What to Do If Your Freshwater Aquarium Lights Are Heating Up Your Water Tank
This is a common question, especially with those that are just starting out in keeping an aquarium. Most of the time, freshwater aquarium lights will come attached to the lid of the tank, and the manufacturer of the tank will ensure that he has put in the right kind of lights (fluorescent) for that size of tank, so therefore you need not make any kind of adjustment.
Sometimes tough, you may opt to buy a tank where you have to choose and install the lights yourself. You may have temperature spikes once in a while and it’s important to know how to deal with them.
First off, let’s talk about the two possibilities for freshwater aquarium lights: you can use either incandescent or fluorescent lights, but fluorescent is highly recommended.
Incandescent will do two things: it is going to heat up your tank much faster and it’s going to consume a lot of power. These kinds of bulbs have more or less been phased out but you can still find them on offer at some pet shops.
Fluorescent lights are much more energy-efficient and do not heat up your tank very easily. Most of time, unless the light itself is faulty and needs changing, the added temperature in your fish tank is picked from the surrounding environment.
Hot summer days or extremely cold winter days will affect your fish too. The normal temperature range is about 760F to 830F. A degree higher or lower will not kill your fish but anything more, especially if it happens in a span of 24 hours, will kill them.
If you notice that your freshwater aquarium lights are heating up your fish tank, here is what you do:
1. Turn off the lights immediately and be prepared to get them fixed. You may need to replace them – a wise idea, as a faulty light is an accident waiting to happen.
2. You next need to get working on cooling the tank. Already, taking the lid off to fix the lights has allowed some warmed up air to leave the tank. If you look at your thermometer after a few minutes and the reading is still high enough to make you uncomfortable, grab a few ice cubes. This may be a tricky one especially if you put in too many – they will cause a sudden drop in temperature which is just as bad for your fish. Put in one or two, depending on their size, in different sections of the fish tank; this will lower the temperature.
3. You can use a fan aimed at the top of the water to cool it off, but don’t leave it on for too long. After normal temperature is restored, let natural circulation continue.
4. Another easy one is to switch on the AC. Once you have the lid off, close all the windows and put on the AC until the temperature drops. This can be an expensive way though because of the amount of power it consumes.
The best way to keep your fish safe from getting heated up by freshwater aquarium lights is to ensure that you buy the right kind of lights in the first place and after that, make sure that all installations are always in order. Remember that weather-related temperature spikes are gradual and not sudden and in many cases the fish will acclimatize. Keep your eye on the thermometer though – check at least once or twice a day.
About the Author
Robert is an experienced aquarist, who owns and maintains his and other people’s aquariums. For loads of great tips on freshwater aquarium lights, visit http://www.freshwater-aquariumsecrets.com
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