Came home to a 92 degree tank!

AquaSeahorse · 04/21/2009, 06:58 AM

I came home from work yesterday and my xenia was looking horrible and a serpent star was at the highest point of the tank with the lights on -- both of which never happen. I checked the temp and it was 92!

My first thought was the heater malfunctioned, so I quickly tossed the heater and removed the lids from the aquarium in hopes of the temp coming down. The LFS was already closed, and I had no salt on hand so a water change was out of the question. In hindsight, it was probably better for the temp to slowly come down anyway.

I had an extra heater around the house and now have it in the tank set at 80. The tank temp is hanging around 84, so what in the world is causing my tank to heat up an extra four degrees? Are hydor pumps known for putting out that much heat? I have 260 watts of PCs, but they have fans and have never had that much of an impact on the water temp.

It is getting warmer outside, but the temp inside my house is consistently 68-70 throughout the day. The fish and inverts look okay this morning, but the majority of my xenia doesnt look so great.

Thoughts? I am thinking of pulling the hydor pump and seeing if the temp drops.

Sugar Magnolia · 04/21/2009, 07:03 AM

It could have been the heater. I had one malfunction once and lost some livestock. Powerheads do add some heat to the tank, usually only a couple of degrees. Set the heater back to around 76/78 degrees to compensate for the heat from the lights/powerheads. You can always add a fan to your hood to help dissapate the heat from the lights.

GW81 · 04/21/2009, 07:07 AM

had to have been the heater

AquaSeahorse · 04/21/2009, 07:19 AM

The lights already have small fans on each side. Its a coralife powercompact 2x65 daylight and 2x65 actinic. we'll see what the temp reaches today....

baldomero · 04/21/2009, 07:43 AM

hey im in puerto rico and im lucky my tank stays around 80 with the hot weather we are having but u can buy a small clip on fan i think it would help with a degree or two

epstein · 04/21/2009, 07:51 AM

A lil trick I was told.......Run 2 smaller heaters instead of 1 big one......that way if one malfunctions you dont have fish soup.......I replace mine every 18 -24 mos. (I also use titainum)....and finally take a 2 liter bottle and freeze it with water..........then if u have a spike......it can just be floated and cool your tank

Brian

Jim96SC2 · 04/21/2009, 10:27 AM

Next time run to the kitchen, get all the ice/icepacks in the freezer. Put them in ziplock bags and throw them in the tank.

Flipper62 · 04/21/2009, 10:40 AM

The key to keeping everything alive is to bring the temp down slowly. You dont want the temp to drop to fast & shock the tank. You want the temp to come down from 92 to 83 or so over 6 to 8 hours. Thats why I like the fan method.

92 is not a temp that you want, however its not so much the temp as it is how fast did it get there & how fast you bring it down.

I have had it happen a few times over the years. I used the fan method and everything survived.

alextheromanian · 04/21/2009, 11:00 AM

first off:

tanks are tanks and not the ocean so these things happen...wether its due to faulty equipment or just a hot day it can happen so try not to worry too much about it...from what it sounds like you didnt come home home like i did...to a nuked tank.

second...ly: you mentioned lids....

if you have those glass lids....take them off ...you dont want those...you need to have an open top. this helps oxygenation PH and teperature control.

third off

since summer is approaching i suggest going o walmart and picking up 1 or two 5" clip on fans for like 8$ / piece....

they do amazingly at cooling your tank quickly and efficiently in cases such as this. yes you will evaporate water quickly but atleast you get to save your tank.

lastly ....another thing i do...and i dont know if anyone else does this but i keep two 2 liter bottles of water in the freezer. they are delabeled and stay in the freezer. when /if i come home to a hot tank i have two 2L bottles of ice ready to throw in there to help cool the water. this way the water cools and you dont introduce chemicals or what have you from plain tap water....when the botles melt you take them put them back in the fridge.

all in all i think like the others said..it may be a faulty heater....but it would also help to have the tank lidless and with a small fan blowing on it on hot days

chris4869 · 04/21/2009, 01:09 PM

It's best to use a heater with a controller. It's a lesson most of us learned the hard way.

greenbean36191 · 04/21/2009, 08:04 PM

Quote:

92 is not a temp that you want, however its not so much the temp as it is how fast did it get there & how fast you bring it down.

That is exactly backwards. The speed of change is not a factor in inducing thermal stress. The temperature reached and the duration at elevated temps are what affect the level of stress. The longer temps are in the elevated "danger zone" (generally 2 deg F or more above the average maximum) the more accumulated stress.

There is no reason to believe that slowly lowering the temp is more beneficial than doing so quickly.

04/21/2009, 06:58 AM	#1
AquaSeahorse Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 120	Came home to a 92 degree tank! I came home from work yesterday and my xenia was looking horrible and a serpent star was at the highest point of the tank with the lights on -- both of which never happen. I checked the temp and it was 92! My first thought was the heater malfunctioned, so I quickly tossed the heater and removed the lids from the aquarium in hopes of the temp coming down. The LFS was already closed, and I had no salt on hand so a water change was out of the question. In hindsight, it was probably better for the temp to slowly come down anyway. I had an extra heater around the house and now have it in the tank set at 80. The tank temp is hanging around 84, so what in the world is causing my tank to heat up an extra four degrees? Are hydor pumps known for putting out that much heat? I have 260 watts of PCs, but they have fans and have never had that much of an impact on the water temp. It is getting warmer outside, but the temp inside my house is consistently 68-70 throughout the day. The fish and inverts look okay this morning, but the majority of my xenia doesnt look so great. Thoughts? I am thinking of pulling the hydor pump and seeing if the temp drops.

04/21/2009, 07:03 AM	#2
Sugar Magnolia Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Northern VA Posts: 17,691	It could have been the heater. I had one malfunction once and lost some livestock. Powerheads do add some heat to the tank, usually only a couple of degrees. Set the heater back to around 76/78 degrees to compensate for the heat from the lights/powerheads. You can always add a fan to your hood to help dissapate the heat from the lights. __________________ Adrienne The only thing to fear is fear itself....and spiders.

04/21/2009, 07:51 AM	#6
epstein Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: NYC transplant now in CT Posts: 1,501	A lil trick I was told.......Run 2 smaller heaters instead of 1 big one......that way if one malfunctions you dont have fish soup.......I replace mine every 18 -24 mos. (I also use titainum)....and finally take a 2 liter bottle and freeze it with water..........then if u have a spike......it can just be floated and cool your tank Brian __________________ I'd Rather be a failure at something I love , Than a sucess at something I hate . George Burns Current Tank Info: 150 DD Cube / 100 Gal Sump(basement) 30gal cube frag tank plumb Panworld 250ps return/ Reef Octopus SRO3000 Skimmer/ Bubble Magus Doser/Lumenmax reflector with 400 watt Radium bulb Ice Cap Ballast Apex Controller 2 MP40wes 2 gyre 150

04/21/2009, 10:40 AM	#8
Flipper62 Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Naperville, Il. Business Owner, President & CEO Posts: 3,045	The key to keeping everything alive is to bring the temp down slowly. You dont want the temp to drop to fast & shock the tank. You want the temp to come down from 92 to 83 or so over 6 to 8 hours. Thats why I like the fan method. 92 is not a temp that you want, however its not so much the temp as it is how fast did it get there & how fast you bring it down. I have had it happen a few times over the years. I used the fan method and everything survived. __________________ If todays automobile had followed the same development as the computer, A Rolls Royce would cost $100.00. It would get a million miles per gallon, but it would explode once a year killing everyone inside." Current Tanks... 90 gal Reef... My awesome Office BioCube....( 180 was on hold ..no time ) ... The 180 gal has been sold...Yay..yay..yay. Hobby Experience: 19 years Reef...22 years FW

04/21/2009, 11:00 AM	#9
alextheromanian Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Binghamton NY Posts: 1,007	first off: tanks are tanks and not the ocean so these things happen...wether its due to faulty equipment or just a hot day it can happen so try not to worry too much about it...from what it sounds like you didnt come home home like i did...to a nuked tank. second...ly: you mentioned lids.... if you have those glass lids....take them off ...you dont want those...you need to have an open top. this helps oxygenation PH and teperature control. third off since summer is approaching i suggest going o walmart and picking up 1 or two 5" clip on fans for like 8$ / piece.... they do amazingly at cooling your tank quickly and efficiently in cases such as this. yes you will evaporate water quickly but atleast you get to save your tank. lastly ....another thing i do...and i dont know if anyone else does this but i keep two 2 liter bottles of water in the freezer. they are delabeled and stay in the freezer. when /if i come home to a hot tank i have two 2L bottles of ice ready to throw in there to help cool the water. this way the water cools and you dont introduce chemicals or what have you from plain tap water....when the botles melt you take them put them back in the fridge. all in all i think like the others said..it may be a faulty heater....but it would also help to have the tank lidless and with a small fan blowing on it on hot days __________________ i just cant think of any phylosophical, deep, critical thinking quotes right now. Current Tank Info: 29g Reef, 75g FOWLR

04/21/2009, 07:07 AM	#3
GW81 Moved On Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 79	had to have been the heater

04/21/2009, 07:19 AM	#4
AquaSeahorse Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 120	The lights already have small fans on each side. Its a coralife powercompact 2x65 daylight and 2x65 actinic. we'll see what the temp reaches today....

04/21/2009, 07:43 AM	#5
baldomero Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: aguada,puerto rico Posts: 902	hey im in puerto rico and im lucky my tank stays around 80 with the hot weather we are having but u can buy a small clip on fan i think it would help with a degree or two

04/21/2009, 10:27 AM	#7
Jim96SC2 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 311	Next time run to the kitchen, get all the ice/icepacks in the freezer. Put them in ziplock bags and throw them in the tank.

04/21/2009, 01:09 PM	#10
chris4869 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 1,006	It's best to use a heater with a controller. It's a lesson most of us learned the hard way.