Axolotl temperature in Aussie summer

[RachB]

Hi- I've recently got 2x axolotls and have had them for about 2 weeks. I've also owned axolotls in the past.
I was wondering if any other axolotl owners can send me some tips on how to keep the tank cool in the summer?
It's just hit spring in Australia and my tank temp has gone up to 20 degrees c. This is already a high temp and the weather has barely started to warm up here, so I'm a bit worried about the tank conditions in the peak of summer.
What advice can you give about keeping a tank cool? And if frozen water bottles are used, will the axolotls be affected by temperatures varying up and down all the time?
Cheers!

 

[Binditheaxolotl]

Hi- I've recently got 2x axolotls and have had them for about 2 weeks. I've also owned axolotls in the past.
I was wondering if any other axolotl owners can send me some tips on how to keep the tank cool in the summer?
It's just hit spring in Australia and my tank temp has gone up to 20 degrees c. This is already a high temp and the weather has barely started to warm up here, so I'm a bit worried about the tank conditions in the peak of summer.
What advice can you give about keeping a tank cool? And if frozen water bottles are used, will the axolotls be affected by temperatures varying up and down all the time?
Cheers!

I think a chiller is honestly what is the only practical opinion. Unless you could put like 10 water bottles in at a time, but that would mean like 30 frozen water bottles in your freezer and you couldn’t go on vacation you can also get a room AC to keep your room cool, but I don’t know if it will be able to keep up with Aussie heat. I’ve never been through an Australian Summer, East coast American here, but if you have a basement I don’t know how hot it would get? It also takes the fun away a little as well since, if your like me, my family doesn’t go down into our basement all that much, and since it’s unfinished with concrete floors and such, I don’t really want to just chill down there. Concluding, I think a chiller is the most viable option.

 

[Calgarycoppers]

Invest in ready made aquarium chiller
Have someone handy build a DIY chiller off the internet
Invest in A/C for the room they are housed in
Invest in a few power fans for across the water top - causes evaporation - add frozen bottle to help.
Run a crazy Frozen water bottle rotation to try and help

Honestly the expensive chiller will save you a ton of issues down the road.

Hi- I've recently got 2x axolotls and have had them for about 2 weeks. I've also owned axolotls in the past.
I was wondering if any other axolotl owners can send me some tips on how to keep the tank cool in the summer?
It's just hit spring in Australia and my tank temp has gone up to 20 degrees c. This is already a high temp and the weather has barely started to warm up here, so I'm a bit worried about the tank conditions in the peak of summer.
What advice can you give about keeping a tank cool? And if frozen water bottles are used, will the axolotls be affected by temperatures varying up and down all the time?
Cheers!

 

[KayDee]

I am also getting a bit anxious about summer arriving. Most houses in Australia don't have basements. Air conditioning in my house is via evaporative cooling. Works great until we get humid weather and them I may have issues. Although Victoria isn't known for humid weather as we tend to get very dry hot days.
I have looked at chillers and quite frankly they are far too expensive for me at this moment in time.
I have a large 4ft tank.
I was hoping that i could perhaps get some insulation type material such as polystyrene sheets and put them on the outside of my tank during the day, keep curtains closed, evaporative air con on and a fan blowing over the tank.
Mind you, I have had friends who have kept them without issues.

 

[Binditheaxolotl]

I am also getting a bit anxious about summer arriving. Most houses in Australia don't have basements. Air conditioning in my house is via evaporative cooling. Works great until we get humid weather and them I may have issues. Although Victoria isn't known for humid weather as we tend to get very dry hot days.
I have looked at chillers and quite frankly they are far too expensive for me at this moment in time.
I have a large 4ft tank.
I was hoping that i could perhaps get some insulation type material such as polystyrene sheets and put them on the outside of my tank during the day, keep curtains closed, evaporative air con on and a fan blowing over the tank.
Mind you, I have had friends who have kept them without issues.

That makes sense. Chillers are too expensive for most of us as well that’s what works for me, keeping my room blinds closed, a fan blowing across the tank, and I swap out five water bottles 2 times a day or 6 on very hot summer days.

 

[RachB]

Thanks everyone! Chillers are definitely the most expensive option, but probably the most consistent long term.
We've only had a few days of 20-25 degrees and the tank temp has already risen so so I can't imagine what the tank temp will be with summer temps of 35-40 or higher!
We don't have a basement, but the tank is downstairs and I've got ducted cooling so hopefully running that will help keep the temp down.
Has anyone tried those clip on aquarium fans? Not sure how effective one of those would be?

 

[Calgarycoppers]

You need the 5 or 6 fan aquarium cooling fans to get any effacacy. I also use clip on desk fans that move a bit more air

Thanks everyone! Chillers are definitely the most expensive option, but probably the most consistent long term.
We've only had a few days of 20-25 degrees and the tank temp has already risen so so I can't imagine what the tank temp will be with summer temps of 35-40 or higher!
We don't have a basement, but the tank is downstairs and I've got ducted cooling so hopefully running that will help keep the temp down.
Has anyone tried those clip on aquarium fans? Not sure how effective one of those would be?

 

[leomleite]

Thanks everyone! Chillers are definitely the most expensive option, but probably the most consistent long term.
We've only had a few days of 20-25 degrees and the tank temp has already risen so so I can't imagine what the tank temp will be with summer temps of 35-40 or higher!
We don't have a basement, but the tank is downstairs and I've got ducted cooling so hopefully running that will help keep the temp down.
Has anyone tried those clip on aquarium fans? Not sure how effective one of those would be?

Hi- I've recently got 2x axolotls and have had them for about 2 weeks. I've also owned axolotls in the past.
I was wondering if any other axolotl owners can send me some tips on how to keep the tank cool in the summer?
It's just hit spring in Australia and my tank temp has gone up to 20 degrees c. This is already a high temp and the weather has barely started to warm up here, so I'm a bit worried about the tank conditions in the peak of summer.
What advice can you give about keeping a tank cool? And if frozen water bottles are used, will the axolotls be affected by temperatures varying up and down all the time?
Cheers!

What works for me here in Brazil is placing some computer coolers on top of the aquarium. I use 6 of them and it keeps the water temperature consistently on the 21-22°C margin when the outside temperatures are like 30-35°. If it's hotter, I turn on the Ac for some time (for the good of me and my axies lool). Some people use the frozen bottle of water too.

Don't need to rush right way to the chiller option. Try this method first! I'll attach a pic of my setup.