Question: Is 69-70 Degrees Too Warm?

[Gimpdiggity]

Hello everyone.

I'm in the process of setting up a more permanent home for Lotl. The creature is currently living in a 10 gallon tank that is along an exterior wall of my house, near a window. As such, in the winter, the tank hasn't been anything over 65 degrees.

However, the 20 long I'm setting up for the permanent habitat is along an interior wall, and to make this worse it's actually on the wall just opposite of my home's furnace. The tank is also running a much more powerful canister filter which I'm sure is contributing a bit of heat as well.

Anyway, the ambient temperature around the tank feels significantly warmer than the air around the 10, I'm guessing because it's not near an exterior wall and some of the heat from the furnace radiates through the wall.

So, in that tank, the two thermometers in there are reading 69 and 70 degrees...so they're basically the same.

I'm 99% sure that this location will actually be COOLER in the summer than the exterior wall because the furnace won't be running...but I'm wondering, is 69-70 getting into the "I should probably figure out a way to cool the water a bit" territory, or is that going to be an okay temperature??

I ask because I've read that the ideal temperature is between 60-64, but that the temperature doesn't really become an issue until up around 74 or so. That seems odd to mea that the ideal temperature is 10 degrees LESS than the "danger zone," but that's what I've read from multiple sources.

I have no problem getting a chiller if need be, but I would prefer to not spend the money right now as I've already put a good $300 into setting up this 20 long for Lotl. I had hoped to be able to get by without one, but...if it's going to be best to get one, I'll just go ahead and get one now so that I don't have to worry about it.

Thanks.
Jeff

 

[AxolotlChris]

21 degrees Celsius is beginning to get too hot. You'd ideally want to be bet ween 16-18.

Are you saying you have water in the new tank and its is 20-21 degrees Celsius?

 

[Gimpdiggity]

Yes, the 20 is fishless cycling while Lotl remains in the 10.

The 20 shows 69 on one thermometer, and 70 on the other...I've got both of the thermometers I have in the one tank to make sure that they were reading similarly.

 

[AxolotlChris]

It would be safer to get a chiller. Since your closer to the maximum water temperature, if there was a rise in temperature during summer months, or a rise in temperature from the heating system in your home during winter you would have no room for error. Having the ideal lower water temperature gives you more room for the temperature to rise do to unforeseen circumstances with out being over the limit where disease and stress can occur.

 

[Gimpdiggity]

It won't get over 70.

I have an $11,000 state of the art furnace. There are no "unforeseen rises in temperature" with the system.

In the summer the basement actually stays cooler than it does in the winter because the AC only utilizes the variable velocity fan in the HVAC system to push the cool air.

 

[Gimpdiggity]

I don't know why it wouldn't let me edit my post last night...

The only reason I mention how much that furnace cost, is because it's probably the LEAST fun way of spending that much money!!!! I mean, I can think of so many more entertaining ways to spend $11k.

Anyway...I was able to use a fan on the tank today to bring it down to 65...but...I don't like the way it looks because there's no good place to set a fan near the tank, and I also don't want to run the tank without the glass cover in place. I have given some thought to making a screen cover and then finding a way to mount the fan on the wall near the tank, but ultimately I think that would be not very ideal.

I'll be ordering a 1/10th HP chiller in the next day or so. The tank is still undergoing testing to make sure it's fully cycled, so I don't plan on moving the Lotl into it for a few days at the earliest.

 

[axolodemia]

from what i've read, the yearly average temperature of the waters where the axolotl is native (canals in mexico city and nearby ponds) is around 70 degrees f. that means it's a little colder than 70 in the winter and a little hotter than 70 in the summer. 69-70 deg f is a fine temp for your axies.

rather than waste money on a chiller, if you really want the tank to cool off, protect it from direct sun, leave the lid off, and aim a regular old household fan at the surface. water cools as it evaporates, that's why we humans sweat on a hot day.

 

[SheFoxy]

After you move them if you have a "warmer" day you can try putting a 2 litter of frozen water in for a few hours. My old 20 gal got around 68-70 before I moved it and the 2 litter would help keep things cool for a day.

(You can also use water bottles but use more than one)