FISH TANK TEMPERATURE

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There are many tests that we perform on our tank water to ensure that the quality is high to give us a thriving aquarium, but one aspect that many fish keepers seem to overlook is constant monitoring of the aquarium temperature.

At least once per day thermometers should be checked to make sure that there are no temperature swings occurring, and indeed checking the temperature so that we know the aquarium heater is actually working.

But why is temperature so important?

Fish are cold blooded creatures, they cannot create their own body temperature, and therefore the water around them will give their body heat to maintain a correct metabolism. Fish originate from all corners of the globe, in different parts of the world the fish will live in different temperature scales. They can tolerate a slight variance from the natural water temperature, but beyond that the fish will start to suffer which in turn will induce stress in the fish; this can then lead to fatalities in the aquarium as the fishes immune system will start to break down and bacterial infections can start to attack the fish.

This is why it is always important to research any fish before you add them to the tank so that optimum living conditions can be provided for them.

Researching the ideal temperature setting for you fish is not too difficult for anyone even a novice. Most profiles available will include it in the brief summaries provided. Asking at the pet stores is also a good idea; if the assistants are knowledgeable on the fish they sell they will be able to answer your questions straight away. Most species of tropical fish are found in waters that range from 65°F-90°F, this is usually the widest margin you will find, the more common species sold will range between 75°F and 82°F, there are exceptions to the rule, hence the initial research. If you do find out that you have a mixed bag of fish as regards the required temperatures then averaging out a middle temperature will normally suffice.

Monitoring the temperature

Every aquarium should have a good thermometer either inside it or on the outside of the tank. Thermometers that go inside the tank are the glass tube type. These work by dyed alcohol rising up the scale as the temperature increases. On the scale there is normally an area that is shaded in green depending on the supplier. This area tells you that the reading should be in between the upper green mark and the lower green mark for the average tropical fish. Another style of thermometer available is the strip thermometer which sits on the outside of the tank, as the temperature rises the scale will illuminate by means of liquid crystal. Both of these thermometers are readily available in all pet stores and cost as little as 2 pounds (4 dollars to purchase). For more accurate measurements of the temperature there are available battery operated thermometers that use a wired probe. The probe sits inside the tank while the LCD display unit sits on the outside of the tank. The display on these will read right down to 1 tenth of a degree making the setting of the heaters much more accurate. These small units are slightly more expensive but they are not over priced. They can be purchased for 3 to 4 pounds (6 to 8 dollars).

Setting the temperature

One of the most crucial pieces of equipment that you can buy for the aquarium is a good, reliable heater. In some of the larger aquariums two heaters will be required to reach the correct water temperature. Nowadays nearly all of the heaters sold are submersible in the tank water and are very easy to set. There is a dial in the top of the thermostat that is simply turned to the correct setting, we must remember though, if the dial reads a certain temperature then the tank water may not finish up being that temperature. With a bit of fine tweaking up or down on the dial this problem is easily overcome. Also available to purchase are inline heaters that fit onto the piping of external filters, some fish keepers prefer to use these so that the heater is not on display in the main tank.

The biggest problem with buying the heater is knowing which wattage is required for the size of the aquarium. The golden rule is 3 watts per gallon of water in the tank, so if your tank holds 50 gallons then the minimum size heater required is 150 watts. If the aquarium is over 100 gallons two heaters will be required if the largest available is only 300 watts. This problem can also be overcome by purchasing titanium heaters, these can range anywhere up to 800 watts, and they are more expensive than any other style of heater but are far more reliable and robust.

The temperature of the tank will alter through the year as the external air temp cools and rises with the seasons. This is another reason for monitoring the tank temperature constantly. The submersible heater will need to be adjusted higher in colder seasons and reduced when the warmer weather arrives.

Always use the higher wattage of heater that is in your aquarium range rather than letting a smaller wattage heater struggle to maintain the temperature.

At some stage in a fish keeper’s life they will experience the ultimate horror - a power cut. There is no need to panic if this occurs; there are several ways to minimize its effect on the water temperature. As soon as you have noticed that there is no power, wrap towels or a blanket around the tank, this will keep the heat in. It takes longer for water to cool down than it does to heat up.

Slowly adding hot treated tap water will help to keep the temperature up. If the temperature does drop right down after a long power cut, once the power is restored do not be tempted to raise the back up quickly. This will do more harm than good and will be detrimental to the health of your fish. Let the heater bring everything back to normal in its own time and the fish will be OK.

My final tip of the article is – always use a heater guard over the heater as they get very hot around the glass. Covering it over with a plastic sheath will prevent any injuries to the fish.

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Fish Tank Temperature

has been viewed times since June 30, 2009.