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Tank heating and overnight temp drops


Priscacara

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Hi , just set up a new tank (4 x 2 x 2) for SA cichlids and after a fair bit of hassle have finally got heating sorted out for the most part. I started with 1 x 300w heater and it wasnt even touching it after 24 hours so I put in a second. One is by the uptake tube and the other is down the opposite end of the tank. Parameters are right to put in my mature filters and fish so they will go from a standard 3 footer to the new digs later on today.

We had a cool night down to 5C last night and I checked all my tanks just to see if there was any great difference in overnight and daytime temps in the tanks. My 6 x 2 x 2 had no change but heaters were on any time I got up through the night, the ar 980 had no change and heaters on more often, the 3 footer the heater never seem to go off, the new tank the temp dropped by 1C but he heaters didnt cut in from what I noticed so guessing the variation was within the tolerance range of the thermostats.

After all that, I'd like to know if the small drop is going to affect the fish much and if so should I bump the heaters up a little more to compensate. In the new tank it gets to 25.5C daytime , the few readings I took during the night had a temp reading of 24. I dont want to harm the fish but at the same time need to watch the power bill (yep I know its not a huge change but over 5 tanks it adds up).

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Its said that fluctualtions in temperature are actually good for some fish(esp killifish)Most fish would be adapted to some daily and certainly seasonal fluctuations.The bigger the body of water they come from the less adapted to temperature fluctuations they would be.Killifish essentially live in puddles so they tolerate change very well.Tanganykan would be less likely too.

I have a tankful of S.leucosticta ,as you plan to I gather, and live close to you.My weekly 50% water changes are done with unheated water and all the fish even my Cyps and sandsifters dont turn a hair with the slight dip in temperature.I wouldnt be too worried

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Temp drops that are no good are sudden, made worse by the more extreme, as nature as a rule does not do this. In nature the waters temp will vary with currents, overhangs, full sun ect, but a fish can choose to leave an area it doesn't like.

In a fish tank, should there be a sudden drop in temp (water change), where is the fish to go.

25-24 no problem.

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I agree. A one degree drop is nothing to worry about. The tank would probably drop more then that during a water change.

In summer time, the temp difference is probably more then, that because of the hotter weather patterns.

Josh

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Tx for the replies, I tend to worry about nothing but my first foray into the habit lasted 1 year and ended in tragedy losing pretty much all of the fish in all of the tanks. This time round after 18 months I seem to be doing it right , helps having the right fish and good advice from the lfs and forums!

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Agree with Josh & Craig, no probs, Your tanks are what temp ?? (28+) the middle of summer at 2pm & whats the drop at night to ( back to heater setting) 24/25/26dec.

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The new tank has settled down a bit now, was a lot of water to get heated up. I have 2 x 300w Aquaone heaters, 1 at each back corner of the tank. The daytime temp is a fairly steady 26C, nightime drop to 25C so happy with the temps now. Both heaters are set at 28C which seems about right as all my aquaone heaters have needed to be set at 2 degrees higher than the desired temp. They were all different batches of heaters so I'm, assuming this is the norm for them..................the water is moving in the tanks so I would expect it to cool a bit just with the air.

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I found running an air curtain under the heaters increased circulation and held a steadier temperature. In nature there are temp variations which anyone who has dived will have found out. Shallow water is warmer and a current from the ocean can suddenly make life cold as can the sun going behind a cloud. Deeper down it is steadier. I guess it depends on where the fish are from.

The new tank has settled down a bit now, was a lot of water to get heated up. I have 2 x 300w Aquaone heaters, 1 at each back corner of the tank. The daytime temp is a fairly steady 26C, nightime drop to 25C so happy with the temps now. Both heaters are set at 28C which seems about right as all my aquaone heaters have needed to be set at 2 degrees higher than the desired temp. They were all different batches of heaters so I'm, assuming this is the norm for them..................the water is moving in the tanks so I would expect it to cool a bit just with the air.

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