Temperature increasing

[NL146]

Hi. I have a 46G bowfront aquarium with just about 15lbs of base rock, one yellow tail damsel and a brown digi. I've had the tank running for just about 7 weeks, taking it slow. I introduced the digi just last week. About three days ago I noticed algae growth (brownish I guess). It's on the sand too. Over the last couple of days I noticed the temperature of my 46G tank going up. I turned off the sump, thinking that the Lifetech ap5300 pump was causing the temperature to go up, but this didn't bring the temp down. Right now the temp is at 84. I put a bag with ice in the tank and the ice melted in minutes. Anybody have any ideas?

 

[dubs]

leave the tank open and put fan blowing fresh air over it that should help a little but a chiller is ur best bet

 

[Teddy]

check the heater. it might not be working properly

the brown stuff is probably diatom

 

[NL146]

Thanks Dubs. I wasn't quite ready to invest in a chiller, but I guess I will just have to bite the bullet.

 

[NL146]

Thanks Teddy. That's the first thing I checked. The heater indicator light has not been on for a while, but maybe it is malfunctioning. I will unplug it for a while and see what happens.

 

[bubbles4]

what kind of lighting is on the tank/whats your lighting schedule? fans/open window near by works for me without the need of a chiller. What temp is your heater set to?

 

[Awibrandy]

what kind of lighting is on the tank/whats your lighting schedule? fans/open window near by works for me without the need of a chiller. What temp is your heater set to?

All excellent questions! One more to add to those. What is the temp in the room you keep the tank?
Also, feel that thermometer see if it is warm/hot.

I find it hard to believe that with the outdoor temps going down you are actually having this issue.
It has got to be something causing it.

 

[NL146]

Hey bubbles4. Right now I just have a 39 watt flourescent light fixture - I'm waiting for delivery of my MHs. The light is on for 8 hours per day. The heater is set at 80. Is it just a coincidence that the growth appeared about the same time the temp started going up?

 

[bubbles4]

sounds like a heater malfunction if there is no other equipment causing a significant amount of heat

 

[bubbles4]

Hey bubbles4. Right now I just have a 39 watt flourescent light fixture - I'm waiting for delivery of my MHs. The light is on for 8 hours per day. The heater is set at 80. Is it just a coincidence that the growth appeared about the same time the temp started going up?

diatoms can appear from temperature fluctuations, but it is likely you would have a diatom bloom regardless

 

[huffnpuffer]

try decreasing the temprature setting to 78 degrees some heaters have a +/- of 2 to 4 degrees. also try having a fan blow across the tank while keeping an open top. make sure you have good water circulation. good luck

 

[NL146]

Thanks for all the feedback guys. I have an idea why the heat may have been going up (best guess). My living room is just over the laundryroom, boiler room area so it is usually a little bit warmer than the rest of the apartment. The tank heater seems to be working ok. Also, after pulling my plumbing from the sump I realized that the clamps I used were not stainless steel after all and were rusting so at least some of the brown stuff was from that. Some of the rocks are a little cleaner since I disconnected the sump. I'm off to the hardware store to get either stainless steel clamps or plastic.