As all you know, we are having some "extreme" low temperatures in Los Angeles. I like many of you keep tanks in my garage. I have never had issues keeping my fish warm in the winter. My Tanks all vary fom 50 to 215 gallons, and I use 200 watt to 250 watt heaters. In the coldest of winters, in previouse years, the water temp. would be maybe 78 Degrees F*, i heater setting was 80*F. I had ALL my heaters set at 79*F after this summer, and yesterday, I was supprised to see the water as cold as 70*F !!! I immediatly raisded the settings to 84, in hopes this will help? Aside from raising setting or buying 300 watt heaters, what is everyone else in SoCal experiancing?? Any other suggestions? Will raising setting to 90*F on a 200 watt heater raise temp. to a safe level, so my cichlids survive? For all those not familiar with SoCal weather, please understand, that the temperature never drops gto low 40's, normally when very cold, it drops to mid-low 50's, but even that is not common. There really has never been a need for high power heaters. Helpful info please!!!
Cold Cichlids in So Cal!!!
- Thread starter JoeFatFish
- Start date
Turning the set temp up on a heater will not make it heat any faster or better, if the water temp is lower than the set temp the heater is on.
Turning the heaters up makes overheating the tanks a real possibility when the air temp goes back up.
You will have to either get second heaters or put a space heater in the garage temporarily until the cold nights pass.
Burt
Turning the heaters up makes overheating the tanks a real possibility when the air temp goes back up.
You will have to either get second heaters or put a space heater in the garage temporarily until the cold nights pass.
Burt
Mid 50s rare? Im in LA too, in the 40s is common. Something in the mid-upper 30s is rare but has happened.
I have multiple tanks in my garage. I recently insulated the walls in my garage and insulated my tanks with some stuff called "Reflectex" not sure if i got the name right but its aluminum type bubble wrap i got from Homedepot. I covered all the sides except the front of the tank and with only 1 250watt stealth heater set at 85degrees i am able to maintain the tank temp. at 74degrees on cold nights ranging from mid 20's to low 30's.
Try filling a plastic container (old Milk Jug) (Old Pepsi 3 liter) with HOT water and capping it tightly Insert a few times and see if the temp does not rise in an hour or so. You might have to do it once every hour or so til you have raised the temp a few degrees. Just experiment with what you are comfortable with.
Short term answer, but might get you through the cold snap
Short term answer, but might get you through the cold snap
(still alive BTW)
bigfish9;2550949; said:
Grow up
Now go ahead and leave a very childish insult directed towards me.