I live in San Diego so for 8 months of the year I turn off my heaters and my tanks stay between 80 and 82 F. Each Fall I have to decide what temperature to set because I only have to heat my house about 6 days a winter when it is very cold (highs in the 40's) and my tanks would average below 70 F without heat. Each year I debate between saving money (20+ tanks) and keeping my plecos happy. My balance is 78 F (except for heat lovers like L46). Below 76 F I have gotten a few sick plecos that raising the temperature cured. What temperature do you set your tanks at?
Do you drop your tank temperature in the winter?
- Thread starter Recumbent
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I keep my thermostat at 77. At summer, tank would maintain around 81 by itself. Winter time heaters will maintain 77. Like you mentioned, need to keep watchful eyes during this period for diseases, not only for the plecos, but even more so for my aro n other fish.
Im not too particular. I aim for 76-78 on all of my tanks. I keep community fish, some african and some south American cichlids.
I live in Wisconsin. Heaters stay on all year. Alot of times in summer the temp drops alot at night to prevent me from removing/unplugging heaters.
In winter its a constant struggle with heating. My wife thinks setting the thermostat at 60* helps save money, when in reality there's 5-600 watts of heaters spinning the kwh meter around and round.
Long story short, its cold as hell where I live, and through the stubbornness of my wife, my aquariums play an integral part of heating my house lol
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I live in Wisconsin. Heaters stay on all year. Alot of times in summer the temp drops alot at night to prevent me from removing/unplugging heaters.
In winter its a constant struggle with heating. My wife thinks setting the thermostat at 60* helps save money, when in reality there's 5-600 watts of heaters spinning the kwh meter around and round.
Long story short, its cold as hell where I live, and through the stubbornness of my wife, my aquariums play an integral part of heating my house lol
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I only setup my heaters or rather plug them in when we get really cold temps. The tanks in my room don't drop that low. I'm here in LA County so cold temps are not to common. I know some years I never need them. Gonna have to plug them in though since it does get cold in my room at night right now. Darn wacky Cali weather lol. Oh forgot I usually aim between 75-80. They seem to stay happy for me at that temp.
I keep primarily plecos from Uruguay, so temps down to the 50s in the winter are appreciated.
My 150g of Royal Plecos stays at ~76 normally and maybe a bit lower in the winter.
Matt
My 150g of Royal Plecos stays at ~76 normally and maybe a bit lower in the winter.
Matt
I've always kept my fish at a constant 82-84 degrees year round. Unless I'm trying to breed something, cooling them is never part of the plan.
I've always kept my fish at a constant 80-84 degrees year round. I have tried setting to 78 for a month and the clown loaches got ich so cooling them is never part of the plan anymore. I have heard other people in Cali keeping tropical fish with no heater but they do have to their house heated to 73f degrees. One way or another it will cost you to heat your tank.
Mayb you should consider putting solar panels.
Mayb you should consider putting solar panels.
I don't keep Pleco much, so I can't really recommend, Vic. However, my tank water temp is lower during winter, around around 75 at day, 70 at night, and could go as low as 65 after a water change. If you plan to keep low temp, you may want to gradually drop the temp very few degrees each week or month, including daytime temp. You may not want a temp fluctuation more than 10 degrees at anytime, between day/night or when do water change
He already did, Joe
Keep my angel and ram tank at 81, green spot puffer at 77, goldfish unheated. Depends on the fish for me, I only run power filters and sponges so there isn't much ambient heat from the gear, away from windows for algae and temp swings reasons. I tend to set the houses thermostat for 78 summer, 66 winter so the heaters have to work harder in the winter but I strive to keep stable temps.
Maybe I shouldn't though, this is my first post in a few years, last post was after a faulty heater cooked an awesome tank of mine. Almost put me off fish keeping.
Maybe I shouldn't though, this is my first post in a few years, last post was after a faulty heater cooked an awesome tank of mine. Almost put me off fish keeping.
You can put solar panels to just run your tank? l run 4 heaters when I have them one 2 in each tank so I worry about the electric bill.