Lower water temperature

[purrfect16]

I was wondering if I could get some advise as to how to lower the water temperature...I don't want to do anything drastic because I know it's not good for the fish..but yesterday the temp outside was about 100 and I'm not sure if it affected the water temp but can't think of what else would have...we have a heater that is not currently on, and the temp rose from 82 to 84. Any suggestions?

 

[nicola]

I place small bags of ice in my tank every half hour - not all day though as I'm not there, but whenever I can. My light is turned off too incase that warms the water slightly. I keep the curtains closed so the room doesn't heat up too much either. Some people put fans by the tank - I don't as it doesn't get THAT hot in the UK! But when it does heat up, I do everything else :wink:
Nicola.

 

[Neil]

Depending on the fish that you have in there, a 2 degree temp. change is insignificant. Dwarf Cichlids, for example, can live quite comfortably in 84 degree water. And even most fish that prefer it cooler will not be adversely affected by small short-term swings in temp. Most bodies of water in nature experience daily and seasonal fluctuation in temp.
Neil

 

[Scooter]

Purrfect, what size tank do you have? If it's a small tank, the ice method may well work. However, if you have a larger tank, cooling the water may take more effort. I have the same problem with one of my tanks (75g), which is exacerbated by the fact that the pump used on my sump seems to add about 3 degrees to the water temp. I use a small air circulator (floor fan) and it runs nearly 'round the clock. With this method, I can cool the water by up to 5 or 6 degrees. The fan cost about $30 and it costs me ~$1.50 a month to run it like I do, but I like to keep my temp at 80 or below. Since the fish I keep in that tank have relatively short lifespans to begin with, I don't won't to shorten it even further by keeping the temp regularly high.