Axolotl summer cooling idea, feedback wanted

[Perry]

Maryland has been having a weird heat spell the past few days and as a result my axolotl tank is at 74 degrees instead of the usual 66-68. I have been using the "water bottle" method with limited success, the bottles melt in about 15 minutes and do not lower the temperature more than 2 or 3 degrees farenheit. I also have fans blowing onto the water surface and a mesh lid with no light. The temperature is currently around 70-72 degreess. The axolotls do not appear stressed and are still eating well. Rather than invest in an aquarium chiller I was thinking of getting a large cooler that you would normally use for camping or barbeques.

I plan on using the water and sponge filter from their tank as well as providing a few hides. I will keep a thermometer in the tank to monitor temperature and keep it stable by adding cool dechlorinated tap water when necessary (hopefully not frequently). Does this sound like it would be a decent solution until the weather stabilizes? Anyone have any other low tech solutions? Any input is appreciated.

[Johnny O. Farnen]

Low Tech Solutions:
Read the article on cooling on our Caudata Culture database.

[Perry]

I referenced using several of those methods from the caudata article in my original post. I was hoping for some ideas in addition to those outlined in the article.

[Jennewt]

If you come up with any, please let me know so we can add them to the article

If your axies are healthy and well-fed, they should be fine for a few days at 74F now and then.

[Perry]

Thanks Jennifer,

These are the ones I just got from you about 3 weeks ago and they are doing very well, I think they have already grown about an inch. This heat spell thing just has me worried so I am trying to figure out a longer term solution before summer is here. We will hopefully have AC by then so their 30 gallon tank will just go in front of it and hopefully that will be that. the "cooler method" is working well though, very little temperature fluctuation now.