How hot can it go???

[Lucky_Phil]

HI Guys,

I don't know about you guys but we're sweltering. My question is... how hot is terminal for a BN? We don't have aircon and today while we were out the tank has got up to 32 degrees!!! (stick on thermometre)

Thinking of doing a partial water change to cool it down a bit. Your thoughts?

Cheers,

Lucky

 

[scatz]

its not so much about the temperature, although obviously too hot isn't good, but more about the amount of O2 that the water can hold, higher temps = less oxygen.
i would be increasing the oxygen as much as possible right now, another air stone or raise powerheads above the water line etc.
I'd definitely be doing more water changes to keep the temp down, try to keep it below 30c, you could also get a plastic tub with ice in and float that in the tank, or aim a fan/cooler to blow across the surface of the tank.

 

[Doodles]

32 isn't too bad short term but as Scatz said you need to provide extra aeration to compensate for loss of DO. I use a fan to blow across the top of water when its hot, helps provide agitation plus cools the water down.

 

[Rabbit]

One of the other members on here had there tank go up to 42 during the last heat wave in aus, he lost a few fish due to it being so high, but i have had my tank up to 39 during heat waves with always high oxygen and didnt lose anything.

 

[Doodles]

The thing is with bristlenoses is that they have the ability like Pterygoplichthys to take in surface air according to back to nature book. It helps them when oxygen levels are particularly low to survive as they come from rivers where this can happen on occasion.

 

[Lucky_Phil]

Thanks Guys, did a couple of water changes last night and moved the powerhead closer to the surface, stuck the aerator onto it, moved a spare airpump onto the tank and cleaned the filter to give it more OOMPF. Change came through last night and all good... Might even leave the powerhead where it is.... though they did seem to like the current near the bottom of the tank.

 

[macvsog23]

Use plastic milk bottles full of tank water place them in the freezer and then when frozen place in the tank. Use several bottles to keep a supply of cold / frozen water to cool the tank.