Summer Cooling of an Aquarium

Having your Aquarium overheat is a very common thing that happens in the summer and I see people ask the question on how to cool their aquarium several times a year on different forums. So don't worry if you are having this problem you are not alone.

There are several ways to cool a aquarium. Some are very expensive others very simple. But the labor involved in cooling the tank is indirectly tied to the cost. The more expensive the cure the less maintenance involved. On the other hand the cheaper solutions will need constant care and they create lots more work.

The first thing you can do is air condition your house - (you didn't want to hear that) There is the expense of installation then the expense of electricity. Keeping the air around the aquarium cool will keep the water in the aquarium cool.

The second thing you can do is buy a aquarium chiller - Chillers are often needed to keep the water temperature within a range optimal for your tank inhabitants. These can run $400 on up. (Not so cheap either) Chillers are available in two forms: drop-in and in-line. Drop-in chillers have cooling coils that you simply place in the sump to cool the water. No plumbing is required. In-line chillers have internal cooling coils. Water is pumped into the chiller, cooled, and then returned back to the tank or sump. The chief advantage of an in-line chiller is that it can be placed remotely from the tank (such as a basement, a different room or a garage).

Temperature controllers are necessary to operate the chiller. A single stage controller will control just the chiller, while a dual stage controller can control both a chiller and a heater to minimize variance and eliminate conflicts.

The third thing you can do is small frequent water changes with cooler water - This is good for the temp but hard on the biological filtration. But by changing out the water in small amounts you don't stress the fish with large temperature changes.

The fourth thing you can try is place ice cubes in a plastic bag and let it float in the tank. As the ice melts it will cool the water in the tank but not to quick for the fish. Depending on the size of the tank and how much you have to cool it this may not be possible.

The fifth and final way that I am aware of is to take the lid off the aquarium and blow a fan across the top. I know this sounds dumb like how can a fan cool water, BUT the fan causes evaporation and evaporation is what creates the cooling of the water. This could be slow going on very humid days.

You might want to try a combination of the last 3 ways to create a slow cooling process that won't shock the fish. Keep in mind you want to cool your tank slowly. Rapid changes in temps are just as bad for your fish as leaving the tank to hot.

Don't be afraid to turn off any lights on the tank. The light only creates more heat and if you don't have live plants you should not have any problems having a dark tank for a few days.

Actually there is one other way. But that is only if you have a basement. (I think you know where I am going with this) If you move the tank to the basement it will cool naturally since basements usually are cooler than upper floors. This could be a major project and something you would want to leave in the basement once you have it there.

I hope this gives you a few things to try. In the end your fish will thank you for keeping them comfortable.

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