First of all, as long as the oxygen level stays high, you shouldn’t worry too much about temperatures above 26°C. It’s not always the direct temperature of your aquarium that causes fish the most distress; more often than not, higher temperatures will reduce the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water.
The higher the population levels in the aquarium, the more is required to keep them alive, so it can help to simply make sure your aquarium is not overcrowded with fish.
If your tank is freshwater (as opposed to marine) then 30% water changes with cooler water (around 21°C) can be done daily.
Removing the lid and allowing evaporation can help maintain a cooler temperature, but remember this could allow fish to jump out!
If your tank is a marine aquarium, adding float bottles of frozen water can help and this technique can be used in any tank. However, it’s best to make sure you don’t overfill plastic bottles before freezing, to prevent them from splitting.
A similar solution would be to place your external filter in a bucket that can be filled with ice to chill the water as it passes through the filter, or alternatively run the filter tubing through this bucket.
Other options include turning off aquarium lighting (especially if they are metal halide lights or T5 lights, as they can generate a lot of excess heat) or ensuring that the surrounding air is cool by using an air conditioner in the room where it is used. find the aquarium
However, the simplest solutions are often the best, so if your tank is in direct sunlight for much of the day, block out the sunlight by simply running the blinds or curtains. This has the added benefit of reducing excessive algae growth.
Finally, don’t make the common mistake of unplugging your aquarium heater – it won’t turn on until the temperature drops and your tank’s temperature can drop quickly at night, so it’s always a good idea to keep it plugged in. Instead of causing problems later.
Top tips and products that can help:
- When you change your water, don’t forget to add a water conditioner such as Tetra Aquasafe’s AquaSafe or similar to ensure the new water is free of chlorine and to reduce any associated stresses.
- Don’t just guess – make sure you have a suitable thermometer, like a Tetra TH Digital Thermometer.
- Take the opportunity to check the quality of the water with the NT Labs NT170 6-in-1 Multi Test Analysis Kit for aquariums.
- A quality air pump like the Sera 08814 Air 275 R Plus can also help cool things down by increasing circulation and gas exchange.
- For true peace of mind and to protect delicate species such as corals, there is nothing better than a BAOSHISHAN 160L refrigerated cooler.
- Lastly, investing in a thermostatically controlled cooling fan like the JBL Cooler 200 can pay off.
