Aquarium cooling

[mechanic380]

I am interested in getting a colony of alpine newts and would like to check with other members before I start investing money in equipment. I have read various threads and caudata culture about aquarium cooling; fans, frozen bottles, screen lids and the like. I would like to know if these methods, preferably no bottle swapping, would keep an aquarium cool enough in a home that maintains 70-75 degrees during the day and even cooler at night. Would there be a large temperature flucutation in the tank with this temp range. Finally how many could be kept in a 10 gallon, and how many in a 20 long. I would like to get at least three but may be interested in 4-6 if they don't have a problem living together.

[Bogy]

I'm experimenting with that at the moment myself. My house stays 74 degrees all the time (I have chinchillas, which are very temperature sensitive), and am setting up an axolotl tank. I have a bubbler, screen lid, and two computer fans running. I have managed to lower the temp about 3 degrees with all of this.

I am thinking that, like the articles in Caudata Culture say, insulation is key when using these methods. I'll try to post more info when I insulate, and find out how much that helps.

[mechanic380]

Thanks for the response. I thought of the same thing, setting up a tank and seeing what temp it would maintain. On the other hand I don't want to purchase anything that will not work out. Please let me know if you can get better cooling. I don't mind insulating it on three sides.

[Mark]

I keep 4 adults in the equivalent of a 10 gallon with no problems. You could probably double that for a 20 gallon. They're not territorial and only fight over food, as do most newts.

70-75F is really the top end of their temperature range and would not be ideal long term. If you can't keep the temperature 70F or below I would not recommend alpine newts. In fact very few species would be suitable at 75F long term. Is that range constant all year? It might be worth researching aquarium chillers although they're not cheap.

[mechanic380]

70-75 is an estimate. It sounds like it would be very difficult to keep them cool enough during the summer months. Maybe I will have to wait on newts for a while. The home I am in now temporarily could be kept cooler, but I have rented several places that could barely maintain 75 and even then at a high utility cost. Thanks for the input. It has helped me make the right decision.