How to maintaining temp during the summer

[equinom]

Now that the temps are rising outside, how should the water temps be maintained inside?  
It was warm and humid this weekend, over 80F.  Had ceiling fans running in house, but did not use AC.  All of the tanks read 80F or slightly higher by Sunday afternoon.  The fish looked OK - but the temps are going to get higher and higher...
Decided to bite the bullet and startup the AC today.  That will keep the rooms around 78F.  Is there something else that can be done?  Outside of water changes to lower temp, or adding ice-cubes?  

 

[geoffgarcia2]

why type of fish do you keep?

I keep most of my tanks around 85, and have kept them as high as 92(discus) and as low as 70(goldfish) depending on the fish.

 

[Colisa lalia]

Well the ac will work well you could use a chiller. These will keep your temps down, but in general if the temperature goes up slowly fish will be fine. You may not have to worry about it unless it goes over ninety. Just remember the higher the temps the more the waste.

 

[Matt Nace]

-Lights off during the day hours helps.
-Ac always helps.
Chillers are usually expensive, but Ac could be too in a drafty house.

-Fans in the lights to cool them.
-blinds/shades drawn helps keep the sunlight out and the room cooler.

The problem with hotter tanks is the O2 is less in the water, so if not fully planted, make sure there is good surface agitation.

 

[colesea]

If you don't have fish that are prone to jumping, take your hood or whatever you're using over the top off. Evaporation is the best way to cool a tank, and you can replace the evaporated water with water that is a degree or three cooler.  Aeration helps evaporation, as well as allowing a fan to blow over the surface of the water. Turn heaters down or off.

My folks won't let the AC run all day. Too expensive. Might as well buy a chiller on the electrical cost. Most fish won't have much of a problem if temperatures rise slowly (which they normally do in a day/night cycle).  The only fish that might suffer are goldfish, who really gasp for breath at temps above 80oF. For them a chiller is reccommened, although I've never used one (and have yet had a fancy goldfish jump from my tank. I wouldn't take the hood off with koi<G&gt.
~~Colesea

 

[equinom]

With the AC on (it's central air) all of the tanks were back down to about 75-78F.  I generally keep the temp around 75F, so this is about normal.  Is the general consensus that if the temp slowly rises it's OK, as long as it doesn't go over 90F?

The window blinds are down, and I've left the ceiling fans on low to circulate the cool air (it's supposed to be over 90F today, and humid).

But I have a couple of questions from the replys that were posted:

Fans in the hoods:  Seems that people tend to use PC fans, because of the low price.  What do you use?

Turning off the lights during the day:  Do you have the lights  run overnight - the plants need about 11-12 hours, don't they?  I ask because I am just now trying my hand at plants and want to sure I understand as much as I can before I invest the money.  

Taking off the hoods:  The only fish that has ever jumped is one of the male bettas.  But then again - I have always kept the hoods on the other tanks...

Here's a current list of fish, and these are spread over 4 tanks:

red cap goldfish
tetras
corys
gouramis
tiger barbs
danios
platy
crayfish
bettas
I also have these coral colored minnow type fish, and have no idea what they are.

 

[colesea]

the coral colored minnow like fish are probably killies, or perhaps rosey minnows (aka feeder tuffies). *shrug*

Sorry, I don't know about the plant thing.

I would really try not to let temps go above 84oF. At 84oF most fish star spazing out metabolically, become very active, may get hyper-aggressive, and will definately need more food during the day to compensate for the increased activity.  But slow rise is better than drastic rise, so if a heater is off and you notice the temps gradual rise, I don't see this as a problem. Just don't go from 78oF to 84oF in a span of five minutes or so<G>.

The only fish I could see as being unhappy is the goldfish. If you could, keep it in the AC as much as possible. I just took my goldfish hood off today, temps outside ran 85oF!! But the tank stayed relatively cool, even for being in a west facing window.
~~Colesea

 

[Cackett]

i Guy at my fish Shop had a Good Idea Over The Summer In The UK.. It Was to Freeze a Bag Or Bottle of Walter and Flot in The Tank! and i Seen this work Well What you Guys Think

 

[Backdraft Bagel]

that's a very good idea, but a lot of effort (well, by my lazy standards!).

I've never had a problem with temps, and I never use AC in my house even. Given that water is two degrees cooler than room temp, plus knock off 10 degrees for counting the house as being "in the shade" ... I guess my fish have experienced 90ish temps.

Discus, all manner of tetra, killifish, swords mollies platies etc, betta, red & black piranha, ummmm a few kinds of knife fish, barbs and such, gouramis, hatchet fish ... ? I've had them all at some point or another. No deaths from heat.

I wouldn't be worried unless the temps in your area get past 110F. LOL!

 

[ronrca]

Agreed BackDraft! I would not worry about it either. In the tropics, the summer temperatures get very hot also, even in the shade.