They stood no chance - Heat

[Hendre]

Hey guys.

Heatwaves aren't fun, we've been facing 90-100°f all week just out of winter. And now it's blasted not just me, but me tetras too. As I was doing my evening feeding I saw a glowlight tetra floating in the corner. Upon closer inspection all 5 were dead.

The heater light was still burning so I threw a thermometer in; 92 degrees in there. The fish were decomposed quite badly, mind you there were eating like pigs the night before.

The ammonia was 4ppm and nitrite 5. The smell almost made me throw up.

So guys, please just be careful with smaller tanks and heaters in summer. If I unplugged it maybe this could have been avoided...

Hendré out

 

[Drstrangelove]

That sucks. I can take losing a fish various ways, but seeing a decomposing body in my tank (a few times), is the worst.

 

[duanes]

Just wondering why you have the heaters plugged in at all during heat waves.
Heaters are some of the most unreliable pieces of aquarium equipment, and I find when most heaters fail, its in the "On " position, tending to cook the fish.
Most fish can take minor drops in temp, so I always unplugged all heaters, May thru Sept in Wisconsin. Where you are probably just the opposite months.
If your home stays 70'F or warmer certain times of the year, there is little need for heaters for most fish.

 

[TwoHedWlf]

So guys, please just be careful with smaller tanks and heaters in summer. If I unplugged it maybe this could have been avoided...

Hendré out

I see this all the time, people unplugging their heaters thinking it will cool the tank. That's not how heaters work. They have a thermostat to turn them off above the set temp. What you have was either a failed thermostat or a tank overheated by the environment.

I've never had a heater fail on, always off.

You can get aquarium chillers for a few hundred dollars. I'm actually surprised there aren't any that will also run in reverse to heat, should be significantly more efficient than resistive heating.

 

[duanes]

The thermostat on most heaters, is at times the weakest link.
Most of mine that failed over 60+ years of fish keeping in the "On" positions, and from the opening post, Hendre's it also looks like it failed in the "On" position (the light was on), still heating the tank at the same time as the heat wave.

 

[RD.]

Just chiming in to add to Duane's comment. Over many years of being in this hobby I have heard of a few heaters failing in the off mode, but the vast majority of heater failures I have read about (and experienced first hand) is when a heater fails in the ON position. For that exact reason I run temp controllers in my tanks to add an extra layer of protection for this type of failure.

Sorry about the loss of your fish, Hendre.

 

[krichardson]

Just wondering why you have the heaters plugged in at all during heat waves.
Heaters are some of the most unreliable pieces of aquarium equipment, and I find when most heaters fail, its in the "On " position, tending to cook the fish.
Most fish can take minor drops in temp, so I always unplugged all heaters, May thru Sept in Wisconsin. Where you are probably just the opposite months.
If your home stays 70'F or warmer certain times of the year, there is little need for heaters for most fish.

Good question and points.

 

[Hendre]

That was the only heater left in, unfortunately it's also the one that seems to have the worst thermostat control. Everything else is unheated and runs fine...

You can get aquarium chillers for a few hundred dollars. I'm actually surprised there aren't any that will also run in reverse to heat, should be significantly more efficient than resistive heating.

As nice as these are it's way beyond my budget, I just unplug heaters and let it roll. Hopefully everything else goes fine through the summer.

 

[Deadliestviper7]

Same here, out here there's a trick: put cooler packs in the freezer or fridge and put them in the tank as needed

 

[Hendre]

Same here, out here there's a trick: put cooler packs in the freezer or fridge and put them in the tank as needed

Others have recommended it too, I should try when I'm at home.