How hot is too hot?

[terry4505]

As the title implies, at what temp am I in a danger zone, and what can I do about it?

I have a fan over the sump, but I don't have AC and the house was 92 inside yesterday. I know it is supposed to cool off over the next few days, but this won't be the last time it is hot here.

I have a 6-bulb tek light, and I have left the 4 middle, daylights off for the last two days, just leaving on the actinics.

 

[jfl14609]

I get nervous in the low 80's I panic at 84 but thats just me it also depends on what temp you normally run at my system fluctuates a bit so it in my opinion is a little used to changes where some tanks are held to very tight parameters that a small shift can set it out of watch. if it gets too hot I always keep a few 2 liter bottles in the freezer toss one in the sump and it really helps

 

[moonlightdriver]

that is some really good advice jfl14609... It's def a lot cheaper than buying a chiller lol

 

[Capt_Cully]

Had my old reef hit 86 in a heat wave power outage 2 summers ago. Talk about tightening the old sphincter... normally, over 84 is the "get your attention" zone for me. Jeff's idea is great, and reduce as much lighting as you can. Keep circulation and oxygenation going!

 

[Grenade Glass]

ughhhhh my tank was 90* yesterday when I got home from work, all my my branching euphylia-about 10 individual corals and a small sps colony is bleached to bare skeleton, and my purple cap colony is a dull shade of brown. This is BAD I'm so bummed out. looks like the fan I have attached to my hood failed sometime in the last few days...

 

[scadsobees]

I have the same problem. Tank hit 86 the other day, been keeping fans on, lots of ro/di water dripping in, and ice in the sump, been high but controlled the last few days. Low bioload.

I haven't seen any bad effects yet, and I've got seahorses in there (those temps a big no-no for horsies!!). I haven't seen my peppermint shrimp lately, I think they may have succumbed but I've been considering getting rid them anyway. Nothing else has shown signs of stress.

On the plus side i've never seen my coral (softies) growing so fast (spreading, budding growing not splitting)!!!

 

[Gravesj1s]

If you have a basement ,Id try to capitalize on the cooler air from their.

One way is to use your furnace,set to "fan" on your thermostat.However it would have to have a duct opening in the basements cold air return to draw the air in from the basement , close off all cold air returns upstairs.

If thats not an option above,in a pinch ,again if you have a basement you could use 2 box fans one in the basement angled up the stairs and another at the top of the stairs

Ive used both ways to drop temps 10 degrees or so.

-Steve

 

[Willistein]

I think at 85 something starts happening biologically. Anyways, if my tank hits 83 I turn the lights off. Also, a fan makes a huge difference.

 

[Dave VG]

Changed when my halides come on they now come on at night about 11 pm alot cooler then and cut them down to 5 hours. Oh and instead of the little fan controled by my RC over the sump I put a box fan blowing over it. 80 max.

 

[Dave VG]

Oh i should mention my system is in the basement so that helps out as well.

 

[Randrew215]

Last summer, per recommendations on this forum, I sequestered the large doorway to the room my fish tank is in using a tension rod and a shower curtain and placed an ac unit in the window. The rest of the the house is like a sauna, but that room stays nice and cool. With a fan blowing over the sump as well, the tank temp stays low for me.

 

[Eastamherstbias]

Yes, I am a huge fan of the basement sump if you can do it. It keeps temps perfect.

 

[acdraindrps]

Mine was at 86 yesterday. I only have a rose nem and some gsp though neither were affected.

 

[chuckawd]

A few times this year I have hit 88F and lost nothing. And, as expected, I hit a sick 91F yesterday and lost nothing. I have some of everything in my tank and the only thing that didn't look perfect this morning when I finally got the temps under control was my Kenya Tree which I don't care too much about anyway. Hopefully though I won't hit that high again. I was ready to sell it all firesale style just to keep it alive but it had already been above 88 since 11am and I didn't get home until after 9pm and it was 91 then.

 

[Eastamherstbias]

Wow, I freak out when it hits 79. I can't imagine 91.

 

[tmz]

Depends on what the animals are used to. Usually a couple of degrees out of their normal range can cause stress ( some reefs swing fro 78 to 86 or so and the animals there are acclimated to that ; many tanks however have a more consistent lower range). Much over 85 and there is usually trouble even if organisms are used to swings.

 

[jfl14609]

Usually I dont have any temp issues my tank is near a window so i just put a ac in the window but yesterday it hit 82 not a big deal (left ac off accident) but I have my controller set so everything turns off at 81 accept flow it really helps

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

hot topic

hot topic

I only wish that I could keep as cool as my aquarium! (84F is upper temp).

What about the human stress factor? If you work in an AC office that's great...

but if you work outside THIS HEAT AND HUMIDITY SUCKS!

 

[Gravesj1s]

I hear you Gary , Thursday hit a record 101F and its brutal to work in that kind of heat.
Highest I've seen my tank get was 85 with no ac but happy to say no casualties

 

[chuckawd]

Wow, I freak out when it hits 79. I can't imagine 91.

Yeah man, I was freaking out but at that point there was nothing I could do since it had been at that temp all day. Fortunately I didn't lose anything. The fish are fine and so are the corals. I did get it under control finally though and it has only hit 84 the past 2 days.