How Hot is Too Hot?

[crp]

I came home from work today and my tank is up to 88. I have an open top (eggcrate) and my lights are 6 inches about the tank with 2 fans built in the light fixture. My lights are 3 250W hqi mh and 2 140W VHO actinics.

Everything seems to be ok but I'm wondering if I should start the AC already!

Carrie

 

[Sk8r]

You should have started it 4 degrees ago, imho. 85 is getting into lethal territory!

Here's hoping for you. You must be ok, since things look all right. 85 and my coralline started bleaching from the top. It may take 2-3 days for your rocks to cool off---and the fact they hadn't bleached may be simply due to the fact that rock always lags water temperature. Don't let it do it 2 days running!

 

[DGL]

I would say that is too hot. We try to keep our tanks below 82, preferably at 79 - 80. Are your fans blowing into the canopy or do you have them set up as ehaust fans? In most cases the fans do a far better job of cooling if they blow into the canopy forcing the hot air out.

 

[Arik]

I have heard of many people who successfully keep their aquariums at 84 with no problems. It's cutting it close though. I'd turn on the AC.

 

[fat-tony]

hit 87 just now......been scheming to get fans in my canopy. guess now's a good reason to get started

 

[wastememphis]

when I got home at 9 my tank was 89 last night... everythings fine today... it droped and has stayed around 82 today

 

[silkchaos]

I love my basement sump... only went up 2 degrees.

 

[crp]

I keep it normally a 80. I have 2 fans one blowing in and one blowing out on opposite ends.

Everything looks fine but I guess I'm going to have to turn the AC on.

Carrie

 

[ri]

When scuba diving, it is not uncommon to be in water that is in the upper 80's at the level where corals are growing.

ri

 

[dalbrecht]

The issue is the change in the temperature over a short period of time. Corals prefer a stable environment. Also, the warmer a coral is normally kept the less sensitive it is to high temperatures (within reason). Some corals notably blue ridge coral prefer warmer temperatures, others not so much.

 

[dreaminmel]

My tank is normally kept at 80 degrees so the 82 high it hit these past two days isn't of big concern yet but I'm still going to buy some fans to put near it soon just in case. I did change today's lighting to run only actinics to make sure it didn't jump up while I was at work as I know corals can deal without a day of light much easier than a high spike in temp.

Hope all your corals are still doing ok Carrie. I'm dreading/loving my upcoming upgrade to halides w/out AC in the house... I think I'll have to experiment w/out livestock in it initially to make sure I can keep the temps steady.

 

[captain7359]

mine was 91 lat night at 8 pm when i got home and 86 when i got up at 5 am this morning. nothing dead on the spot, but i will see when i get home friday or get a status report when the tank gets checket tomorrow. nothing looked happy and i thin my bta split from the looks of tings last night, which may be the only good thing that comes of this if things make it. looks like i will be making the trip to hd or lowes to get a window rattler for the fish room this weekend if things make it so i don't have to deal with this all summer.
i think if things go up and down within a reasonable amount and range of temp things will be ok. the shock of sudden temp changes is what does things in or temp out of their normal range. i may just be speculating, but will find out shortly. best of luck and be patient.
-Walter

 

[varibleboy]

My central air died on friday and is only being fixed today as we speak, my tanks been 84ish , ive been adding fans and floating frozen water bottles to keep it in the 84 range. fish seem ok , my green star polyps are the one thing not looking too hot. my frogspawn and xenia both look ok. anything i can do for them to help after i cool the tank down toinght? should i try and bring it down 2-3 degrees quickly or let it cool as the house cools?

 

[bigkev76]

I think a gradual cool down will be better than another shock to your tank of a rapid 2-3 degree change. If the heat caused any damage, you don't want to further it with another drastic shift.

 

[becon776]

tanks in attic roomate turned of exhaust fan tank hit 90+ and bam every last hard coral lps and sps deader than a doornail. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
everything was doing SO good. prolly 500$ in coral death. Clams made it thru ok and fish seem ok

100% water change and and air conditioner purchase later thinkin about restocking this sux!

 

[RoscoPColtrane]

my tank was hitting ~85. I bought a $9 fan and pointed it directly at the water in my sump. It's now running a steady79-80 and goes up 1 degree when the halides come on. I was amazed how well it worked.

 

[dalbrecht]

my temp shot up 2 degrees on monday when I lost power. Once power was restored the airflow around my sump brought it back down to 80. I don't have a fan, but I'm not enclosing my sump in a stand either.

 

[Capt_Cully]

I hit 86, and i normally run 74-77. Only thing that seems affected is a Kenya Tree. Not looking so good. Had a little algae bloom too. So I did a 10% water change and in the process knocked over my purple rimmed green M. Cap. Pretty badly damaged. Very nauseating.

I have 2 4in ice-caps on open top, added 2 3inchers to the sump. Hangin around 82. Got a house fan on the whole thing, but I'm watching closely. Got a barf bag nearby just in case. GREAT HOBBY!

 

[zanclus]

I put my AC in the window next to my tank on Sunday. I have a constant 76 degree temp. (house is running around 70)I also have a chiller hooked up set at 78 degrees just in case