Metal Halide heating problem... ICH?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
R

ripper171

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 14, 2009
46
0
0
Winnipeg
So i just recently, in hte last 2-3 weeks, switched to a 400W metal halide lighting system in my 65G tank.. (36LX18W x 24H) and i tried switching off my heater and the temp was constant 81 during the day, but fell to about 76-77 at night..

Now i'm running both the heater and the lights (obviuosly) and i cant get a constant temp...

i have a bi-color angel who just got ICH and i'd like to raise the aquarium to 85 constant.. i i have no idea how not to cook them during the day and keep water hot at night...

thanks for any input..

p.s. i suppose i should have done more research about the metal halide lights and how the work before installing them.

p.p.s. i have a built in fan (in the canopy) that runs all the time, to keep the air moving.

thanks again...
stef
 
Put the heater on a thermostats. Also you can put the heater on a timer that's out of phase with the lights. Most functional heaters have one so this should not be happening unless the heater is set up for external control or broken.
 
Dont increase the temperature if you have ich, it will increase the rate in which ich muliply and breed, therefore worsening the infection.

As for maintaining a higher temperature, I wouldn't increase the temp, Bicolour angels like it between 72 and 78 (like most reef fish) so your already to hot.
 
I would suggest using Kick Ich for your tank, i used it in my nano and within a week the ich was gone. 100% reef safe, none of my inverts or corals died. Make sure you're not running any carbon while you're dosing it though, or have mechanical filtration.

As for the heating issue, most people run a chiller if they have MH lighting, if you have the extra cash to dish out its not a bad investment.
 
Thx Geron; I do have an external fan running with and whenever the light is on, and vlad i am running a heater with thermostat (****ty one mind you... elite) but if i set it to maintain 78 or so, then during the day it will be off but the light will kick the system to almost 84. :cry:

So maybe i should just set it to 73 and it will probally hardly come on.
ICH is doing really well, almost all gone, my first choice for curing it was picking up a Cleaner Wrasse, he did awesome! within an hour he had picked the bi-color clean, and has taken quite a liking to my yellow tang, though he is not sick. there are still small traces of the parasites and if they dont go away i will be picking up a bottle of KICK ICH.

Insightful information you have there Kevin, thx, :):) i related the temps to my freshwater standards and forgot they do not live in the same places at all! I will be researching the temps for most of the fish i have, and corals... it seems 77 is fair for everyone, weird tho... almost dont need heating at that point,:chillpill:

Would anyone say it's un healthy for the temp to cool off 3 degrees at night then come back up when the light is on? 74-77\78 :confused: :confused: :confused:

thanks again for reading!:popcorn:
 
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