When is cooling necessary?
Cooling the water is necessary if the temperature on the thermometer rises to unacceptable values.
Optimal for normal life support of fish will be from 22 to 26 degrees . They feel comfortable at this temperature.
The most alarming sign is that the fish begin to move little or float to the top of the aquarium and begin to greedily capture air with their gills.
If the living creatures float closer to the surface, the gills expand and swell, then it is worth checking the water temperature. In case of an increase, urgent measures must be taken to cool the water to save the lives of pets.
Chiller for aquarium TsentrProm-Holod
- cooling water volume from 150 to 4000 liters
- low noise performance
- electronic temperature control and control processor
- compressor thermal protection
- compressor voltage protection
- minimum final temperature of water cooling to +5 C0
- production time up to 10 working days
Since we are manufacturers, at your request, it is possible to calculate the cooler (chiller) for any other conditions and any configuration. It is also possible to take into account the desired dimensions and type of execution.
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Why is overheating dangerous for fish?
There are a number of explanations for how strong heating of water can have a harmful effect on fish:
- When water heats up, oxygen sharply decreases and carbon dioxide increases. It is dangerous to breathe. Choking, shortness of breath, and organ failure may also occur.
- When the water suddenly heats up, the beneficial bacteria contained in the aquarium cleaning filters can die. The water will quickly become polluted, which is dangerous for its inhabitants.
- In water that is often exposed to heat, fish age and die faster.
- As temperatures rise, the decomposition of natural waste accelerates and the salinity of water increases. This can lead to fish poisoning.
- Aquarium pets live in a small enclosed space. For them, the changes happen too quickly and they may not be able to cope. Any stress, no matter how minor, can lead to suffering or illness.
How to measure temperature?
You can measure the water temperature with a special thermometer that will be attached to the fish house. It can be purchased at a pet store that has aquariums.
Thermometers are divided into several types:
- on suction cups or with a sticky adhesive layer,
- mercury or liquid crystal.
There are also types where divisions are drawn, but the most accurate ones are digital ones. Aquarium owners need to look at thermometers several times a day.
If you have not yet purchased a special thermometer, you can measure it with a regular room air thermometer . But the probability of error is so high.
How to cool: popular methods
You should carefully consider the issue of cooling the water in the aquarium if it has suddenly become hot, because the health and activity of the fish depends on it.
Pet stores sell different cooling systems and fans. But you can do something yourself.
Cooler-cooler
The principle of operation when heating water is to connect the cooler to the network or via a USB port. The cooler is pre-installed and secured above the water surface . When connected, the fan starts spinning.
Cooling aquariums with coolers works by actively evaporating water and increasing gas exchange. And thus the degrees decrease.
The ventilation system is mainly made by hand, using glue, an old charger, a computer fan, wires, and a hair dryer.
For large aquariums it is better to install several fans . Those who know how to do something themselves will save money. Professional coolers are expensive.
There is only one caveat here - you need to constantly add water.
Chiller
A chiller is an electric cooling system similar to a refrigerator. But it costs a lot of money, so they are not profitable for small home aquariums. They are used by owners of large nurseries for aquatic life, fish, and plants.
The system devices maintain the set temperature constantly. This is an automated air conditioning system.
The essence of using chillers is quite complex:
A fairly voluminous unit is lowered into the aquarium.- It contains tubes and hoses with the help of which the air conditioning principle is carried out.
- One hose needs to be connected to cold water.
- Setting a constant maintained temperature.
- If the temperature begins to rise sharply above normal, the system starts up and rapid cooling occurs.
Control station
This device can be purchased at a pet store. He ensures that the entire aquarium is functioning properly. The device is immersed in water.
By monitoring the parameters in the tank, you can set the best temperature regime and then maintain it automatically. The optimal water temperature, water level, and its quality are set in advance.
Ice bottles
A quick and simple method when there are no ventilation systems. You can use one or two plastic bottles, it all depends on the size of the aquarium.
Pour water into a bottle and place in the freezer until completely frozen. Then put it in the aquarium. This whole cooling system will not look very nice, but it will be cheap.
The positive aspects are that the ice in the bottles will melt slowly , the temperature will cool gradually without sudden changes. But when all the water has melted, you should change the bottle.
It's worth monitoring. The method is suitable for the only time when overheating. Those who are constantly away from home should purchase or install a ventilation system.
Adding Ice to the Filter
If there is no cooling system, then you can use regular ice. It is made from clean, fresh water.
Ice cubes are placed in the internal filter to cool overheated water in the aquarium. Remove the filler from the filter and place ice cubes in it .
Place the filter in place. The water temperature cools very quickly in this way. The main thing is not to overcool so that the fish do not freeze. You should constantly measure your temperature. This method is good for miniature aquariums.
Aeration
Overheating leads to a decrease in the amount of oxygen in the water that fish breathe. In nature, the process of aeration occurs naturally with the help of wind and currents. To maintain the balance of water and oxygen, it is necessary for the layers of water to move a little.
for aquariums that will help aerate the water. These are pumps or compressors. They create a flow effect, due to which gas exchange is enhanced.
This whole process helps to saturate the water with oxygen and cool it when it overheats. But this method will not help if strong heating occurs. It cools the temperature by 1-2 notches.
You can use a replaceable filter for aeration by attaching it closer to the outer surface. There will be a flow effect.
Turning off the lights
Very often, a backlight or lamp is used for aquariums. Any luminous electrical appliances help heat the water.
It is worth turning off the lights above the aquariums sometimes . This will reduce the temperature rise slightly.
This method has disadvantages; many fish simply need lighting for normal existence. If the light generates a lot of heat, then it is worth reconsidering the choice of lamps that heat up less: low-power LEDs.
Removing the cover
This method is very simple and can be used for a single case with slight increases in temperature by one or two divisions.
To implement this method, you need to move the lid of the aquarium, or remove it completely. Air will get inside and water from the upper layers will evaporate.
You can cover it with a transparent cloth if you are afraid that the fish will jump out of the water. The cloth can be wetted with cold water. There is no sudden cooling, but the method is ineffective if the pet’s health has suffered due to overheating.
Air conditioner
Air conditioning methods are good in summer when it gets hot even at night. The air conditioner should be installed in the room where the fish live. Cool air will blow over the water, preventing it from heating up. The disadvantages of the air conditioner are the large winding of electricity.
There are special conditioners for aquarium water that are inserted inside and control the set temperature.
Cooling water in an aquarium in the summer heat
Aquarium fish are cold-blooded creatures and are not able to regulate their body temperature themselves.
Most fish, even tropical ones, are adapted to live in water with a temperature of 22-28 degrees, so summer heat can bring not only discomfort to the fish, but also cause their death. The first signs of overheating of water in an aquarium may be unusual behavior of the fish:
- fish become less active;
- float in the upper layers of water;
- constantly swallow air from the surface.
If you notice this behavior of the fish, first of all, remove the lid from the aquarium, turn off the artificial lighting in the aquarium and increase the compressor power to full (you need to increase the air circulation in the water to maximum).
In such cases, some young aquarists throw ice from the freezer into the aquarium or add cold water to lower the temperature. This is highly NOT RECOMMENDED! A sharp drop in water temperature can be much more dangerous for fish than being in overheated water!
When the water in an aquarium overheats, fish and plants suffer not only from the temperature regime. The fact is that a lot of oxygen dissolves in cold water, while in overheated water its content is much less.
The fish begin to choke. On the contrary, vital processes increase, bacteria begin to multiply faster, fish defecate more, the concentration of harmful substances in the water increases, and the biobalance is disturbed.
During periods of extreme heat, you can reduce the amount of fish food; on particularly hot days, you can generally keep the fish hungry. Many aquarists feed their fish 2-3 times a week in the summer, and this only benefits them, because... a disturbance in the biobalance in water caused by rotting food can lead to a sharp outbreak of diseases and a massive death of fish.
There are many ways to cool water in an aquarium, some of them do not require any investment, but the water can also be cooled 4 degrees below room temperature.
Other cooling methods involve the purchase of expensive equipment, but with it you will forever forget about such a problem as increased water temperature in the aquarium.
Let's look at everything in order, starting from the cheapest and simplest to the most expensive.
Water cools by evaporation
It is this physical phenomenon that forms the basis of many artisanal methods of reducing temperature. Remove the lid and cover slips from the aquarium so as not to interfere with the evaporation of water. Increase the blowing power of the compressor, this way you will kill two birds with one stone:
- the water will begin to evaporate more rapidly;
- The oxygen concentration will increase, which will have a beneficial effect on the fish.
Increase the power of the filter, the water will mix better, and thanks to the water flow, evaporation will increase. Turn off all lighting sources in the aquarium, because... they generate additional heat. Protect the aquarium from direct sunlight to prevent additional heating.
By taking all these simple steps, the water in the aquarium will cool down 3-5 degrees below room temperature. Keep in mind that the water from the aquarium will begin to evaporate and settle in the room, so organize good ventilation to avoid the greenhouse effect, otherwise it will not be your fish that will feel discomfort, but YOU!
Cooling aquarium water with ice
Cooling the water in your aquarium with ice is suitable for you if your aquarium is quite large and the temperature of the water in it does not change sharply. Place an ordinary plastic bottle of water in the freezer and when the water cools down (does not freeze), let it float on the surface of the aquarium water.
