Why hands make terrible thermometers...

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FINWIN

FINWIN

Alligator Gar
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Dec 21, 2018
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Welp, did a huge w/c on the 225 today. I usually do the 'hand test' with the reverse flow on the python system to double check water temps. Seemed ok. Closed valve, let it fill up.

So later as I wait for it to top off I notice my normally agreeable Chocolate is testy and biting at fish. The BP decided to hide. The Sev kind of flitted about, kinda peevish. Oscar bum rushed everybody like a red cannonball, making them scatter. Usually fresh water makes them all a bit fiesty for a couple of hours but this was over the top. Water still felt ok, but I had the feeling I was overlooking the obvious, the actual temp.

Wasn't ok at all...damn near 87 degrees.

It's been abnormally warm here the last few days, and ground temp has warmed the pipes. So my normal check routine was no good...the basement ambient air temps are warmer too.

So I tossed in a few lbs of ice cubes. Everyone perked up in a more normal mode. All the lids are up and the aeration will help. Want to get temps around 80-81 but may still have to do a small 'cold water' partial change. Waiting for a 225 to cool off may take longer than I'd like to see.

There have been days (dep on air temp and humidity) when the water 'felt' icy cold and was in reality 80ish. Other times it has' felt' warm and was 75-76. So from here on out the digital temp will be taken at fill.
 
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Are you sure someone wasn't using the water somewhere else in the house, washing machine going. If water is being used elsewhere it will change the temp when it stops due to the draw it was pulling is now available. I always make sure that there is no other use at all during refilling.
 
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FINWIN said:
Welp, did a huge w/c on the 225 today. I usually do the 'hand test' with the reverse flow on the python system to double check water temps. Seemed ok. Closed valve, let it fill up.

So later as I wait for it to top off I notice my normally agreeable Chocolate is testy and biting at fish. The BP decided to hide. The Sev kind of flitted about, kinda peevish. Oscar bum rushed everybody like a red cannonball, making them scatter. Usually fresh water makes them all a bit fiesty for a couple of hours but this was over the top. Water still felt ok, but I had the feeling I was overlooking the obvious, the actual temp.

Wasn't ok at all...damn near 87 degrees.

It's been abnormally warm here the last few days, and ground temp has warmed the pipes. So my normal check routine was no good...the basement ambient air temps are warmer too.

So I tossed in a few lbs of ice cubes. Everyone perked up in a more normal mode. All the lids are up and the aeration will help. Want to get temps around 80-81 but may still have to do a small 'cold water' partial change. Waiting for a 225 to cool off may take longer than I'd like to see.

There have been days (dep on air temp and humidity) when the water 'felt' icy cold and was in reality 80ish. Other times it has' felt' warm and was 75-76. So from here on out the digital temp will be taken at fill.
Click to expand...



Good thing it was warmer and not cold like 55° or lower.
 
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Jexnell said:
Are you sure someone wasn't using the water somewhere else in the house, washing machine going. If water is being used elsewhere it will change the temp when it stops due to the draw it was pulling is now available. I always make sure that there is no other use at all during refilling.
Click to expand...

Found out dishwasher was on in the kitchen, so that may have been it. Went downstairs to check the temp fifteen minutes ago, it's down to 84.3 (I have a digital on both ends) More normal behavior, too. I got the "FEED ME" look from everyone crowding the front glass.

That crazy temp also explained all the micro bubbles. They've since cleared.
 
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Yup the dishwasher was using hot water when you checked it. Then it stopped, so more was available, you also had more hot going into the tank than normal (since it was being used so you had to open the valve more to get what you are used to). So when the dishwasher was done more hot was available and valve being open more than normal lead to high temp in tank.
 
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Another side effect of the high temp I wanted to add was the clouding of slime coat, most notably on the Severum and Chocolate. Their milky areas cleared with the reduced temp.
 
When i'm doing water changes and filling back up, no one, absolutely no one, goes anywhere near any taps in our house anymore. My son once started running a shower upstairs. The water going into the tank went cold but I sussed it very quickly because i'm totally anal about my refill temp and i'm forever checking. If it weren't for this I could have had a tank wipe out.
 
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The hands are rather dull to temperature as we use them solely to pick up things. Different parts of the body are more sensitive than others for various reasons.
If I were you I'd test the water with an elbow, wrist, arm, etc, but not your hand since its temperature detecting is dulled.
 
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