Why you need Aquarium Chillers

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Regulating water temperature is a must for any aquarium owners, if the water gets too cold or too hot your fish may die. For people living in the colder parts of the world you probably need an aquarium heater more than aquarium chillers. But if you’re living in the warmer parts of the globe then an aquarium chiller is what you need.

In my other article i talked about the importance of water temperature for a fish and why you need an aquarium heater to make up that difference in water temperature. This article is very similar except that instead of a aquarium heaters, we’re going to talk about an aquarium chillers.

The main reason you need fish tank chillers is because water that is warmer tends to hold less dissolved oxygen for the fish to breathe. Also, higher water temperature allows for faster bioligical growth that in turn compete with the fish for oxygen. If your fish don’t need a lot of oxygen to survive then this isn’t a big problem, but if you’re taking care of live reefs this is crucial. Luckily for us there’s the aquarium chiller.

A fish tank chiller works the same way as air conditioners. Water is pumped and goes through heat exchangers where cold compressed air flows through. The cold air absorbs the heat and the water in turn cools down and is pumped back into the tank. The heat air is then taken back to the compressor where the pressure is relieved. It then goes through the radiator where the heat ends up and dissipates. The fan now sucks new air in and the process starts all over again.

Similar to choosing an aquarium heater, the number one consideration for choosing an fish tank chiller is the fish. It’s not enough to know that your fish needs warm water. Warm is not a measurement. What you need is the precise degree in Celsius or in Fahrenheit to be exact. Once you have that, getting a water chiller gets easier.

Take note of the room temperature or the fish tank water temperature. Subtract this from the desired temperature for the fish. Find a reputable aquarium chiller vendor and ask the sales person if the unit can lower that amount of temperature change.

But that’s not it. Here are some more suggestions on choosing one:

• Get one that is quiet. No explanation needed here.
• Chillers are usually large in size. Make sure you have enough open room for it and not just for the chiller itself, but extra “breathing” room for efficient air circulation. Never put a aquarium chillers in a closed space.
• Efficiency. Remember, a chiller is like an air conditioner or a refrigerator. Treat it like one.
• Warranty and service.

Getting a fish tank chiller is not for everyone. If you think getting one will be too expensive or is too much trouble you can try the following easy remedies to lower water temperature:

• Why is your fish tank hot in the first place? If its directly under the sun then put some shades on it. Close those curtains. And turn off those lights when you leave the room. This is probably the easiest and most efficient way of lowering aquarium water temperature.
• Ice. Nothing beats ice. But depending on how big your fish tank is is proportional to how much ice you’d need to lower its temperature.
• Some have suggested turning on the rooms air conditioning and as a temporary solution this is pluasible. However, for long periods of time this is ineffective and a waste of money. Imagine leaving your AC unit on for a whole week! You can, but just don’t be surprised to see your next electricity bill.
• Fan. No air conditioning, how about using an electric powered fan. Just point the fan at the aquarium. Take note however, that you’ll get better results much faster and much cheaper when using an AC.

Whether you choose to opt for an aquarium chiller or not is your decision. However, it’s always important to remember the number one consideration should be your fishes.