Anyway, enough background info, and on to my real question. I live in
South Florida now, in an air conditioned house. The a/c is set to keep
the house at 79 degrees or below, but the tank has stabilized at between
82 at night and 84 or even 85 during the day. That is according to my
temp. controller; the Tetra stick-on thermometer even indicates 1-2
degrees higher. I am planning on having discus in this tank, when I have
enough shade cover built up for them, but I also have some dwarf
cichlids, 75 neons, and assorted housekeepers. Will this temperature
work long-term? I tried to select plants that were suitable at higher
temps., but the reality is that I'm several degrees over what I thought
I would be. Between the lamp ballasts and the Iwaki pump, the inside of
my enclosed base is quite warm.
Do I need to bite the bullet and get a chiller? From the size of the
tank, I think I'm looking at $800+. Worse, I don't think I can put the
chiller in a completely enclosed base, and my wife won't like it humming
there next to the tank.