How to cool fish tank?

Question

I have a 3 foot fish tank and would like to get some ideas on how to cool down the water it currently sits at 25 degrees celsius and I need it at about 20 any simple ideas. I have tried frozen drink bottles but they thaw to quickly. Are there any simple products out there?

I have axolotls in the tank

There is no light on the tank.

Answer 1

Some good ideas here. I've bred axolotls (browns, albinos, and leucistics) so I can relate to your problem.

Coolest room you have, no lighting directly on the tank, adding frozen water are all good starts. You could also try getting home insulation foam (styrofoam sheets) and cutting pieces to fit three sides of your tank. Or, aim a small electric fan at the tank - increased evaporation will also cool it a few degrees. If you continue to add ice to top the tank off, this will compensate for the extra evaporation.

Ghapy's air conditioning unit is a good one, but only if you can vent the exhaust to the outside - otherwise it WARMS the room.

Beyond these suggestions, a cooler would be the next step. These are expensive and some models require some knowledge of plumbing to connect them to your tank. Here's an example of what's available and pricing: http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/product/advancedSearch.web?command=Search&searchParams.keywords=chillers&searchParams.size=10#resultBody

Answer 2

for such a small tank buying a cooler is not resonable. The temperature of the water normally reflects the temperature of the room that it is in. You can try moving it to a cooler room.

The only other thing would be that the light you are using is creating too much heat for the size tank you have. You may want to try either reducing the amount of light, or finding a way to raise the light above the tank. I know for larger tanks, there is this thing you can buy to elevate the light bar so it is not as close to the water. This may also help to cool the water down.

Another alternative is buying a good table lamp and removing the lid/light from the tank and using the table/desk lamp above the water. This way light is still getting into the tank, but the bulb is high enough away from the water, not to overheat it. This is a good method for smaller tanks.

Answer 3

The primary methods of aquarium cooling fall under these five basic categories:
· Simple fans that run on a timer along with the lighting
· Fans regulated by simple temperature controllers
· Thermoelectric chillers
· Refrigerant based chillers
· Alternative methods

Answer 4

I tank chiller is really the only reliable method. If you are keeping tropical fish 25 really isn't that bad.

"have axolotls in the tank"
mmm... certainly hot for them. Is buying an air conditioner for the room an alternative?

Answer 5

nicely, in case you prefer a classic mixture, i might pass with 15 neon or cardinal tetras, 12 rummynose tetras, a single or pair of dwarf cichlid (Apistogramma, blue ram, or Dicrossus....maximum folk pass with the blue ram), 6 corydoras catfish (my favorites are sterbai, yet julii is comparable and much less difficult to locate), and once you start to get some superb, eco-friendly algae, grab 5 or so Otocinclus or Parotocinclus (aka pitbull pleco/goby pleco), or a clown pleco or 2. this will supply you some coloration schemes, shapes, and behavioral characteristics. For decor, pass with darkish organic gravel, a marvelous type of driftwood, and many vegetation (fake or genuine...in case you haven't any longer regarded into plant care, nevertheless, choose for fake).

Answer 6

i suggest having a small but strong fan or a powerful usb fan ive tried the usb fan and it cools my tanke by 10 degrees farenheit so get a few of them blowing on the water and the temp will go down

Answer 7

last time i was at the aquarium store i thought i saw a tank cooler it was like 200 bucks.