Overheated, fish dead, looks like another is trying!

[ClayTheSavageFraser]

So it got over 100 today in Eugene!! I have a small ac unit that usually pushes air towards the tank! So, I went to the river. Came home and my tank was over 88 degrees! I freaked! I put my emergency 2 liter bottles of frozen water in there and took the fans that usually blow in between my lights and the acrylic and aimed them at the water. I then turned off the lights!! Shoulda done that before I left!! And then I looked down and there was the carcass of my small orange spined tang!! Sucks!! My girl named her mac after the mac make up, cause of the orange lipstick look. I am bummed!! I need a swamp cooler!! I live in a house that was made in the 20's all single panned windows etc.....Cold in the winter and hot in the summer!! I can't afford no chiller!! I would rather keep the whole house cool not just the fish tank!!

Clay(flame)

[finch6013]

bummer. I think all of us are a little on edge about the heat and our tanks. Sorry to hear about the loss.

[Rick]

Bummer. I forgot to turn the light off on the new tank before it turned on today and then left for a while to deliver a tank I sold. When I got back it was pushing 85 before I turned it off. (It's back down to 84 now) The larger display is around 82 but the lights haven't been on today. (I'll turn them on early morning for a few hours) Note that those temps are with the central air running non stop.

[finch6013]

I must be lucky. My tank has only hit 82 and cooled down to about 76 by morning with the fans and AC running non stop. Cant wait for winter when the halides will keep temp during the day and heater at night. No more fans running non stop

[tidalsculpin]

Sorry for your loss. Those are just beautiful fish. And yes, heat is on all our minds. Keep thinkin good thoughts and blow fans blow!!!

[USCG CWO]

That sucks Clay. The ground tranformer that powers the six houses on my culdsac blew up at 2 today. My tank was without power for around 5 hours. I think I have only lost a couple of SPS frags so far. All fish are accounted for so I am crossing my fingers. When it rains it pours.

Shane

[c24]

Sorry to hear that Clay. That really sucks. I know waves has a chiller for like 300 I think it may be cheaper than trying to get an AC unit right now. I don't know but I thought I'd let you know. Hope everything else is doing ok.

[brokenzoa]

So sorry that sucks. If we didn't have a chiller we would have lost everything along time ago.

[garrettm85]

Sorry to hear that Clay. If you really want to make sure that things stay where they need to be as far as temperature goes, I would definately get a chiller. I know it is expensive at first but just think of how much you could loose in live stock. Seems like you might have to spend more on replacing livestock then to just buy a chiller. Plus easing your mind is worth every penny in and of itself. My system is about 500g. It is in my parents garage, so it is exposed to whatever temperature the garage is. It is usually about 5 degrees cooler in the summer than outside and about 5 degrees warmer in the winter. I went by today to check on things though I wasn't too worried about thing. I run a 1hp chiller on the system and two 800w titanium heaters. All are regulated by a Medusa temperature controller. My temperature stays between 78 and 79 degrees all of the time. The only time it ever changes is if I add too cold or to warm of water to the sump where the temperature probe is, so really never changes the system at all. It sure is a godsend and though it cost a few Benjamins, it was one of the best investments I have ever made. My chiller is on about half the time on 100 degree days. My heaters are on for short amounts of time in the winter and when below freezing outside they sometimes run all of the time but keep things at a perfect 78-79 degrees.


Through the years I have learned that temperature control is perhaps the number one thing that we can control that helps to keep our reefs alive. Good water quality is a must but if you can't keep the temperature in line you will loose corals, fish, and inverts far faster than anything else.


Garrett

[ClayTheSavageFraser]

Now that would be awesome!! I wish I could do that!! I want to do that! That will be my next goal after I get a house, my 300 gallon and then the temp. controller!! That will rock!! As of now! I need a swamp cooler and another ac unit!!

CLay

[brokenzoa]

WE lived in a house like yours and we used blankets to seperate rooms and keep some cooler than others. I have heard you can do the same thing with plastic. Maybe this will help until you get another ac setup.

[CCR]

Sorry to hear the loss. I do have some icecap fans for sale that increase speed with heet

[CA2OR]

Dang sorry to hear about this Clay. Seems I have been pretty lucky so far with my temp. Doesn't seem to go up very high. Then again I dont have a thermometer on there eitherDOH!

[reef165]

sorry to hear!! To save whats left ya can use even a box fan on a chair or ladder, leave the hood open and even on days this hot leave the lights off, it wont hurt the livestock a bit to be in the dark a day or three, or even just a two or three hour photo period in the early morning. Just something for all to concider tomarrow when its 101 deg out.

[reef165]

http://www.cvreefers.org/showthread.php?t=7169

you said something abought a swamp cooler? Im thinking abought making this just to have something to try!

[ClayTheSavageFraser]

Thats crazy!! Hey, I have a trickle tray!! I wonder if I put my fans on that more than the surface of my whole tank if that would work at cooling it better. Ding! LOL! I feel silly!! I just found my exquisite fairy wrasse belly up. He's been having a hardtime now for a few hours!! I was hoping she would pull through! Damn!! I wish all fish were as resilient as the dam damsels!! My maroon clown pair, yellow tang, yellow tail, talbot damsels, lm blenny, shrimps, all my corals and anemones, six lined wrasse, and mandarin are doing good. Wish everyone was still alive!! I loved them!!

Clay

[ClayTheSavageFraser]

Dang I wish the psycho purple lobster would have gone before them!!

[Algae]

Clay,
Don't you have thoose Wally World fans blowing across your tank?

[ClayTheSavageFraser]

I have three fans blowin on it buddy!! A bi mart fan and two wally world ones!!

Clay

[Jay]

Yep....sorry your tank overheated. It was actinics for me most of the day. I have a newer window ac from sears. I got the biggest they make for your window. Cost a couple hundred and wont keep the tank down all by itself but without it I would have dead fish for sure. Get a chiller if you can.

They are talkin 105+ possibly tommorow


Jay

[CA2OR]

can't wait to feel what 105 feels like out here.

[Jay]

Get ready....its commin today...

[oxx155]

I agree that a chiller is one of the best investments you can make. My tank is currently at 79.2 and the highest it went yesterday was 80.8. I almost jumped in my fish tank just to cool off yesterday, damn lucky fish.

[chewie]

ACjr!!!!!!!

My temps never got above 81.5 deg because of the controller. If my temp is above 81, the MH is shut off. My fans have been running 24/7 but even this morning, I was @ 79deg.

[ClayTheSavageFraser]

HA!! Yeah but as much as you spend on a chiller, you could have a nice ac or swamp cooler and not only are you cool so are your fish!! If I could find a cheap one!!

CLay

[snowpunk]

I have a newer home with good insulation so just one little ac unit in a window keeps my whole downstairs cool enough. I ran the Dual 400 MH's yesterday for about 7 hours without a problem. I have a chiller in the stand that I can hook up if I need but I have never used it yet. The previous owner of the tank had an older home and he said the chiller was a must from late spring on. In fairness though the window AC blows sorta near the tank so I am sure it is chilling the glass a little, and that has to help.

Sorry to hear about your loss Clay. If I could actually get this chiller out of my stand(I put it in from the back and can't get it out now) I would send it to you and let you use it until you could figure something out...

[Benny503]

Buy a house with a basement would prevent this incedent. SOrry to hear your loss, I know how bad it feel to loose a fish :-(

[siskiou]

Sorry to hear that, Clay! :(

I used to have a bunch of frozen bottles ready, to put into the sump in the afternoon, but 2 years ago, we installed a heatpump.
107 F here, today, and our a/c is struggling a little, but at least keeping it at 76 F inside the house, instead of the 73 it's set for.
Tanks are fine with fans regulated by a controller.

We lost internet and phone for most of the day, though. Comcast problem! Not sure if it was related to the heat.

[Rick]

Even though it was hotter outside today I prepared a bit and my tanks are in better shape than yesterday. One is around 78 and the other is at 81. I turned the MH lights on this morning between about 4 and 9 and left the actinic alone on the 85 gallon (It comes on for a couple hours in the early afternoon and again later in the evening). (The 40 only has the MH light) In addition to this I grabbed a pedestal fan from the garage and directed it at the smaller one until the temps were around 78 and then switched it to the larger one which is where it has been since.(I switched it around 10 this morning) I think the temp in the house is around 80. I also went out and grabbed a new fan for the hood in the small one since it was lacking one when I brought it home. (It's only been in for an hour though) Tomorrow I will probably get the other pedestal fan out and use one on each tank. (I'm surprised at how effective it is at keeping the temp in the tanks down)

[ClayTheSavageFraser]

Hmmmm....pedestal fans huh? Ok, good to know!! I was blessed to today!! After yesterday and all the grief of losing not only fish but the investment I made in those fish, Today totally made it!! So I started texting everyone I know!! I asked if they had any ac units laying around!! And lone behold my good friend Luke just moved into a house that has ac and he is not using either one of his huge master blaster ac units!! They are awesome!! They are those new kind with the huge exhaust hoses in the back that blow out your window! It's amazing!! My house is chill!! I love it!! And It was 107 today! Crazy how god blesses you!!! Now, I get to replace my fishies! I want a sohal I think? Don't know yet?

Clay

[brokenzoa]

Glad to hear all made it ok today.

[ClayTheSavageFraser]

Wooohoo!! Yeah, all the hearty fish will never die!! LOL!! Just the most expensive ones!! Geez!!

Clay

[brokenzoa]

Always seems to work that way. I just noticed I am missing my lubbocks wrasse and probably have been for a few weeks now.

[ClayTheSavageFraser]

Do you have a purple lobster? LOL!!

[brokenzoa]

LOL! no but we use to. I think he jumped out but my hubby couldn't find him.

[ClayTheSavageFraser]

Betcha he's still there!! They are sneaky little boogers!!

Clay

[brokenzoa]

Oh no he is gone. He was the biggest pig at feeding time and I haven't seen him for at least a week.