How To Keep Your Fish Tank Cool All Summer Long

July 29, 2017

Every summer when temperatures rise above 30 degrees, it’s a challenge for aquarium owners to keep their tropical and freshwater fish cool. High temperatures in the fish tank mean less oxygen in the water for your fish to breathe. This can lead to stress, disease, and even death. 

Of course, you can invest in a state-of-the-art fish tank cooling system, but it will set you back a pretty penny. So, before you decide to do that, consider some of these home hacks for keeping your fish tank cool. 

Heatwave Home Hacks For Your Aquarium

Turn On the A/C

Close the curtains, turn on the A/C (if you can afford it!), and turn off any lights in the room. Ambient temperature is the number one problem for elevating the temperature of your fish tank, so make sure the room is cool enough for your tropical and freshwater fish to thrive.

Remove the Hood

To allow the air to circulate and to help with evaporation, remove the hood. It will have a cooling effect on the water and should help to bring down the overall temperature.

Turn the Lights Off

Even if you have plant life growing in your tank, turning off the lights for a couple of days will benefit your aquarium. Lights generate a lot of heat and your fish really don’t need them anyway. The lights are for our benefit, so we can admire our aquatic friends.

Use an Aerator

Because high temperatures reduce the oxygen content of the tank, using an aerator or turning it up will help keep the water moving. With more oxygen, you can greatly reduce the risk of disease or stress-related illness in your tropical and freshwater fish.

Do Not Turn Off Your Thermostat

Some aquarists recommend turning off your thermostat as it generates a lot of heat. But a good thermostat is designed to switch off once it reaches the recommended temperature. Also, you still need some way of monitoring the temperature of your tank water, especially if you’re employing a few home hacks to cool it down. As a result, you’ll definitely want your thermostat turned on if your tank becomes too cool.

Make Iced Water Buoys

Do not add ice cubes to your fish tank, as it’s too hard to control the overall change in temperature. Instead, use frozen bottles of water and float one on top of the water every hour. Always make sure you check the temperature of the water during this process. 

DO NOT Change the Water...

Because you risk adding too much cold water and shocking your fish. Rather than take that chance, forget this cooling method altogether! You don’t want to lose your whole tank of precious fish.

These useful home hacks will help you keep your tropical aquarium cool this summer and could save your fish.

by Natalie Secretan
PuppyDogCapers.com

Photo credit: Chantal Wagner Kornin - Nannacara adoketa