Keeping your fish cool is just as important as keeping them fed. When it’s hot outside, water in your aquarium can heat up to dangerous levels that may kill your fish.
The aquarium chiller is a key component of any freshwater or saltwater fish tank setup. Although there are many different types of aquarium chillers, this blog post will help you find the best match for you to cool down water fast and efficiently.
Some of the best aquarium chillers have been reviewed on this blog. They are great for keeping your fish healthy and alive with a properly maintained water temperature.
Check out these reviews and find the one that best suits you!
What Is An Aquarium Chiller?
Aquarium chillers are designed to lower the temperature of your aquarium water. This is achieved by transferring heat away from the water into the surrounding atmosphere. Then the cooler temperature will result in a more oxygen-rich environment for your fish.
Our Recommendation For The Best Aquarium Chiller
The JBJ Commercial Arctica Titanium Chiller has got to be our top pick for the best aquarium chiller on the market today. This unit is user-friendly and comes equipped with excellent features that make it perfect for any tank!
It’s easy to step up – all without breaking a sweat (or spending too much). With 04 different power models available, so you can find one just right no matter how big or small your tanks are.
Review of the 06 Best Aquarium Chiller
1. JBJ Commercial Arctica Titanium Chiller
JBJ Commercial Arctica Titanium Chiller is the ultimate chiller for your home or business. This chiller has a quiet operation, durable construction, and an LCD controller that makes it easy to read. In addition, it offers four different models to provide efficient chilling in aquariums, from 130 gallons to 340 gallons.
The JBJ Commercial Arctica Titanium Chiller is a smart, energy-efficient aquarium chiller. The titanium heat exchanger and condenser are corrosion-resistant and contain safe ozone-friendly refrigerant R-134A.
The condenser unit of this chiller is located on the front, which pulls air from the front end of the unit and expels the warmer air through the rear end. This aquarium chiller can be installed in minutes with just a hose.
This state-of-the-art model has an intelligent memory chip that resets to the last programmed temperature setting if power cuts. In addition, the heating and cooling system are controlled via a fully automatic digital thermostat, making it easy for you to adjust your aquarium’s range as desired – perfect!
The JBJ Chiller is an aquarium chiller that has been specially designed to be quiet and vibration-free. It also provides a stylish look for your home, making it perfect for the living space!
The company has a responsive and helpful customer care service. Most notably, they provide you a 2 years warranty for their product.
Pros
- Suitable for mid to large tanks
- Highly reliable
- It is easy to use & simple installation
- Quiet and vibration-free operation
- Two-years of warranty
Cons
- Expensive
2. Active Aqua Water Chiller Cooling Systems
Active Aqua chiller is mainly tailored to hobbyists who grow their own vegetables or fruit using a hydroponic system. However, it comes with features that are also well suited for aquariums.
Active Aqua AACH10HP Water Chiller is a user-friendly, freon-free water chiller that offers an impressive flow rate. In addition, it has an anti-corrosive titanium evaporator for both fresh and saltwater.
The unit has an LCD touchpad, which makes it easy to preset the temperature you want. In addition, your settings are stored in its memory so that if power is lost, all adjustments from before will remain the same!
This electric water heater has an auto-cutout mode that prevents it from constantly coming on and off or short cycling. This is a really cool feature, which will prolong the lifespan of your unit.
This chiller can be used for any size tank! It comes in 1/10 HP, ¼ HP, ½ HP, and 1HP power versions with a large flow rate of 396 to 975 gal/h. This implies that no matter what size your aquarium is – whether small or large- this water cooler will meet the demand without fail.
The Active Aqua chiller is a great choice for any tank. It comes with two sets of fittings, enabling you to choose either ¾” or 1″ diameter hoses, and it’s effortless to use!
Pros
- Four different sizes are available
- Perfect match for small to large aquariums
- It is Freon free
- Impressive flow rate
- Offers a large refrigeration capacity
Cons
- Costly
3. Baoshishan Aquarium Chiller
The BAOSHISHAN Aquarium Chiller is an innovative, energy-efficient, and environmentally friendly aquarium chiller. It uses a highly efficient freon-free compressor, keeping the water cool with minimal power consumption.
The BAOSHISHAN aquarium chiller is perfect for cooling your fish tank. It has four power options; 1/10 HP, ⅓ HP, ½HP, and 1hp (for use in 42 to 290 Gallons tanks). This product will maintain functionality through many years of service!
The BAOSHISHAN Aquarium Chiller has a safety protection function that will not let the machine work if there is no water circulation or overheat. It also has a powerful built-in fan to dissipate heat effectively, which helps to keep the compressor fabulous all day long.
The BAOSHISHAN Aquarium Chiller can be used for both fresh and saltwater tanks. It has an easy-to-use interface, and the temperature of your aquarium is displayed in real-time, so you can put a close eye on the water’s heat.
The water cooler is equipped with a series of safety features that will keep you safe. For example, the overcurrent protection system can shut off the unit if too many currents are drawn. At the same time, power-off temperature memory ensures the machine continues cooling at your desired set point upon powering back on again!
BAOSHISHAN offers a one-year warranty, and customer care is very easy-going when it comes down to solving problems.
Pros
- Four different power option
- Long-lasting service
- Built-in safety feature
- One year warranty
Cons
- Pricey
4. Hamilton Technology Aqua Euro Max Aquarium Chiller
Hamilton Technology Aqua Euro Max Aquarium Chiller is a powerful model which has a compact design. It is simple to operate, and it has an anti-freezing system. As a result, this chiller can maintain the optimum water temperature of your aquarium effectively.
It has the best power options; 1/13, 1/10, and ¼ HP to choose from. The 1/13 HP power option is perfect for smaller tanks; this can chill 160 to 295 gallons per hour and comes. However, if you have larger aquariums, you can choose from other options.
The thermostat is very user-friendly and easy to use. So you won’t have trouble setting up the chiller to your desired temperature range! You can lower it if you want so that all of those wonderful creatures in your aquarium get a comfortable environment. A memory recall system will keep the settings intact in a power outage.
The high BTU rating of the heat exchanger means you get up to 25% more than other chillers. This efficient condenser work saves energy and money, so it’s an excellent investment for those who want their electricity bill as low as possible!
The reliable compressor has a Dupont coolant, which is known to be environmentally friendly. This means it’s essential that we remain as green as possible! The only downside that users mentioned is, the chiller unit generates relatively more heat while in operation; however that won’t hamper the water chilling process.
Pros
- It is a powerful & compact design
- It is easy to operate
- It has an anti-freezing system
- High BTU rating of the condenser unit
Cons
- Instructions to use aren’t adequate.
5. IceProbe Thermoelectric Aquarium Chiller
IceProbe Thermoelectric Aquarium Chiller is the best choice for you if you want to maintain your fish tank temperature at an optimal level. This model has an outstanding performance, and it is easy to install.
It operates silently, so it will not disturb your sleep or working hours. If you are looking for a reliable thermoelectric aquarium chiller, IceProbe Thermoelectric Aquarium Chiller is exactly what you need!
This model is a fabulous choice for smaller aquariums (20 gallons or less). It’s efficient and quick, so you can keep your fish happy in their tiny tanks! It can chill water quickly and efficiently but may not be enough to keep larger aquariums cool; you’ll need multiple units for that.
The chiller has an innovative thermoelectric technology that takes advantage of converting electricity for use in cooling your tank. It utilizes the probe mounted on this device, which absorbs heat and is then dissipated into the air by a heat sink, uses a fan to cool it down. Therefore, no need to use an additional pump to push the water through the unit.
The probe has to be in contact with the water while the heat sink remains outside the tank. Therefore, you have to make the arrangements to position the unit in that way.
The unit provides you the constant chilling when it’s turned on! Unfortunately, there are no built-in timers or temperature controllers but make sure to get a separate one if you want to maintain your aquarium at a specific temperature.
Pros
- Affordable
- Highly reliable
- Eliminates the necessity for a water pump
- Extremely quiet in operation
Cons
- Not the best option for larger aquariums
6. Seven Master Aquarium Chillers
The device by Seven Master is a fish tank cooling fan system that combines multiple fan units. It provides strong wind to your aquarium; the temperature can be reduced by 9-10 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on the weather and indoor temperature.
The fan is designed to fit onto the lip of your tank and blow cool air across the water, removing excess warmth from it. One unit will only work with a 10-gallon setup; if you have larger aquariums, then buy more than one!
The four adjustments on the base allow you to find your ideal seating position. The maximum angle is 45°, so it’s easy for anyone with different needs.
This product can help to remove some heat that would otherwise occur due to light or UV filters.
Pros
- Simple to install and operate
- Inexpensive
- Variable speed settings
- Viable option for small tanks
Cons
- One unit is suitable only for 10 gallons.
- Increase water evaporation rate
When to Use An Aquarium Chiller?
The summertime is typically a hard time to pass if you live in hot areas like the South in the United States or South Asian Countries and if your mind has been dwelling on those fish who swim all day long among aquatic plants or coral.
It must be exhausting! That being said, an aquarium with a high temperature needs a chiller unit too–to keep its inhabitants stable during these unbearable months of July and August when things are at their hottest (and worst).
Keep in mind that aquariums shouldn’t get hotter than 83°F. At the hottest point, oxygen levels start to dwindle. It can lead to fish deaths or other inhabitants living there feeling stressed out from the competition for air space with their peers around them who are also struggling just like they are!
Be afraid- don’t let your tank run over 85 degrees Fahrenheit because if you do, fish will die without enough Oxygen!!! Therefore, an aquarium chiller is essential to keep the water cool and livable for the aquatic species.
Suppose you want to keep a species that prefers cooler water, such as the axolotl. In that case, you need to maintain high levels of dissolved oxygen content in their environment–like those found in colder waters. Therefore, you will need an aquarium chiller to keep the temperature in lower settings.
How does an Aquarium Chiller work?
Aquarium chillers mainly three types:
- Flow-through chiller
- Drop-in or immersion chiller
- Thermoelectric cooler
Flow-through chiller
The most common type of aquarium chiller works on the principle of the Refrigeration cycle. The purpose of the aquarium chiller is to cool down the water. In the process, it takes heat from the water and releases the heat into the atmosphere.
A chiller consists of four components:
- Evaporator
- Condenser
- Compressor
- Expansion valve.
An evaporator is a heat exchanger where the liquid refrigerant evaporates by taking heat from the water. The heat exchanger is built from titanium, which transfers thermal energy very efficiently and resists corrosion.
The vapor goes into the compressor unit, where its pressure increases and flows towards the condenser unit. Inside the condenser tubes, the vapor refrigerant condenses. The heat is dissipated by a fan blowing cool air across hot condenser coils.
The liquid refrigerant that’s under high pressure in the condenser unit is passed through expansion valves, lowering its temperature as it goes into the evaporator, and this cycle continues over and over again.
Drop-in or immersion chiller
A drop-in or immersion chiller works in much the same way as a flow-through one. Although it resides within your filter sump, drop-in chillers aren’t generally used at home because they’re large and make noise. However, many people use them on commercial tanks where space is not an issue!
Thermoelectric cooler (TEC)
A thermoelectric cooler is another chiller that works best only in smaller aquariums (up to 10 gallons).
When used in an aquarium, a probe that sits in water absorbs warmth from the tank. That heat will then be transferred to a “Heatsink,” positioned above it and cooled off with fans!
The compact design of this kind of aquarium chiller is what makes it so popular. They’re also relatively affordable, depending on your choice of brand/model – but the downsides? First, you’ll need to drill through or mount a device onto which you can attach one for above-tank use (which may be tricky).
Factors To Consider Buying The Best Aquarium Chiller
Energy Consumption
Your fish are counting on you to keep their water at a comfortable temperature. Your aquarium chiller, which will be running 24/7, will do your job of maintaining the tank temperature suitable for your fish.
When considering buying one, put emphasis on energy consumption. The more effective the machine is, the better, which will help you to save some bucks.
Flow Rate
The flow rate is one of the most important aspects of any chiller. If the canister filter flow rate matches with the chiller, then it’s all set for you. However, if not, you need to buy a separate pump. The pump flow rate should be sufficient to circulate the water through the chiller of its recommended volume.
Types of Aquarium Chiller
What type of chiller you should buy depends on the tank size and the extent of cooling the water. For smaller aquariums (10 gallons or lower), a thermoelectric type or a cooling fan system may be sufficient enough if you need to lower the tank temperature up to 10 °F.
However, you must use an inline (flow-through) chiller to cool down if you have a large tank.
Capacity
Don’t get caught with a chiller that can’t handle your water! The capacity of the aquarium should match what you’re looking for in one. You don’t want to go cheap on an underpowered machine; make sure you match your tank requirement.
Frequently Asked Question
How do you install an Aquarium Chiller?
Installing an aquarium chiller is a tricky task that will depend on the type of aquarium chiller you bought. The common type of aquarium chiller that people use is an inline chiller (flow-through chiller), which takes water from your tank to be chilled before returning it back to the aquarium.
Those are usually installed in line with the canister filter outlet. If you don’t have a canister-type filter, you can use a separate pump to move the water through the chiller unit. But, again, be careful about the pump’s flow rate; make sure that it suits the recommended flow rate of your chiller.
If you want to chill out with the drop-in chiller, just put one of these in your sump tank, and heat exchange coils will do their magic work.
A thermoelectric chiller consists of an electronic probe that absorbs heat, remains in contact with water and dissipates heat through a heat sink that stays outside your tank. Therefore, you have to make sure that your unit is oriented correctly.
What is the best aquarium chiller for keeping axolotl?
Axolotls are delicate creatures, so you must make sure that their water stays at a stable temperature. The optimum range for axolotl tank temperatures is 59 – 73 Fahrenheit (15 – 23 degrees Celsius). If your aquarium’s thermometer reads outside this comfort zone, then it could harm or even kill them!
Therefore, you need an efficient aquarium chiller to remain free of tension. I recommend buying JBJ Commercial Arctica Titanium Chiller. This chiller is perfect for any size aquarium. It’s quiet and offers four different models, so you can choose what best suits your needs!
How do I clean an Aquarium Chiller?
Disconnecting the water pipe connections to the aquarium chiller is the first step. Then, for freshwater, it’s relatively straightforward, clean the chiller with clean water.
But for saltwater models, there might be calcium deposits. In that case, you can clean with vinegar to remove the residues sticking on the sides of the chiller.
Conclusion
Aquarium fish need to maintain a specific water temperature for their optimum health. Therefore, if you want them to live long, productive lives in your tank, you must keep them at an optimal temperature.
Aquarists often struggle to find out what type of chiller is best suited towards providing consistent conditions.
Hopefully, this article has given you the information needed about aquarium chillers. You should now be able to make a decision to buy the best aquarium chiller for you.
If you have anything more to know, please leave a comment below.
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