I was feeding my fish this morning when I noticed the water was really warm. I checked the temp and it was 90 degrees, which is the highest it reads on my therm. I did a 30% water change and now it is down to 86, I don't want to shock my fish and plants so I am just going to let the water temp. drop gradually. Is this ok or should I do another water change?
It looked like someone turned my heater all the way up...I don't think anyone in my house would do that though. Maybe it's time to buy a new heater.
Heat spike!
Forum rules
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
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Christemo
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Re: Heat spike!
Your heater probably blew. Take out the heater and trash it and go buy another one.
Two F8's, two tiny fantails and a pleco call me mommy.
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EliWhitney314
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Re: Heat spike!
I can't until tomorrow. Are you sure it blew?
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EliWhitney314
- Figure 8 Puffer
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Re: Heat spike!
My fish seem to be fine as of now, they aren't acting like anything is different and they all pigged out. I will moniter it until tomorrow and then I can buy a new one.
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Christemo
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Re: Heat spike!
Well, if nobody touched it, and the temperature spiked to be 90 degrees, then that would most likely be a heater problem. Unless someone turned the heater on your house up WAYY high (do it yourself sauna?), or your tank is just going through global warming, then yes, I believe it's your heater.
Edit: I would still take the heater out. If it shorts in the water, you could be dealing with a dangerous situation.
Edit: I would still take the heater out. If it shorts in the water, you could be dealing with a dangerous situation.
Two F8's, two tiny fantails and a pleco call me mommy.
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EliWhitney314
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Re: Heat spike!
hahaha ok it's out.
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EliWhitney314
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Re: Heat spike!
should my plants be okay?
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ryverrat
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Re: Heat spike!
Plants should be ok. The high temp would do more harm. I have brought plants home (2+ hrs. drive with a stop for dinner) in the middle of the winter without them dying. Water holds heat very well and most likely your house is not less than 68F anyway.
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Bogwoodbruce
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Re: Heat spike!
I keep all my tanks around 28 really to help cut down risk of paracites etc and it can get cold especially in the pond room. But even if its warm out, it shouldnt have risen that much. I imagine that the thermostat may have gotten stuck on. It happens, we get a few heaters returned at the shop with that sorta problem. Its usually with the tetraTec models.
Whats the brand?
Whats the brand?
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Sponge bob
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Re: Heat spike!
Mine did that to, it was like 90 degree's to, I rushed got bags of ice,put it in the tank bc my tank stays at 76 and everyone lived accept my albino cory
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Homer
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50G - Planted Tank (CRS only tank) - Location (country): Hong Kong
Re: Heat spike!
Is your tank by any chance near a window? coz i've noticed with one of my tanks which is near a window that when its a really sunny day out it can raise my tank temp by a good 2 - 3 degrees C?
Sleep is the cousin of Death...
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EliWhitney314
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Re: Heat spike!
no, and this has never been a problem before
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bazil323
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- Location: Northern Wisconsin
Re: Heat spike!
Must have been the heater. It happens a lot with the store brand or less known brands. I think many people use Stealth heaters. I only have one good heater (Eheim Jager) and the rest are all cheaper ones or ones I got used with my tanks, so I check the temps at least once a day to make sure everything is going okay. After 1+ year, still okay.
Did you get it new and do you still have the receipt and stuff? You might be able to get a replacement from the company.
Did you get it new and do you still have the receipt and stuff? You might be able to get a replacement from the company.
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Myaj
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Re: Heat spike!
Heat kills, cold perserves (well, usually, if its not freezing) when it comes to plants.
Was your dial set to 90+ or do you have one that doesn't have markings? If it was turned up too high, then someone bumped it or changed it. If you don't know, then I'd just replace it to be safe.
Always let tanks adjust their temperature gradually.. big temp changes can stress out the fish and bacteria and cause things like ich breakouts, crashes, etc.
Was your dial set to 90+ or do you have one that doesn't have markings? If it was turned up too high, then someone bumped it or changed it. If you don't know, then I'd just replace it to be safe.
Always let tanks adjust their temperature gradually.. big temp changes can stress out the fish and bacteria and cause things like ich breakouts, crashes, etc.
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EliWhitney314
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 172
- Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 1:14 am
Re: Heat spike!
I got a new heater today, and a T-5 hood and lights. I am all set