6
The Heat Is On, So Now What? By Tim Maynes
We have already started to feel the effects from the heat of summer and it has only just started!
There is going to be a few days this summer where the air temperature is going to be above 26 oC,
which in turn will mean that the temperature in your tank is going to rise.
Besides moving your tanks to a cooler area or buying chillers for your tanks which can be a bit pricey
(normally used in marine setups), there are a few options available to make the life of your Fishes.
Ice Blocks – You can always freeze ice blocks and place them in your tank (wether in a bag
or just floating in the aquarium). You will need to remove excess water so
your tank doesn?t overfill.
Freezer Bags / Ice Packs - You can always freeze freezer bags / ice packs and place them
in your tank if you don?t like the idea of having to remove excess water from
your tank. (Be Careful with any plastics and invertebrates, it is always advisable to have some „test? shrimp before placing any plastics with your main
populations)
(When using the above two methods to cool your tanks it is advisable to have a digital
thermometer with an alarm)
Turn Lights Off – Turning your lights off will help to cut down on the heat generated. If
you have lights that are in a hood or sitting on top of your tank you could easily raise the temperature of your tank by 4oC by having them on. Especially if
you are using high output tubes like a T5.
If you have plants that you want to keep alive, you can change your light „on?
time so that they are on during cooler parts of the day and / or decrease the
number of hours that the lights are „on?.
Raising the lights so that they are not on your tank will allow air flow to remove the excess heat before it has a chance to get into your tank.
Surface Movement – Increasing the movement of the surface of your aquarium will increase oxygenation of the water as well as help to lower the temperature, you
can increase the surface movement of you tank by angling the output from
your power heads towards the surface or by running air stones in the tank.
Fans – Placing