Tip of the Day – 12/29/2014

It isn’t uncommon for aquarists to keep their aquariums, or at least some portion of their system, out in the garage. During those lovely weather months, where the outside temperatures hover in the 60s and 70s, all is well. But in the months of extreme temperatures, mainly those where summer and winter are in full effect, keeping the water temperatures stable can be a bit of a challenge. For the winter months, which we are currently enjoying, adding water heaters may not provide enough to fight off the cold. In these cases, adding a space heater or some sort of air handling equipment to the area can certainly help. If these don’t help, adding insulation to different equipment can help a little too. Wrap up that external protein skimmer in a blanket, or put some sort of covering over larger items to help keep the heat in. If those don’t help, a good old energy hog of a pump can help keep water temps elevated. Just toss one in the sump and let it run. Sure, your energy usage will increase, but you won’t have to battle chronically low water temps as much.