| Our priority to keep an aquarium in our homes is the | | | | reduce the amount of aquarium lightening time. The |
| well-being of the fish and invertebrates we maintain. | | | | tank lights contribute greatly to higher water |
| And the first step to note while preparing a checklist | | | | temperatures. Don't leave the lights off all the time |
| of the aquarium accessories required for the well | | | | though. That's bad for your fish too! If you have a |
| being of aquarium occupants is to keep the aquarium | | | | freshwater planted aquarium, which requires at least |
| room cool, especially for marine aquaria. The ideal | | | | 8 hours of light per day, you may have no choice but |
| temperature for most fish-only aquaria is between 76 | | | | to buy an air conditioner or a chiller to solve your |
| degrees and 82 degrees Fahrenheit. If you only have | | | | heat problem. |
| fish in the aquarium and the aquarium is stocked | | | | 3. Aerate your aquarium tanks with a strong air |
| properly with aquarium supplies, then you only need | | | | pump! This will help to increase the exchange of |
| about a 2 to 6 degree temperature drop. This will | | | | gases at the waters surface, thereby helping to raise |
| depend on the type of aquarium you keep and the | | | | Dissolved Oxygen levels. It will also aid heat exchange |
| temperature drop needed to cool the tank. | | | | at the surface. |
| With fish, it's not always the high temperature that | | | | 4. DO NOT unplug your aquarium heaters! This is a |
| kills. Many fish die in tanks running too hot due to low | | | | common mistake that often backfires. An aquarium |
| dissolved oxygen (DO) levels in the water. The | | | | heater that's working properly will shut off when the |
| warmer the water, the less dissolved oxygen (DO) it | | | | aquarium is at the proper temperature. Unplugging the |
| will hold. | | | | heater could cause the temperature to drop too far |
| Here are a few tips to keep your aquarium water | | | | at night in situations when it's hot during the day but |
| cool for your little friends to survive for long. | | | | cool at night and the windows in the aquarium room |
| 1. If your aquarium is well-covered, open the covers | | | | are kept open. |
| on your tank, and place nylon netting over the | | | | 5. If your aquarium equipment is in a closed cabinet |
| openings to prevent fish from jumping out. This | | | | stand below your fish tank, open the cabinet doors |
| allows heat to escape. You can aid this process | | | | and place a fan circulating air into the cabinet area to |
| further by directing the air-flow of a small fan across | | | | allow heat created from aquarium pumps to escape |
| the top of the tank. | | | | 6. Buy an air conditioner! Sometimes this is the only |
| 2. Close the shades on windows in the room. Even | | | | solution. The cost of running an air conditioner for a |
| indirect sunlight will raise the room temperature by a | | | | few months is a small price to pay to keep our |
| degree or two and every little bit helps. You can also | | | | finned friends alive. |