How to Cool Down an Aquarium Without a Chiller?
Hey, is there hot outside and you want to cool down the aquarium water. Here, Whypetfish.com is going to tell you that how can you cool down the aquarium without even using a chiller.
Heating up an aquarium is really very easy but to cool it down in the summer season is a real challenge. Chillers are usually expensive to buy and people try to adopt other techniques to keep the temperature cool.
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How to Cool Down an Aquarium Without a Chiller?
Most of the aquarists have asked me this question about keeping their pet fish aquarium cool. There are many different ways that you can adopt to make aquarium water cool. These are;
Use Fans
If you don’t want to use chillers and rely on home cheap methods of cooling, then you can use small fans for your aquarium.
Small fans or a utility fan will blow air across the aquarium and keep it cool and peaceful. Make sure that the fans don’t make any noise at all so that fish can not disturb the noise.
Manual fans can be suitable for use in warm days. You can also use automated fans who can work on their own.
You should position your fans in such a way that the exhaust the hot air out which has produced because of lights and filter equipment and draw cool air on the aquarium.
Another thing you can do is to turn the room fans ON and your aquarium should be getting the direct air from fans if this method is not working then install some fans on an aquarium.
Position the fan directly on the aquarium and keep it cool in warm weather. You can also install some of the fans in the aquarium.
As there are many of the clip-on fan systems available online. They are really cheap to buy so you can get the benefit.
Use Air Conditioner
Rather than just using the fans, use the air conditioner instead. An air conditioner cools the entire room and hence keep them aquarium cool at the same time.
When the room is chilled because of an air conditioner, the walls of the aquarium gets cool and absorb cooling inside them.
It is the best way to cool down an aquarium without a chiller. Cooling the entire room is the best way to keep the aquarium equipment cool.
The other cooling items keep the water cool but on the other hand the equipment like filters, lights keep on generating their own heat and warm the water within no time.
But when you are using an air conditioner, all of this equipment gets cool down along with the water. It will let you live in peace along with your fish as the air conditioner will cool everything.
It is the perfect way to cool down an aquarium.
Using Ice Bag
First of all, let me tell you that you have to use this method with great care. Ice can cool down the water within no time.
But you don’t have to put the ice cube directly into the water. Because within no seconds the water will become chill and your pet fish can become sick because of it.
Place the ice cubes or ice packs in a strong plastic bag. Put this bag in aquarium water now. It will cool the temperature of the water and the fish will stay happy.
It is the quick emergency measures to cool down the water when you have no other equipment to make the water temperature cool.
Another thing that you can do is to close the lights and other equipment that generate heat. But make sure that there is an adequate flow of oxygen inside the tank while the entire room is lightened up so that there is no full darkness inside.
The ice method will require a lot of ice cubes especially if your tank is large. Small temperature changes the ideal and does not disturb the ecosystem. So don’t add further ice cubes in the bag until the previous one is melted in a plastic bag.
Use a Cold Water Bottle
You can directly put a cold water bottle in your aquarium to float. Make sure that the bottle is not completely chilled.
It should just have the cold water in it and directly put it inside water. Make sure that the bottle is clean to be used directly inside water.
If it is extremely hot outside and there is no solution near you to keep the water temperature cool, then you can use the frozen water bottle.
Open the Hood
In the summer season, your tank should not be covered with a hood so that there may not be any suffocation.
There should be proper aeration coming inside the tank. The proper cooling should go inside so that the fish can live in peace and comfort in the summer season.
You must know that the fan or air conditioner, any of the equipment will cool the water properly if and only if you have not covered it with the hood.
Relocate your Aquarium to a Better Place
Another thing that you can do is to move your aquarium to a better place which is airy and cool. Because some people have placed the aquarium in a congested and hot room.
When the water is hot inside it crates suffocation in fish indefinitely they are uncomfortable. Moving the equipment in a better place can help a lot.
You can place it near windows from where the proper air is coming inside. But make sure that the sunlight is not coming directly on the fish.
Still, if you want to use chillers, you can use them, as they are the permanent solution for cooling.
Water Circulation
The circulating water remains cool, that’s why it is also one of the best strategies to keep the temperature low.
The circulating water dissipates the heat outside, the carbon dioxide evaporates out and new oxygen is introduced inside the water.
So keep the water in the flow using a pump to keep it cool. It is the natural mechanism of keeping the water cool constantly. This mechanism is also called as surface agitation.
Use Exhaust Fans
You can simply turn the exhaust fans on that will drench the room heat outside. This method is not extremely effective but can be used with other methods.
Like put the cold water bottle in the aquarium and turn the exhaust fans of your room on. This will be quite effective in removing the heat outside.
It is really a good investment not only for the aquarium but also for your home. It is pretty much simple that if you can control the ambient room temperature, you will be able to keep your aquarium cool.
Change Portion of Cold Water
This is the method that I personally do. I usually drain 50% of the aquarium’s water and when I am going to add the new water, I change it by 4 degrees.
I have a big aquarium and in such a big place the few degrees of low-temperature water change is not going to hurt the fish at all.
The more you will change the water, the more temperature will become low but if you are going to change the temperature too drastically then you are most likely to shock your fish.
But your pet is not really going to mind any slight water temperature changes.
Install a Drip System
The drip system is the continuous flow of cold water in the aquarium and all of the dirty warm water will simply overflow outside.
Coldwater will keep on dripping inside the aquarium. It can effectively lower the temperature of water for your fish.
You can simply adjust the drip system by increasing the flow. Even you do not have to do the water changes by using this method.
This method is quite effective to keep the temperature cool and constant.
What Precautions Should we Take to Cool Down an Aquarium?
You must take care of the following things by cooling the water for your pet fish;
Do not do the sudden temperature changes or change the temperature parameters drastically but just a few degrees. Because this condition can lead your fish to shock conditions. Do not put the fish in the same cold aquarium where the other normal or warm water fish live like tetras and guppies.
Because the cold water fish requires an extra cool temperature as compared to the tropical fish. The tropical fish can become sick because of cool water. Make sure not to allow the temperature to rise and fall when using the ice method.
Keep the temperature constant and you can use the thermometer to check the temperature levels. Maintain the cool temperature levels, don’t let the levels to drop down suddenly and then rise up.
The ice method is not a permanent solution, so it shouldn’t be used temporarily not constantly. Because there are great chances of quick temperature up and down in this method. But if you can keep the temperature constant using this method then you can smartly control it.
Use other methods that are explained in this article and get the desired temperature for your aquarium.
Final words
I have explained my best to all of my dear readers. By using these explained methods you can cool down an aquarium very easily without spending on chillers.
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