Heaters During the Summer

SinkyShippy · May 20, 2019

How low should I turn my heater down in the summer? It's about 90° where I am right now. I had my heater set to 75°. The water is currently 85°. I want it around 77-79°.

Mjrenz · May 20, 2019

If you want your heater to maintain 77 to 79 you should set it at 78 but turning your heater down isn't going to cool your tank off if there's another reason it's getting so hot. How hot is it inside your house and are you using a glass lid?

SinkyShippy · May 20, 2019

Mjrenz said:
If you want your heater to maintain 77 to 79 you should set it at 78 but turning your heater down isn't going to cool your tank. How hot is it inside your house and are you using a glass lid?

My apartment is hot but the water shouldn't be getting as hot as it is.

I had a glass lid on the tank. I removed the glass lid cause I believe that's what was causing the tank to heat. I like to use it so my light doesn't get wet. In addition to removing the lid, I took a big plastic sheet and tied it to my light so the water wouldn't splash on the light. I ordered a surface fan as well.

Mjrenz · May 20, 2019

The glass lid definitely wasn't helping, most people use net tops to keep fish from jumping plus it doesn't block light when it's dirty and allows for proper gas exchange. The lights and motors in your pumps also add heat to the tank. If it doesn't cool off with the water surface exposed it's likely you will need a chiller. If the hot weather isn't common where you live you could always float some small bags of ice in the water to help cool it. Just be careful not to change the temp too quickly, livestock can handle warmer temperatures, even though the heat does reduce oxygen in the water, but they won't be able to tolerate rapid changes in temp

ca1ore · May 20, 2019

Most tanks will settle out at least a few degrees above ambient.

Dragon52 · May 21, 2019

The temp in your tank will match the temp in the apt, so if you don't have AC that is why your seeing 85. you can turn the heater off & it wont make it any cooler. you can do as some others have done & put a fan blowing across the top of the water to help cool it.