Keeping Cool

[Brenton]

So, everyone should be well aware by now how much I like to be prepared before the event, well as much as I can be...so now it's August, and we are starting to get some mild sunny days here in little old Adelaide (although today is cold, wet, and windy :(/>), thoughts begin to turn to the warmer months...

We regularly have heat waves throughout summer. A heat wave here is classed as five days reaching over 36C. This is pretty standard and happens at least a dozen times over summer - no biggie, but we also tend to string together 3 or more days over 40C on a few occasions. Personally, I love the heat. B-)/>/> My family hate it. I'm guessing the fish arent going to be too partial to it either.

I have ducted evaporative air-con, which, on most days, keeps the house pretty cool, but when the dry heat really kicks in, evaporative kinda stops working. I'm also not a fan of having the air-con on overnight (light sleeper - took me a while to get used to the gentle hum of powerhead filters from down the hall and through the doors!).

So when the heat begins to turn up here in Adelaide, what do I have to have in place to keep my guys comfortable?

I've searched the forum and the web, and a lot of the information is old:

http://ausaqua.net/f...=1 2011

http://ausaqua.net/f...=1 2010

http://ausaqua.net/f...h=1 2008

or just isnt dealing with extreme enough conditions such as we experience here.

At the moment, I'm thinking IAL-infused, aged water icecubes, and frozen IAL-infused, aged water-filled, snap-locked bags. Swap aquarium lids for damp chux covers (evap should do the rest) (Need to make frames for these...DIY project number###). Heaters in tanks dialled down to maybe 24C to deal with the night dips (meaning they probably won't come on around here - 24C is also pretty average as a minimum) (and I've just started heating the room instead of using the heaters...).

Am I missing something? Short of buying chillers for each tank/barracks, does anybody have any other suggestions/experiences/thoughts/spare cash to allow me to upgrade to refridgerated air-con...

Edit: DIY Project - what do you think...needlepoint canvass instead of lids during summer, with chux attached in the middle of it. I can dampen it in the morning, with a spray bottle of aged water, before leaving for work. It would allow for more air flow into the tank, provide support for the low-tech air-con (damp chux), and stop any chance of escape from the tennants.

Edited August 2, 2013 by Brenton

[maddzvk]

hey Brenton

the heat is a bit crazy in aus. even melbourne can get pretty bad.

you can buy clip on fans for your tanks their much cheaper than chillers.

the other thing is increase water movement will prevent it from warming as much and also keep water oxygenated (oxygen saturation in water goes down as temp increases)

besides that monitor tanks as much as possible and use iceblocks to cool tanks when they get too high.

also keep them in shade rather than next to windows for light.

bettas at least can be quite tolerant of warmer waters.

our house is shockingly insulated so weve had some get way up high 30's without deaths. thank god were moving soon :)

[Brenton]

Hey Maddy

I'll admit I've never actually measured the temp in my house during summer before - it's never really bothered me. The insulation is not too bad although that's only in the roof - not the walls. I have roller shutters so I can keep the place pretty well shielded from direct summer sun. The evap air-con should keep the place relatively cool, except on the really hot dry days Adelaide gets. I may grab some of those clip-on fans just in case - hadn't thought of those...

Power outs may also be a problem...need to source some cheap UPS units I think...

I did read increased water movement can help with water temp, but how do Betta go with that? I assume you're talking about turning up the air pumps and not installing powerheads - this would also help with adding oxygen back itno the water, wouldn't it? Warmer weather is supposed to be breeding season isnt it? How do the spawn tanks go increased water flow?

Ice blocks: Like the frozen snap-lock bags I was talking about or do you mean actual "titanic-like" free floaters - allowing them to slowly melt into the tank? Aged water, of course.

Good luck with the move - I hope it's to a wonderfully cool home with a luxurious built-on fish room already made ;)

[maddzvk]

hey brenton

WATER TEMP

as water temperature increases the oxygen saturation decreases

so the hotter the weather the lower the oxygen in the water

so for non labrynth breather increased oxygenation is a must(any fish besides bettas)

the increased flow is ok we find especially with an air bubblers which we use sponge filters usually anyway

its mostly if your fish is consistantly struggling to swim this movement is an issue

but yes moving water will heat up slower than stagnant water

SPAWNING.

we use sponge filters on low all year round anyway

the larger the water quantity the less it will heat up (eg. 10L compared to 60L will take much longer to rise 5 degrees)

mostly just consider your area with spawning.

chi has lots of success breeding outdoors in summer (in sydney)

me and james keep ours indoors and just monitor it. our fry are usually kept high 20's anyway plus we know what rooms hold temp better in our house.

COOLING

i dont think your ever supposed to add ice straight to your tank conditioned or not as i believe it can shock the fish. maybe thats just soemthing ive got in my head.

i meant ice blocks in a sandwich bag or similar. the other things is small water changes consistantly will keep the temp down (similar to airating but also reducing the length of time for water to heat up.)

me and james can get these ---> fans for your tank--->http://www.royalaquatics.com.au/up-aqua-cooling-fan-black-p-163.html?cPath=25

and yeah airbubblers :)