Chilling your aquarium?

Sassafras · May 18, 2013

So for a few days I've been trying to figure out how to more effectively chill my tank for the upcoming summer, and I thought of giant ice cubes. Not a couple of big sized ice cubes, but ice cubes that will take all day to melt. That way I can put 1 big ice cubes in a day so the temperature stays cool and doesn't constantly fluctuate the way small ice cubes or ice packs would do.
I'd have to figure out how big the ice cubes would have to be to last all day, but before I started the process, I wanted to know some opinions. The fan isn't cutting it right now, and my tanks pushing 70 degrees so I definitely want to figure something out before I put my axie in it.

Thanks!

michel3171 · May 19, 2013

What I always do is this:
I take a plastic bottle (1,5L cola bottle) and fill it with water. (NOT TILL THE END!!!)
Then I put the bottle in the freezer, and add a couple more bottles.
When the water is frozen, I take the bottles out and put 1 in my aquarium.
When the water has warmed up to aquarium temperature, I take the bottle out, and put it back in the freezer.
If it is necessary, I put another one in the tank.

This has proven to be quite effective, chilling my tank when it gets to warm and doing it on a regular pace.

Another option is to get a big towel, soak it in cold water, and wrap it around your tank. The water in the towell will evaporate. The evaporation process will take away some of the warmth of the fishtank water.

I hope this all makes sense, and I apologise for my bad English.

Good luck!

Asevernnnn · May 19, 2013

But with dechloritaned water.

Sassafras · May 19, 2013

Ooh I love your idea, Michael!

hannahll · May 19, 2013

I did the whole frozen water bottle thing, but it never really helped me since i have a larger aquarium. What i have found works really well is a fan. It makes the water evaporate faster (obviously) but it keeps my tank about 5 degrees or so cooler. There are some really nice ones on ebay! I just use a clip on desk fan.
Aqua Cool Aquarium Cooling Fan by Zoo Med AA 13 | eBay

sabre · May 19, 2013

Caudata Culture Articles - Cooling

Here's some tips from the website for some more ideas.

I keep my tank in the basement and it stays plenty cool year-round.

Sassafras · May 20, 2013

How large is your tank, Hannah?
I have a 40g breeder and am wondering if the water bottles will be helpful in addition to my fan.

shock · May 21, 2013

Buy temperature controller which support cooling (standard mode is heat).
Prepare some box which holds heat (styrofoam) or travel fridge (the one where u used to put ice blocks before traveling).
Water pump and some tubing - a lot of tubing actually.
Make 2 holes to the cooling container close to lid for the tubing.
1 side of tubing will have water pump attached and be submerged in aquarium, than it continues to cooling box where u place all the tubing and than just other end put to aquarium.

You put thermometer from controller to aquarium and set it to desired temperature.
The controller should power on/off external plug socket where u will have water pump connected.
So it will start circulate water over tubing when it need to cool.

Inside cooling box is tubing, put some water there to exchange heat and than put frozen bottler or whatever frozen u want to use. Close lid and it will chill water in tubing.

Now when the controller power on water pump, it should stop when correct temperature will be reached.

Now when all running correctly, isolate holes in cooling box and also all the tubing between box and aquarium - the temperature loss is HUGE between if not treated correctly as u can loose all the cool till water reach aquarium.

Use just save tubes for water.

My controller I got for 25E, so around 20$ .
Water pump nothing expensive.
Travel fridge or styrofoam box - the 2nd is 2$ ?

Controller connection:You could need a help connecting water pump to it. My one came with already attached socket. Normaly you would need to cut the water pump wire or use socket extender and cut there.

This is HUGE upgrade to your classical bottle exchange and cooling ability and duration depends only on size of your cooling box.
Well, to be exact cooling power depends on amount of tubing placed inside a box (normaly I would put there around 2m of tubes if they are small).
Duration how long can it maintain correct temperature depends on box size.

Currently even exchanging ice there was annoying, I switched to other way.
Switching On/Off computer fans and Peltier (from used water dispenzer) by that same controller.

Sassafras · May 21, 2013

shock said:
Buy temperature controller which support cooling (standard mode is heat).
Prepare some box which holds heat (styrofoam) or travel fridge (the one where u used to put ice blocks before traveling).
Water pump and some tubing - a lot of tubing actually.
Make 2 holes to the cooling container close to lid for the tubing.
1 side of tubing will have water pump attached and be submerged in aquarium, than it continues to cooling box where u place all the tubing and than just other end put to aquarium.

You put thermometer from controller to aquarium and set it to desired temperature.
The controller should power on/off external plug socket where u will have water pump connected.
So it will start circulate water over tubing when it need to cool.

Inside cooling box is tubing, put some water there to exchange heat and than put frozen bottler or whatever frozen u want to use. Close lid and it will chill water in tubing.

Now when the controller power on water pump, it should stop when correct temperature will be reached.

Now when all running correctly, isolate holes in cooling box and also all the tubing between box and aquarium - the temperature loss is HUGE between if not treated correctly as u can loose all the cool till water reach aquarium.

Use just save tubes for water.

My controller I got for 25E, so around 20$ .
Water pump nothing expensive.
Travel fridge or styrofoam box - the 2nd is 2$ ?

Controller connection:You could need a help connecting water pump to it. My one came with already attached socket. Normaly you would need to cut the water pump wire or use socket extender and cut there.

This is HUGE upgrade to your classical bottle exchange and cooling ability and duration depends only on size of your cooling box.
Well, to be exact cooling power depends on amount of tubing placed inside a box (normaly I would put there around 2m of tubes if they are small).
Duration how long can it maintain correct temperature depends on box size.

Currently even exchanging ice there was annoying, I switched to other way.
Switching On/Off computer fans and Peltier (from used water dispenzer) by that same controller.

I tried reading this a few times but I'm having a hard time visualizing it. Do you have or is there a DIY page for this sort of thing?

shock · May 21, 2013

For example link

ciele02 · May 25, 2013

I posted this a while ago

http://www.caudata.org/forum/f46-be...-tank-tip-external-filters-warmer-climes.html

worked great for me until I got my chiller

kapooey · May 26, 2013

I don't think using ice cube or frozen water bottle is good ( I did a bit research and most people said because ice cube and frozen water bottles will change the temp. really fast, it's not good for axies). I have a 10 gallon tank and I bought a fan (around $25 online) which is for chilling water. If you want you can buy chillers, price range will be around $120-$1,000+. Or you can put your axies in the basement since the basement is much more cooler.

Krispen · May 27, 2013

I have a 40 gallon breeder and bought the chiller fan recommended on this thread- my tank has gone from 70 to 62!!! Hope it keeps working as it gets warmer

knyptozoologist · May 30, 2013

After reading Krispen's last comment about how well the fan worked I immediately ordered one, however, it won't be here until next Tuesday and I have a week of 80-90 degree (not including humidity) weather to look forward to.

I've been doing the water bottle rotation and picked up a small desk fan and plan on leaving the AC on, but I will be at work for 8 hours and can't really rely on my husband to check the tank (I'm the one that wanted the axolotl so he's not touching anything involved with her).

Does anyone think it would be safe to fridge her for a few hours a day (or for the next 4-5 days) until the fan comes in? I don't want to stress her out by fridging her, but I also don't want to stress her by having her in a 72-76 degree tank for five days....

Krispen · May 30, 2013

Hi Knypto! I'm in Indiana so agree with the dreaded weather ahead. It's gotten up to high 70's outside and I'm still at 62!!! I'm still a novice, but from what I've read, putting your axie in an out of the fridge daily sounds stressful. They need gradual temp changes. I would either put her in or not- lots of folks put theirs in for a week or more with no problems. Just my $.02! Lol!!

Kaysie · May 30, 2013

Krispen hit it on the head: If you're going to fridge your axie during a warm spell, I would just keep it in the fridge. Constant swings in temperature can be pretty stressful.

knyptozoologist · May 31, 2013

Yeah, I figured the in and out would be stressful even as I was writing it. My fan is actually supposed to get here Saturday, though, so I'm a little tempted to just see if she can ride it out for today. I got the tank to settle at about 69 with frozen water bottles, a fan, and the AC on, which I know isn't perfect, but it's better than the 72 it was at yesterday, so I think I'll just leave her where she is for now since I'll be able to set up the fan tomorrow.

Thanks!

Kaysie · Jun 1, 2013

I wouldn't even start to worry about it until your tank creeps over 74. Then it's time for some drastic actions.

knyptozoologist · Jun 1, 2013

How long does it generally take for that type of aquarium fan to start working? I just set it up about an hour ago and the temp doesn't seem to be moving so I'm just hoping for a ballpark of when it should be changing

Krispen · Jun 1, 2013

I saw it begin to drop within 2-3 hrs

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