Emergency! At what temp do you get concerned?

[jaxteller007]

We are out of town until Monday and my apex is reading 81 degrees right now. We have a 180g tank that has one coral (duncan) and then fish and various snails and hermits.

A friend is house sitting and he stuck his finger in the top of the water and said it didn't feel hot. Of course that's not scientific at all. I'm ok having him put some ziplock bags in with ice packs and putting a box fan we have blowing at the sump but wouldn't feel comfortable asking him to do any heavy maintenance or anything.

At what temp would I have to suck it up and pay a company we work with to get out there for an emergency call?

#reefsquad

 

[jaxteller007]

Also, there's a temp probe with a digital read out in the overflow and he said it shows 80.5
I don’t know how accurate that probe is as it is just a cheap one i bought before I had the apex.

 

[ReefGrammie]

What temperature do you normally set for you tank? I wouldn't be too concerned about 81, but if it kept climbing to 83, 85, etc. I would be very concerned! Is there any way the temperature probe could be out of the water for some reason? That would be my major concern.

 

[jaxteller007]

What temperature do you normally set for you tank? I wouldn't be too concerned about 81, but if it kept climbing to 83, 85, etc. I would be very concerned! Is there any way the temperature probe could be out of the water for some reason? That would be my major concern.

We normally have it set for like 76 to 78 or 77 to 79, can't remember for sure. It's all but impossible for us to get it colder than that without a chiller. We live in Central TN and it's very hot there right now combined with a ****** AC (rental house).
I'll check if he can see the probes in the water.

 

[vtecintegra]

My tank runs 81 to 82 everyday. I wouldn't be concerned until 83 to 84.

 

[Edp251]

My understanding is that 82 degrees is often used as a point of concern where folks turn off their lights and take other measures. I believe 84 or so is the point where the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water decreases which is one of the dangers. This is why pointing power heads at the surface can be helpful as it cools the water and increases oxygenation. O2 can be added by an appropriate air stone or airline bubbling into the tank as well. These are my understandings. Best of luck.

 

[jaxteller007]

Here it is Thursday when we left the house.

 

[JohnnyKnuckles]

My Red Sea runs at 84/85 degrees and has for a long time. It's a mixed reef and has actually thrived at the higher than normal temp. But, what you have is a large change all of a sudden higher. Is the house causing the change or is it something in the tank? Did you turn the AC up when you left?

 

[xxkenny90xx]

77ish to 81 isn't a tragedy. Make sure it doesn't keep rising. Box fan may or may not be necessary but I would definitely hook it up just in case

 

[Fishurama]

If you are worried, order this clip on fan from amazon, you can do next day delivery for it. I live in SoCal and it dropped my temps from 83 to 79.5 in the day time. Average of 1-2 degree loss with this. I use it instead of my 1/10hp Chiller i bought that just now collects dust LOL. I try to keep my tank at 78-79 degrees
clip on fan amazon link

That fan seriously beat out this.

 

[TriggerFinger]

Evaporation cooling is very effective. If you can have your friend set up a couple fans & you have enough water in your ato then it should cool it down or at least keep it from rising.

 

[jaxteller007]

If you are worried, order this clip on fan from amazon, you can do next day delivery for it. I live in SoCal and it dropped my temps from 83 to 79.5 in the day time. Average of 1-2 degree loss with this. I use it instead of my 1/10hp Chiller i bought that just now collects dust LOL. I try to keep my tank at 78-79 degrees
clip on fan amazon link

That fan seriously beat out this.

Ordered lol

 

[jaxteller007]

My Red Sea runs at 84/85 degrees and has for a long time. It's a mixed reef and has actually thrived at the higher than normal temp. But, what you have is a large change all of a sudden higher. Is the house causing the change or is it something in the tank? Did you turn the AC up when you left?

The AC has been set at i think 76 but the house itself definitely runs hot. I had him turn the AC down and keep the box fan running. Gonna keep monitoring the apex and hope it doesn't keep rising.

 

[Fishurama]

Ordered lol

Should be easy enough for your friend to screw onto the sump as well. Nothing hard, just plug it in and go. Hope it all goes well

 

[jaxteller007]

Should be easy enough for your friend to screw onto the sump as well. Hope it all goes well

I was gonna ask where you clipped yours on.

 

[Fishurama]

I was gonna ask where you clipped yours on.

Mine I put on the front of my sump. This way it's easier to pull off when changing my sump sock and it doesn't get wet. You can put it on any part of the sump glass/acrylic though. It will fit some thick glass/acrylic lol

 

[Pistondog]

Ordered lol

We drop 1 quart frozen juice bottles filled with water into the sump.
Most is 4 per day.
Or ice cubes in a ziplock baggie.
Have him get a 5 lb bag of ice and fill a 1 gallon baggie for sump.
This in addition to fans for evaporate cooling.
85 is OK, depending on livestock, short term.

 

[JohnnyKnuckles]

Fans will help but you need something now. With you not getting home to Monday, thats the hard part. Can you control your lights remotely? Pumps? Turn everything off except return pump till u get home

 

[Nick Steele]

Honestly if you just have fish and 1 coral I wouldn’t worry until you got to 86+ clownfish, blennys and dottybacks all spawn even with temps ranging 85-86 degrees. Long term not good but a week isn’t going to hurt most things.

 

[JohnnyKnuckles]

84° strong!! Although not recommended for everyone.