Need help keeping a garage aquarium temperature regulated!

[jeebus]

My 150 with trophs in it is hanging around 90 degrees. It started about a two week ago. I'm doing frequent water changes and leaving the garage door cracked when I'm home during the day, but I've got three with bloat in the last week, and I think its the heat that is stressing them out.

What can I do?

[fishboyt]

Use a chiller?

[jeebus]

I'm debating it now. Not sure what else I can do. I'm wondering what everyone does?

[algarciajr]

Glen,

Other than doing my regular water changes, I do not do anything special to my tanks in the garage.

[jeebus]

What are your temperatures running?

[geoff_tropheus]

Insulate your Garage.

Take the tops off the tank and put a fan blowing over the top.

Be careful what MED you are using for treating BLOAT, some get toxic at high temperatures and lower Oxygen

Add more powerheads with the Air Eductors on them full blast.

This is going to increase evaporation and add cooling.

Put a windo unit in your garage.

just some ideas

[algarciajr]

What are your temperatures running?

Same as yours, around 90 degrees. I have thought about putting styrofoam panels on the garage before, but I have never done it. In my new house the garage door faces west and gets more evening sun than my prevous house which faced north. Not sure how much it would really help.

[Navarro]

I have been keeping tropheus in my garage for 3 year with no ill effects but this year, it may be the draught because is hot! I am adding a chiller to mine TODAY is like freaking 105 F outside my office right now! So my garage must be at 89 F ~ 95 F if not more.
Luis

[algarciajr]

I agree with Luis, it is a lot warmer so far this early in the year.

[jeebus]

Man... two fish dead, two more with bloat.

I just got off the phone with Jesper. He told me a pretty good idea. Take a few 2 liter bottles, fill them with water, freeze them, then drop them in the sump as needed to cool the water.

I'll give that a try tonight/tomorrow, but if it doesn't work by tomorrow night, I'm pulling them out of the 150 and throwing them into the 135. The weird thing is that my three 20 gallon tanks have gotten over 86 yet. I guess its from the lack of pump equipment touching the water.

I can't afford a chiller

[PhishPhreek]

buy an old refrigerator and build a W/D inside it.

all you need is a couple of containers, a pump and a drill bit bigger than your pipes.

[76dragon]

My garage is HOT also, I just have a crack it it. I just recently added a dehumidifier . That does help with the moisture alot. No ill effects luckily. Good idea on the frozen bottles

[jeebus]

I think I might get a shop fan tomorrow. Not sure how much that will help.

I'm not sure where to look for garage door insulation panels. Suggestions?

[geoff_tropheus]

Get the tanks inside. IF you need to make room, ditch the sofa for about 4-6 months and then put the tank back inside.

[jeebus]