lowering tank temperature

[joitoy]

I have three dojo loaches and the problem is that my tank remains at a constant 76 until recently when the heat skyrocketed in texas. Today I discovered it was at a stagging 80 degrees which prompted me to turn on the AC in the house down to 74 degrees, then remove the lids from the tank.


I know dojo loaches like colder temps but I am stumped as to how to accomplish this. Their tankmates are giant danios and glowlight tetra, guppies and platies (that I will be removing into a 5 gal hex at the end of the month) and two albino cories, but as of now I am stumped and don't know how to cool this tank.


I've read giant danios and glowlight tetra can tolerate lower temps down to 72 degrees. I know the dojos LIKE 68 but at 72 they should be safe and healthy enough, right? I know very little about moderating aquarium temperatures and have heard about expensive coolers but know of no other alternatives. Any suggestions would be very appreciated. I really care about my loaches. The temp is slowly lowering again, it's at 76 again now, but I would be happier if I could keep it at a constant 72 without shelling out 100+ dollars for a cooler, or if I could keep them healthy without giving them away.

[AnneMarie]

A fan blowing across the water might help.

[shari2]

A fan works great, but be prepared to replace the evaporated water. ( you can use water a couple of degrees cooler to refill)

Also, ice cubes in a zip lock baggie floated in the tank helps, too.

[joitoy]

phew. Thank you so much! I couldn't find our fan (it's shoved somewhere in the outside shed) but the ice cubes and keeping the lid open and water level a lil lower to prevent jumping, has lowered it to 74. I feel a lot safer there. I'll place another bag during daylight hours since the temp here in texas is becoming ridiculous again.



Another question is how many full sized adult dojos CAN I house in my tank with having 4 adult giant danios (they all aren't adult but I want to factor their grown sizes into this) and a rescued baby angel fish. I have to admit I am terrible at passing by a suffering fish and I bought this quarter sized angel because he nearly had no dorsal fin anymore, and was one of three in a tank FULL of baby cichlids that were beating them. I thought he would die from his injuries but he's healed beautifully in my tank. All of my other fish are babies too right now except for the two platies and dojos. The two new dojos are gold ones at about 5 inches, my wild colored is one inch shorter. Can I expect them to grow a lot more? If it helps anything I intended to have a pond dug this year in the backyard with a rubber sheet lining and a play sand bottom, could my babies live in there once they grew to adult size?

I feed them brine shrimp, blood worms, spinach, betta bites, flake food, algae wafers, and tropical fish wafers. I am a bit concerned that my wild isn't eating as well, when I bought him he had dorsal damage from his tank mates but it has healed completely. The two new fish are like little pink hot dogs but he is like a thick pencil. He's gained a little since purchase, but seeing these dojos in comparison I wonder if he is still grossly underweight.

[Rubix]

you defintiely want to reconsider taking your hood off with dojo loaches and giant danios, theyre infamous jumpers. i think youve got it covered lowering the water level a bit though zip lock bag of ice is how i usually do it

[joitoy]

Yeah I heard about the famous jumping giant danios. ugh, just wanted to let the heat out since it was steamy and hot. the loaches and others all bounced back fine with ravenous appetites but the shock may have killed my baby angel. i feel terrible trying to medicate him and watching him suffer *sigh*

[shari2]

I'd actually be suspicious of lower temps for angels. They prefer it in the 80's.

[joitoy]

Ugh, that's not surprising, everything I read told me 76-78 for angels.


Also not surprising, research of dojos told me 68 to 76. Ha. Don't I feel stupid now. Thought I could be at the bare median and keep everything I wanted in one tank, I'll never make that mistake again *sigh*


Well the angel did die but I also froze the body and found the receipt since I bought the lil guy on the 16th. I have until March 2nd to return the frozen body and some of my water to petco for a refund. I'll probably buy another dojo if they have a wild colored one there. That'll make for four total and hopefully enough to keep them all ahppy.


They aren't incredibly active but I have seen the two larger ones, the golds BURROW into my gravel in the back of the tank where the depth is 3-4 inches. Only the head and tail were visible and it seemed happy. They always group up in one corner, or beneath my aponogetons so I hope that is a good sign. Saw one of them slurp down HALF of a bloodworm cube just because it landed in front of her.

[Buzzy4p]

To get the temp down just do a water change with cold water. 1 day my temp. sky rocked to 86 degrees and i had to get it down so i did a water change with cold water. I always keep my tank between 80 and 82f

[shari2]

To get the temp down just do a water change with cold water.

Actually, I wouldn't recommend that technique. A degree or two cooler perhaps, but to dump 20-40% cold water into a tank is rather shocking and stressful for the tank inhabitants. Gradual temperature change is safer.

[Martin Thoene]

To get the temp down just do a water change with cold water. 1 day my temp. sky rocked to 86 degrees and i had to get it down so i did a water change with cold water. I always keep my tank between 80 and 82f

Yeah that would be a great method for creating thermal shock and probably kicking off a bout of Ich

A fan will reduce temperature gradually, but suprisingly efficiently as long as there's adequate cross-surface airflow.

Martin.

[Buzzy4p]

well when ur tank is at 86 u got no other chice fish cant live in that long

[joitoy]

I'll pick up a fan from the dollar store just to set it on top of the glass canopies and blow into the filter return. That way I won't have to unlid it and watch my dojos jump for heaven.

I've been CLOSELY monitoring it now, and maintaining a 74-76 temp. The guppies don't appear to like this, but I would sacrifice them over my danios and dojo loaches any day.

I'm very worried about the ammonia spike. I had a mini cycle a few days ago that had finally passed. Yesterday's heat spike raised everyone's metabolism it seemed because my ammonia was at a FRIGHTENING .5. I did a 50% water change which seems to have done nothing, so it seems I'll be WCing again before bed and in the morning unless someone has a REALLY super suggestion.

I think of all the fish the dojos and my platy pair output the most waste. the increase in heat is the only thing that could have contributed to this sudden rise.

Should they be ok until the morning when my husband returns with some medicine? He said he'd call from walmart to ask what I need for battling the ammonia, but I really don't know what's good.

[shari2]

A bit of information regarding ammonia and pH/temperature levels from Neil Frank at the Krib.

What's the pH of your tank?
A product often recommended to remove/detoxify ammonia is Amquel.

Here's helpful info on ammonia test kits and an explanation of how ammonia is measured...from Kordon a manufacturer of test kits.

[joitoy]

The water from my tap is naturally at a PH of 8.4 I was told it was too expensive to change it with equipment or chemicals so tried to stick to very hardy fish that could handle it.

Am I pretty much doomed?