Big time temp drop!!!!

[tagraham]

So I live in mobile Alabama and well most of the year it's pretty hot. I have an rkl but my temp probe broke and untill I got a new one I've just stoped running my heater and just ran a fan when the lights came on. This Keeped the tank at a nice 76-78 the ought the whole 24 hours and over the summer this was fine I jest checked the temp with an external probe to know where it was at. Anyway the weather turns here pretty quick as in 82 all last week and sudonly today it's high of 56.

Here is the point. My tank is now at 68 degrees and everything looks ok and happy good PE. I unplugged the fan and did not turn on the heater so the temp rises slowly. Needles to say I went ahead and ordered my temp probe so I can get the heater and fan on the controler

What do u guys think is everything going to be ok or what?

 

[tagraham]

Nothing? Maybe I need to clear up all that. My tank dropped to 68degrees. Is it going to have any bad effects on my tank?

 

[Ptyochromis]

Time will tell. Check the probe against a normal thermometer just in case it is wrong. I would get a bigger heater.

 

[tagraham]

The heater wasn't hooked up instill now. That's the thing over the summer my tank stayed at 78 With the fan on during the lights on period. It's all good not set the heater at 75 and will watch it while I wait on my new probe to get here

 

[reefmutt]

Did you have red bugs?
I hear that a temp drop to around 68 or slightly lower will eradicate the red bugs, but generally won't bother much else, in he short term..

 

[tagraham]

No bugs the temp drop was do to not running a heater and underestimating the weather here. Lol. But if I did I guess I got rid of em

 

[Steve175]

I've had drops to the low 70s before without loss, but never as low as yours. As it probably fell slowly over the past few weeks/months, I agree that you should raise it slowly. Keep us posted (and go with the red bug story). This is another reason to consider the apex (I get a text and an e-mail if my temp falls out of range; also, I just panicked when I read your post as I haven't yet added my heaters to the system, but just checked my temp probes on my iphone at work; if the temp had been lowish I could have restarted to heaters from my phone)

 

[rogersb]

is your house that cold? my wife would freeze to death at 68

 

[tagraham]

Ya we don't turn the heat on till the last minute When it gets cold here it does it fast. It was 39 this morning outside and 65 in the house. My wife dosnt mind seeing as our power and gas bills are at an all time low right now. My new temp probe ships today. So I can get my heater back on the RKL. I'll set it at 74 for a week or so the a two degree jump every other week untill the 77-79 range I like to keep it at. This wasn't an issue untill I switched to LEDs. Never thought my heating issue would've keeping it hot enough lol

 

[tagraham]

To be honest tho my tank is very healthy. Every sps has great color and PE. And still see daily growth on monties. So my only fear now is raising it to fast

 

[bobssecrtsn]

raise it about 1 degree for every 2 days and you should be back in track