Best Tank Cooling Options?

[officerPuckles]

I live in Las Cruces, New Mexico so it's a bit of a desert. Right now it can be anywhere between 60-80 and in the summers it is usually around 90-115 in the summer!
This is the first summer i've spent with Puckles, and I am a bit worried about the heat!!

I know that fans seem the most common, but money is a bit tight and I was wondering about different options.
My main idea is to fill bowls and tupperware with filtered water to freeze, and let them melt in the tank?

Any help would be awesome or if there is a link to a previous thread that would be great!!

 

[ZombieAxolotl]

I wouldn't just throw ice in a tank. Filtered or not.
Use 2 liter or smaller bottles.
Fill with water with 1-2"s to spare, keep cap off and freeze.
Cap on, toss in.

Works great when hot.

 

[Minniechild]

Though remember you will get probably an hour of cooling out of each bottle, so you will be changing them frequently... It's also a good idea to anchor them to rocks and sink them- much better cooling! The other option is to turn the veggie drawer of your fridge into Officer's quarters Hopefully you'll find something that works for you, and maybe in a few years you can get your hands on a chiller

 

[Sena01]

so you would recommend bottles of ice vs. a fan cooling system?

 

[racheljritchie]

I live in the UK so don't have the problem so much with the heat but when we have had hot days I have used the iced bottle of water method to cool the tank down which worked great for me but as I say I am in the UK and it doesn't get so hot here. I would advise against using ice cubes or chunks of ice as apart from the water quality your Axie may attempt to eat it

 

[HowToAxolotl]

Excellent initial post and great answer. I am new to axolotls, and I was pretty worried about ever having to deal with an elevated water temp. Water bottles sound like a GREAT idea! Lol I think I'll steer clear of ice cubes though... I wouldn't want my little guy eaten it!! LOL

 

[Kaysie]

If you live in an area of extreme heat, a chiller is probably the most reliable means of cooling your tank. It's expensive, but it's a lot less hassle than ice bottles, which have to be changed frequently (every couple hours). Imagine doing that for more than a couple weeks!

For those of us in less extreme environments, fans are great!

 

[Basheta]

Though remember you will get probably an hour of cooling out of each bottle, so you will be changing them frequently... It's also a good idea to anchor them to rocks and sink them- much better cooling! The other option is to turn the veggie drawer of your fridge into Officer's quarters Hopefully you'll find something that works for you, and maybe in a few years you can get your hands on a chiller

Do you mean actually put the Axolotl in the refrigerator? I don;t have one yet, but that dangerous to them? Has anyone actually done this and how long did you leave them there?

Living in West Texas heat is something I'm concerned with too. I was thinking a small ice chest and setting a smaller holding tank on top of the ice bottles, Any thoughts?

 

[Kaysie]

Some Aussies keep their axolotl in the fridge for the whole summer. They're from glacial-fed lakes, and like the cold. You should always try to keep the tank below 70F.

Your setup would be fine for occasional warm weather (like the 2 days of summer we get here). But given that it's above 70f probably for the vast majority of the year, are you willing to keep your axolotl in a small holding tank for 9 months?

 

[Basheta]

Some Aussies keep their axolotl in the fridge for the whole summer. They're from glacial-fed lakes, and like the cold. You should always try to keep the tank below 70F.

Your setup would be fine for occasional warm weather (like the 2 days of summer we get here). But given that it's above 70f probably for the vast majority of the year, are you willing to keep your axolotl in a small holding tank for 9 months?

My bedroom is kind of dark. Plus we have ac in the window and a large standing fan. I think I have to keep my hubby at about 60F to keep him happy. There have 90F days here were I have a blanket to keep me from freezing and hubby has on just a pair of shorts. LoL maybe I'm the cold blooded one.

 

[Gailgirl]

A chiller is really your best bet. I live in Florida, and my tank with no cooling would be 74 degrees year round, which is just not axie friendly. That's with central air every day, and think of how often my apartment's a/c goes out (about every other month, teenagers huffing the freon). I bought a chiller off eBay, $165 for a 1/15 hp used discontinued Current Chiller, and it's the best purchase I've made. I will NEVER have to worry about temp ever again. To me, my time over the next decade or so is well worth $165 to not be fussing with ice bottles or my husband knocking the fan into the tank or anything like that. I also can have a glass lid, which I like better.

 

[Jboat]

I live in TN and my tank would normally be around 70F with no help. I made a chiller out of a mini fridge. I got a 20' hose for the output of my canister filter and drilled two holes in the fridge. It is coiled up on the inside. now I can make my 55gallon tank 58F but I usually keep it around 64. But you must remember to turn off the fridge if you are going to stop the flow or else the water in the hose will freeze.

 

[Bdyoung]

I made a video on ways to cool your tank.

How To: Keep Your Tank Cold - YouTube