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Hello! So, due to how hot it's been lately, my turtle's tank water has been above 80 degrees. I haven't seen him bask once in the last couple of days. It doesn't help that his light is shinning on the water of the tank, either. So, what can I do to try to keep it cool?

Thats been happening to me too. It was over 100 degrees outside for several days and 96 in the house. The tank water shot up to 85+ degrees and the basking area was 105.
I wound up shutting the lights and unplugging the heater. Her tank is so big that adding cool water wouldn't have made a dent, and a water change would have been a shock.
She just hung out in the far bottom corner of the tank by day (presumably cooler than the top) and slept on her dock at night. The weather started to cool a week and a half ago and now the water temp is back to normal and so are her basking habits.

If you are going through a short term heat wave, just unplug the tank heater and ride it out. Make sure to check the water temp regularly so you can turn on the heater when it starts to cool. If the lights are making everything hooter, then a couple days without lights won't cause any long term damage.

I will be interested to hear how others handle similar scenarios.

Currently, the heater doesn't run in my tank so unplugging it doesn't help. The water is around 76 before Sheldon's light comes on and then it skyrockets. Luckily, I change his water out completely every week (15 gallon tank, though). I am however having a massive green, stinky water issue. That I am hoping resolves itself as we cool down this upcoming week.

Try big bottles of frozen water in the tank.

During the day, I usually just leave it. They should be basking anyway but at night if the water is 80-85, then I'll have to turn on the AC. If it's 85+, then I'll do a partial change. The water from the tap will be warmer than usual too, so I'll have to change a lot water.

Hmm... good ideas. Thank you. And, cutepanda, sometimes if you don't do 100% water changes, the cloudiness and stuff goes away. The tank just needs to set up and get everything settled for a few months without any full water changes.

Silvermist, my little 15 gallon tank only has about 5 gallons of water in it. My water was a very nasty green and it smelled. I pulled the filter apart and it was absolutely disgusting. All the media in the trash. It took five days before it got gross and then it got really gross. Too warm and no good way to get everything through the filter or chill the water.

Luckily, very clean now and hopefully it holds as temps hang around 75 instead of 95. lol

Crank up the AC in the house, get a room or window AC, or an aquarium chiller.

Unplugging the aquarium heater will not do anything. Aquarium heaters have thermostats and if the water temperature is higher than the temperature set on the heater thermostat then the heater will be off anyway. You CAN unplug or turn off the basking lamp for a day or two until the room and tank cools down. The basking lamps add heat to the room and to the water. While not a good idea long term, your turtle will be fine for a few days without the basking lamp.

I'm gonna save for a chiller! They are super expensive tho! Gonna be a long while before I get one, lol.

@Veipa... unplugging the heater is purely psychological; makes me feel like I am doing something (useless as it may be)
@ Steve...no AC. Yuk!
I didn't know about water chillers. I just dumped a chunk of change on a second FX5 yesterday, so I guess I will have to wait a bit for a chiller (like next summer)
So... guess I'll be doing water changes. Now that I figured out how to connect the siphon to my outdoor spigot and run another hose off the end, I can water the garden instead of sending hundreds of gallons down the drain (duh).
The water company loves me!
I can't wait for Fall

A small portable room AC or window AC costs much less than an aquarium chiller and benefits both the turtle and YOU

Yeah way cheaper lol.