i had lost one of my bettas... i did the same thing marc mentioned, i got someone to pour cold water in while i filtered the hot water out. i found it was the quickest way to drop the temperature in my big tank. i also turned their light off and removed the cover to allow some heat to escape, seemed to help a little!

[wombat1100]

Ice and the aircon goin flat out fixes mine!
makes me feel cooler too!
Dazz

[Jaz]

yea good point about putting a younger one in! :biggrin:[/b]


I couldn't find a local one, so was forced to add a juvenile, it lasted a night!!