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How to look after your tank in the Summer

How to look after your tank in the Summer

The Coral Centre |

Summer is finally here and so is the British summer heat. Whilst we may be loving the weather and going out and about as much as possible, it’s important to remember that your tank and the beautiful life within it, can become vulnerable. 

Even the slightest change in water temperature can negatively impact the life of corals and other life inside your tank. So you can imagine the risk involved during the summer, especially if there’s a heatwave. That’s why it’s critical to ensure your tank maintains a stable temperature at all times, especially when the weather warms up. Whilst this can be a challenging task, it is a vital one, to ensure the wellbeing of your tank. So how can you achieve this? 

Let’s look at some practical suggestions that we can all apply. If you’d rather, you can watch our explainer video here: Help & Advice... 5 top tips on how to keep you tank cool during a heatwave

1. Windows, Doors and Curtains

These are vital to ensure a circulation of fresh air in the surrounding area where your tank is located as well as ensuring no direct sunlight is heating up your tank. Therefore, ensure your windows, doors and curtains are closed when the sun is shining, especially during the day, when the sun is strongest. 

2. Freezing RO Water

Reverse Osmosis (RO) is a water purification process that uses a semi-permeable membrane to remove impurities and contaminants from water. In simple terms, it works by applying pressure to the water on one side of the membrane, allowing pure water molecules to pass through while blocking the passage of larger molecules, ions, and particles. This process helps eliminate substances like salts, minerals, bacteria, viruses, and other impurities, resulting in clean, purified water. 

This can be as simple as filling up and freezing a bottle with RO water, letting it float in your tank. This cools down your tank and ensures a stable temperature. 

3. Fans

If we use them, so can aquariums! A small clip on fan can be added to your tank to cool down the tank from a surface level. Simply having a fan in the room of your tank will ensure a cool temperature during hot weather. If your aquarium has cabinet doors, you can leave them open to ensure more cool air flowing.

4. Chiller

A chiller reduces the heat of your system. A chiller acts by regulating the temperature of your aquarium, cooling it down when it needs to be. These are especially useful if you live in a hot climate. It works by utilising a refrigeration system to extract heat from the water and release it into the surrounding environment. Despite being a more expensive option, a chiller definitely helps in maintaining your tank in a stable temperature. 

5. Powerheads

A powerhead in an aquarium doesn't directly reduce temperature but helps with temperature regulation. It promotes water movement, preventing temperature stratification and ensuring even heat distribution throughout the tank. By creating surface agitation, it enhances gas exchange, increasing oxygen levels and preventing temperature-related stress. 

Additionally, when used in conjunction with cooling methods like fans or evaporative systems, a powerhead can assist in improving their effectiveness by directing airflow and enhancing evaporation for more efficient cooling. 

Those are our top five tips to ensure your aquarium keeps cool during this hot summer. If you apply them all in conjunction, you can be confident in ensuring the life within your tank is kept cool, allowing it to thrive. 

For all your reefing needs, please get in touch or visit Coral HQ. If you’d like a visual guide of how to keep your tank cool, check out our video here:

Help & Advice... 5 top tips on how to keep you tank cool during a heatwave