# Stupid Heat Wave



## EnderUK (1 Jul 2015)

Trying to keep my nano tank below 26 for the bees, got one of those aquarium clip on fans as well as stand up fan. At least it's not 29 degrees like my other two tanks.

Up for any suggestions.


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## Rahms (1 Jul 2015)

This is a bit of a ramble in no particular order.

the fans are only as effective as the air they're blowing over the surface, so you want to cool the room itself as well if possible: fans blowing air in/out of windows, opposing windows open so that there is a breeze through the house, pull blinds shut to block direct sun (although, these will still heat your room a fair bit if they're dark- if you want to get fancy, use spaceblankets). I've also seen mention of people placing icecubes or frozen bottles in their tank, which is easier, but the other stuff I mentioned will cool you as well 

Water from the tap is much cooler, so doing water changes in the hottest hours will help.  Mine drops to ~23 after a change and I've turned the heater off.  No point having the heater rush back to 26 only to have the room bring it higher! If you want to change less water you could refrigerate it the day before, or just go the frozen bottle route. Your lighting may be emitting a lot of heat too, so you could turn that down, or move your photoperiod away from the hottest hours.

If you really get desperate you could try cover your tank _walls_ in a spaceblanket or something else that will insulate it

All I can think of for now!


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## Tim Harrison (1 Jul 2015)

Rahms said:


> the fans are only as effective as the air they're blowing over the surface


Don't forget the latent heat of evaporation
'...when water evaporates, energy is transferred from a water molecule to an air molecule that contains less water vapour than its surroundings. Because energy is required for the water molecule to overcome the forces of attraction between water particles, the transition from water to vapour requires an input of energy and causes a temperature drop in the water molecule's surroundings...' https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latent_heat

Edit: try this http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/warm-weather-should-i-worry.37614/


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## parotet (1 Jul 2015)

Hi all

welcome to the south! Today in the Spanish Eastern Mediterranean coast we have 35ºC and 60% of relative humidity... do you know this feeling? It's like being in the Amazon forest. I am lucky to be by the sea because inland temperatures are in some places above 40ºC. Of course my tanks are between 28 and 30ºC during two or three months, we are used to it.

As mentioned, cooling your house is much effective than cooling your tank (and not only your shrimps will be fine but also you), more frequent water changes help to reduce temperature and also to keep thinks better (as high temperatures increase algae problems), fans can help but not much... and you can always use frozen bottles if you have a large tank.
Anyway I guess it won't last long up there in the north!

Jordi


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## Rahms (1 Jul 2015)

Troi said:


> Don't forget the latent heat of evaporation



not so much forgotten as irrelevant, hotter air is always going to be less effective.  I wasn't proposing he turn the fan down or remove it! Can't beat a nice cumbersome explanation from wikipedia though 



parotet said:


> Hi all
> 
> welcome to the south! Today in the Spanish Eastern Mediterranean coast we have 35ºC and 60% of relative humidity... do you know this feeling? It's like being in the Amazon forest. I am lucky to be by the sea because inland temperatures are in some places above 40ºC. Of course my tanks are between 28 and 30ºC during two or three months, we are used to it.



I've always found it hard to function properly in that kind of heat.... and that's just when I'm on my holidays.  Can't imagine having to go to work in it!


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## EnderUK (1 Jul 2015)

Getting the fan to blow the hot air through the window is good in theory not so good when the house is empty with us both at work, same goes for water changes and ice cubes. I'll try closing the curtains and shutting doors to see if that helps. But temperature drops tomorrow so I should be okay.


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## Nick_V (2 Jul 2015)

even at night it was 29 degrees in the Netherlands. Yesterday I struggled to keep all my betta's and shrimps alive. And I have baby betta's which make it even harder because I can't just let it de op from 30->26 with a hhuge cold water change...


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## Martin in Holland (2 Jul 2015)

I'm so happy I liv in China...the whole summer (which lasts for 8 month) temps above 30....that's why I have a chiller


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## JohnC (2 Jul 2015)

it even hit 27 degree's up here on the foothills of the cairngorm mountains, makes a change from the snow on the ground we had 60 days ago.  i would go down the route of keeping the house cooler. shutting curtains when you are out during the day, especially mid day, will do it.


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## Sarpijk (2 Jul 2015)

I have two pc fans hooked on an Stc-1000 temperature controller (ebay). It keeps the temp stable.  Only problem is evaporation. I use dechlorinated tap water for top-offs.


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## Tim Harrison (2 Jul 2015)

Rahms said:


> not so much forgotten as irrelevant, hotter air is always going to be less effective.  I wasn't proposing he turn the fan down or remove it! Can't beat a nice cumbersome explanation from wikipedia though



Latent heat of evaporation, AKA evaporative cooling, still has the potential to cool an aquarium by a degree or two...even if the air temp is higher than water temp. What is more important than air temp is the degree of humidity above the tank.

Fans will circulate air over the tank so it doesn't become saturated with humidity which will improve evaporation rate, and in turn cool the water...As already mentioned the only down side is water loss, however, since water changes are also part of the cooling strategy it's win win...

...or alternatively buy a chiller


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## Sarpijk (2 Jul 2015)

Would it be worth buying an RO unit just for daily top offs? Is using tap water bad for plants or fish as it  supposedly changes the water chemistry?


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## JohnC (2 Jul 2015)

Sarpijk said:


> Would it be worth buying an RO unit just for daily top offs? Is using tap water bad for plants or fish as it  supposedly changes the water chemistry?



you use a water treatment solution first to dechlorinate the tap water (although i've also commonly just chucked it into the tank while adding the water). 


re: fans - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Desktop-Power-Laptop-Table-BuyinCoins/dp/B005GYU8H0 then connect it to a usb charger plug.


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## Vinkenoog1977 (2 Jul 2015)

What about topping off with icecubes? One cube per 25 liter can drop the temp by a degree or 3-4 for a couple of hours.

Right now, my tanks are all around 26 C, not too worried yet. Saturday might be a doozy though, they're predicting 36 C here then.


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## Rahms (2 Jul 2015)

Troi said:


> Latent heat of evaporation, AKA evaporative cooling, still has the potential to cool an aquarium by a degree or two...even if the air temp is higher than water temp. What is more important than air temp is the degree of humidity above the tank.



I'll try rewording  what are you suggesting to OP? I suggested trying to cool the room because that will make for increased heat transfer (potentially reversing the net direction), and am struggling to see what you're saying. Are you saying don't bother cooling the room? Install more fans? Close the windows and use a dehumidifier?


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## Tim Harrison (2 Jul 2015)

...none of the above...just explaining why fans work to cool an aquarium even if the ambient temperature is higher than the tank water


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## Tim Harrison (2 Jul 2015)

Fans cooling an aquarium...




P.S. the aquarium is out of shot...


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## Christos Ioannou (2 Jul 2015)

Hi, living in Cyprus temperature is ranging 30 to 35°C over last week (will reach > 40°C, its been quite ok till now...) Yesterday (34°C) I forgot to put fans on, tank temp about 27°C when I got home. With fans on tank temp about 24-25°C. Its an open top tank @ 180L. But I lose about 20L on evaporation between weekly water changes...

This is what I use attached on tank rim.


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## Tim Harrison (3 Jul 2015)

More fans...


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## Tim Harrison (3 Jul 2015)

That's one coool aquarium...


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## mr. luke (11 Jul 2015)

To dig this back up did anyone have any issues? I was flapping about my bees and all it seems to have done is inspired mass breeding


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## Mortis (12 Jul 2015)

Its pretty hot in Mumbai and since my tanks are in the bedroom they get cooled down to 22 degrees overnight and it stays cool enough throughout the day with a max temp of 25 degrees at the end of the light cycle or 26degs on a really hot day. Fans dont do much here because of the high humidity, lowering the temps by only a degree or two


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