Hey guys this is very important we are having quiete the heat wave in boston today and my 55 gallon tank containing 2 red finned pacu 1 tiger oscar 1 red devil 1 catfich 1 jack dempsey and 1 goby, the temperature is soaring through the roof cuz my a/c just broke 2 hours ago CURRENT TEMP 96 degrees fahrenhieght I,m dumping ice in every 5 minutes and its not working.
!!!!!!URGENT Help NOW FISH may die!!!!!!!!
- Thread starter big scottie
- Start date
i had the same problem several weeks ago, do water changes with cold water everyday and freeze plastic water bottles and then float them in your tank i also used fans in my fishroom........good luck and on a side note you might be a lil overstocked in your 55gal
Get a bag of frozen anything out of the freezer and float it in the tank.
Also fill up plastic milk jugs with water and freeze them, and then put them in the tank.
Keep up the aeration, and as long as the fish aren't that big, you should be okay.
Also fill up plastic milk jugs with water and freeze them, and then put them in the tank.
Keep up the aeration, and as long as the fish aren't that big, you should be okay.
fans, surface aggitation, turn the lights out ( I'd pull the whole top off to encourage air flow), close shades in whole house, 25% water changes every few hours with cool water, frozen bags of just about anything. and don't freak out 
82 or less should be acceptable until night falls.. then open the windows and get some cool night air flowing. and get a window AC unit or similar for the room by tomorrow. or get yours fixed by then.
82 or less should be acceptable until night falls.. then open the windows and get some cool night air flowing. and get a window AC unit or similar for the room by tomorrow. or get yours fixed by then.Had the same thing happen to me a month ago...lost my Africans at 96 degrees. I did the water changes, frozen milk jugs (in plastic bags to avoid any contamination from any labels on the jugs), Alternate the frozen jugs every 3-4 hours. Turn out the lights and take off the top, LOTS OF AIR as the water will hold less oxygen as the temp goes higher. Most fish will die due to lack of oxygen before the heat kills them.....surface agitation and a fan blowing over the surface of the tank.
If you have external canister filters like the Filstar Xp series with the motor at the top, put one in a cooler, fill the cooler about 1/4 -1/3 up with cold water, add crushed ice and frozen 500ml plastic bottles that you get water in. Keep changing this as they melt. This rig will act as a home made "chiller", cooling the water as it goes through the filter.You will need plenty of space in a freezer to constantly rotate all these bottles. I wouldn't put ice directly into the tank unless it was contained in something as it will change your water chemistry.
Whatever you do, don't change the temp too quickly as this will lead to an opening for disease in your fish. Do temp changes slowly. Also, I would not unplug the heater....it will save you if you get the temp too low. Make sure it is set at the correct temp and leave it. It won't come on until it is needed anyhow.
This is what I learned from my experience. All my Africans died while I was at work...but with the above steps I was able to save the Pleco's and Clown Loaches.
Good Luck, and let us know how it all turns out.
Tim
If you have external canister filters like the Filstar Xp series with the motor at the top, put one in a cooler, fill the cooler about 1/4 -1/3 up with cold water, add crushed ice and frozen 500ml plastic bottles that you get water in. Keep changing this as they melt. This rig will act as a home made "chiller", cooling the water as it goes through the filter.You will need plenty of space in a freezer to constantly rotate all these bottles. I wouldn't put ice directly into the tank unless it was contained in something as it will change your water chemistry.
Whatever you do, don't change the temp too quickly as this will lead to an opening for disease in your fish. Do temp changes slowly. Also, I would not unplug the heater....it will save you if you get the temp too low. Make sure it is set at the correct temp and leave it. It won't come on until it is needed anyhow.
This is what I learned from my experience. All my Africans died while I was at work...but with the above steps I was able to save the Pleco's and Clown Loaches.
Good Luck, and let us know how it all turns out.
Tim
the tank is now down to 90 degrees after adding 2 10 gallon filters i had kickin around to keep the water moving and removing top, putting a big fan aiming down at the top of the water and taking water out of my tank and freezing it in multiple icecube trays in which will never be used for human consumption again I will keep doing this until it stays at around 80 Thanks so much to all that helped
i would rather do 80% 1 time than a bunch of 25% and if necess i'd just use tap over letting them be in 96 degree water i had to do that recently as my heater went nuts and fried a tank...