Aquarium chillers are one of the basic requirements that every tank needs to regulate the temperature of aquarium water. Various brands manufacture ultimate products that help the tank water to maintain an optimum temperature in which your aquatic plants and creatures stay healthy.
In an indoor aquarium, people often place lights that hang from the tank lid. When you are keeping the light on for 4 to 5 hours, it tends to heat up the water, and when you are living in a temperate climatic zone, the condition can even get worse.
So placing an aquarium chiller can help you out from aquarium heating problems. In case of excessive heat sometimes, the life of your fish may also be threatened.
The heating up problem seems a major issue for not only sweet water tanks but also when you plan to set up a marine aquarium. In this article, we are going to review the 11 best aquarium chillers which you can choose to keep your loved fishes hale and hearty.
Best Aquarium Chillers 2021 Reviewed
1. Zoo Med Aqua Cool Aquarium Chiller
If you own a nano-sized aquarium and want to get the right cooling gadget for your tank, then, Zoo Med Aqua Cool Aquarium Cooling Fan seems to be the best choice. The product is very handy and light-weighted.
You can easily carry it anywhere you want. The unit comes with a suction cup on the lower side, and the duckbill control vent allows you to easily adjust the airflow as per the need.
When you have small indoor setups, Zoo Med Aqua Cool Aquarium Cooling Fan helps to make it complete. The speed of the fan makes a difference of 2 to 5-degree temperature drop without letting a drop of water out of the tank.
When you switch on the red button that you will find on the body on the unit, you can witness tiny water ripples on the water surface of your tank.
This small aquarium chiller is capable of keeping your tank’s temperature low even during the midsummer when the average temperature remains 70 degrees Fahrenheit. For a tank whose capacity is somewhere around 10 gallons, this particular product appears to be an absolute choice.
The only thing that you will sometimes find irritating is the sound that comes out with the rotation of the fan blades. But you cannot avoid this as a minimum amount of sound will always come out with rotation of any fans.
When you think about the long-term benefit of your aquatic creatures, you should invest in this Zoo Med Aqua Cool Aquarium Cooling today.
Advantages:
- Low energy consumption.
- High Accuracy.
Disadvantage:
- Only for small setups.
2. Happybuy Aquarium Water Chiller with Pump Kit
Whether you are planning to set up a big outdoor fish tank or an indoor aquarium, maintaining the right temperature of the water is very essential for the well-being of your fishes. There are two variants of this model viz. 70W and 100W which are presently available in the market.
For a small tank, 70W chillers can be more than enough but for a big aquarium, both marine and freshwater where aquatic plants are present, Happy Buy Aquarium Water Chiller can create a great difference. It can constantly help in maintaining the temperature of the tank within the pre-decided range that can be set up by the user.
This handy component can be kept within a short range from the tank, and there is a pump that allows the flow of the water from the tank to the chiller and again back to the tank. There is a digital display in which you can set the temperature, and it’s above range.
An alarm system is given, which sends a signal when the temperature rises above the desired range. This helps to continually monitor the condition of the water.
The machine emits a very negligible amount of sound with minimum vibration. If you are planning for a shrimp tank, this Happy Buy Aquarium Water Chiller can be very useful.
Advantages:
- Low energy consumption
- High level of accuracy.
Disadvantage:
- It comes without any pump.
3. LONDAFISH Aquarium Chillers
This Fishtank chiller setup comes with twin fans that can drop the temperature of the aquarium water from 2 to 3 degrees. The size of each fan blade is 3cm, and it comes with an adjustable clamp that can be attached to the wall of the tank. It can be used for indoor tank cooling purposes and is effective for both marine and freshwater fishes.
During the summer months, often, the health of our aquatic pets gets hampered. In some cases, due to frequent temperature rise, the pH level of the tank gets disturbed, resulting in the death of the aquatic creatures.
Londafish Aquarium Chillers is a 12-volt component. You can place one of the fans towards the surface of the tank water and the other towards the tank lid from where the light is placed. This helps to keep both the light and the aquarium free from getting overheated.
People often avoid using the chillers for only one reason that is irritating sounds that comes out from the rotation of the motors. But, when compared with the other popular chiller items, it has been witnessed that these products produce a very minimum amount of sound and the size of the item makes it handy and one of the popular options when one is going to buy an aquarium chiller.
Advantage:
- 2 fans provide direct cooling
Disadvantage:
- No pump is given.
- No display
4. IceProbe Thermoelectric Aquarium Chiller
IceProbe Thermoelectric Aquarium Chiller comes with a small fan and cords. It can be used in both indoor and outdoor tanks. The device is capable of keeping the temperature of the water low when the surrounding temperature is quite high, especially during the summer months.
To keep your aquarium health in the right condition, Ice Probe Thermoelectric Aquarium Chiller can be an absolute choice when you are planning to set it up tanks with 10 to 15 gallons of water capacity.
The fan will remain outside of the tank, and the probe portion needs to be submerged from the top. This fan helps to get rid of the excess heat from the respective tank and can reduce the temperature from 2 to 5 degrees. But for high-capacity tanks, it can take almost a day to reduce 1 degree.
For indoor tanks, the products can be very useful, especially when you are keeping species like shrimps, which require moderate temperature for proper survival. The excretory substances of the aquatic creatures also increase the temperature, which can also be controlled with this device.
Advantage:
- High Accuracy.
Disadvantage:
- It has no display
5. Active Aqua Aquarium Water Chiller Cooling System
When you are searching for a large-capacity aquarium chiller for your fish tank, then Active Aqua AACH10HP Cooling System seems an unparalleled choice. This device is user-friendly and comes with a storage capacity of 10 to 50 gallons of water. The neon-free item causes zero harm to the environment.
When you are planning for summer trips and confused about how to keep a moderate temperature of the aquarium water, this Active Aqua AACH10HP Water Cooling System is very efficient. The anticorrosive parts of the component make it perfect for both marine and freshwater usage.
If you care about your aquatic friends, you should install one of these models to make sure that your fish’s health is never compromised due to the rapid fluctuation of temperature. The component produces a very low sound, which is pretty tolerable when compared with the other chiller fan sounds.
The titanium evaporator makes the product hard and long-lasting. So, if you are searching for a product that can meet both the purpose of big and small aquariums, you can definitely go for this product.
Advantage:-
- High Accuracy.
Disadvantage:-
- It has no pump.
6. Hamilton Technology Aqua Euro Max Fishtank Chiller
Hamilton Technology Aqua Euro Max Aquarium Chiller is one of the most efficient products that are designed for all types of aquariums, both indoor and outdoor tanks. There is one led display unit on the top on which it shows the particular temperature of the water. You can simply set up the desired temperature, and this chiller is capable of maintaining it 24 x 7.
Especially during the hot summers, it becomes very difficult to maintain a stable and suitable temperature that seems necessary for the well-being of your tank fishes. But, this chiller is very much efficient to lower the temperature of your tank and bring it to the optimal level. And, this temperature drop is performed within a very short period too.
This aquarium equipment comes with an anti-freezing technology, and its accuracy makes it incomparable to the other available products in the market.
Advantages:
- Durable
- Anticorrosive with anti-freezing technology
Disadvantage:
- No pump is given.
7. JBJ Aquarium Arctica Titanium Chiller
JBJ Aquarium Arctica Titanium Chiller is the perfect product for a tank owner who wants fast working equipment. This particular model is environment-friendly as it uses safe ozone-friendly refrigerant R-134A.
The high efficient condenser of this product has the ability to drop down the temperature of the tank’s water very rapidly, which makes it the best buy for regions that are hot and humid. It also comes with an anti-corrosive feature that increases the life span of this Chiller.
When you are staying more hours away from your aquarium and want a product that will take care of maintaining an optimum temperature level 24 hrs then, simply install this product. The durability of the product is much higher than the other common Aquarium Chillers.
Advantages:
- Very fast cooling
- Environment-friendly
Disadvantage:
- The pump is missing.
8. Teco Tank TK-500 1/6 HP Aquarium Chiller
Teco Tank TK-500 Aquarium Chiller comes with 450 Watts of cooling capacity and a powerful 1/6 horsepower motor. This is a high-capacity tank unit that is designed for typical aquariums with a water capacity of up to 130 gallons.
A built-in heater is placed inside a machine along with an accurate temperature-based aquarium controller that helps in the maintenance of the optimum temperature of your tank’s water. The top exhaust conveyor comes with the rotatable feature, and a magnetically affixed filter screen is installed.
The equipment has a high accuracy level with both Centigrade and Fahrenheit Scales. So, you don’t need to convert the unit manually. This product is manufactured in Italy and is given a limited warranty of two years time span.
The chiller motor is usually very durable, which makes the product one of the most preferred choices of individuals who are setting an indoor aquarium. The Teco Aquarium Chiller is also a popular option because of its rapid cooling feature. It can drop down the temperature from 2 to 5 degrees within 2 hours.
Advantage:
- Both Centigrade and Fahrenheit Scale is provided
Disadvantage:
- The pump has to be installed separately
9. Coralife Energy Savers ACL36060 Aquarium Chiller
Coralife Energy Savers Chiller is manufactured by one of the leading aquarium product brands. You can easily install this unit that has very low maintenance and is often installed in self-cleaning fish tanks, making the entire unit low maintenance.
While Canister Power filter is used in this chiller, which can be easily accessed by the tank owner. This makes the filter cleaning process an easier job. This product is not meant for big tanks. For a tank that is holding around 50 gallons of water, the Coralife Energy savers seem more efficient when compared with tanks having more than 100cc of capacity. But you will require getting vinyl pipes and separate pumps.
Moreover, this product is made to work accurately for small setups. It consumes very little energy and is capable of dropping 2 to 3 degrees of water very rapidly. Its usefulness is more justified in areas where the surrounding temperature is hot and humid.
It is very essential to maintain the temperature of your tank optimum and constant. The heating of tank water is also caused due to the heat that gets emitted from the aquarium lights. To make sure your aquatic friends are living in the right environment, you should consider installing this particular Chiller.
Advantages:
- Low maintenance
- Easily washable filters
Disadvantage:
- The pump has to be arranged separately.
10. EcoPlus Aquarium Chiller 1/10 HP
EcoPlus Chiller comes with a ¾ inch male NPT supplied with hose fittings. No pump unit is supplied with this unit, and the recommended pump size for this model is 317 to 793 GPH. It consumes a power of 120 volts at 4.4Amps.
This Chiller is capable of holding a maximum water capacity of 132 gallons. So, you can use this equipment for both indoor and outdoor aquariums. The low power consumption well justifies the term “Eco” of the model name. This is a product that every aquarium hobbyist would love to install in their tanks.
The hardy parts with an accurate sensor can drop the temperature of your tank’s water within an hour or two. But, its efficiency is most appreciated during the humid months when the scorching heat tends to increase the water temperature along with its surrounding air.
This is the time when you need to switch on this device throughout the day for keeping the water low while the surrounding area is heating up.
Advantage:
- High level of Accuracy
- Low energy consumption
Disadvantage:
- No pump is provided
11. Deep Blue Professional ADB50060 Kryos Advanced Fishtank Chiller
Kyros advanced aquatic chiller provides you to control the environment of your aquarium. This is an absolute product that can be easily installed, and its user-friendly control allows anyone to easily understand the procedure to make the product working.
The easy-to-read display allows you to constantly monitor the temperature of the water. You can set the desired temperature, and the chiller will either drop down or increase automatically to maintain the set range.
The product comes with a high-quality compressor and the titanium heat exchanger unit makes it sure that the machine is running smoothly without any delays.
Kyros Advanced Chiller is mainly designed for larger-sized aquariums with a capacity range of 200 to 310 gallons of water. It can maintain the temperature range between 39 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit and comes with a 7.8Amps circuit. The titanium body provides anti-corrosion, which enhances the longevity of this product.
If you are residing in a geographical location where the surrounding temperature becomes very hot during summers, Kyros advanced can be the best aquarium chiller equipment that would play an anchor role in keeping the good health of your fishes.
Along with rapid temperature change, it can also maintain the optimum temperature that the user sets up. The high accuracy of this product always provides the correct temperature of the tank, and this item also seems ideal in tanks where individuals have installed bright lights. So, now with this equipment, you can keep on the aquarium lights and enjoy the aquatic life without regular monitoring of the water temperature.
Advantage:
- The user can check the temperature from the display.
- Low energy consumption
- High Accuracy.
Disadvantage:
- There is no pump.
Factors to Keep in Mind While Buying an Aquarium Chiller
Here are some of the factors you will need to consider before ‘hitting the purchase button‘ [for an aquarium chiller] at the store:
- Tank capacity: The very first thing that should come to mind is the size of your tank as this ought to help you decide the size of the aquarium chiller you will eventually get. Hence, it is expedient to select a fish tank chiller that will be suitable for your tank.
- Design/Material: The design of any product determines its usability and effectiveness in some ways, and the fish tank chiller is not different. Likewise, the material used in making the device could yet affect its functionality, as well as, its durability so, you should not fail to look out for a well-made chiller that will serve you efficiently for a long period. The ones made from high-quality plastic materials are the most preferable.
- Flow rate: It is up to you to ensure that the aquarium chiller functions at an optimum level hence you should endeavor to go for one that is not too slow or too fast when in operation. The appropriate flow rate will see to it that the temperature of the water does not rise to an undesirable range.
- Energy consumption: This is another critical factor that you cannot afford to overlook especially if you are more about preventing wastage of electricity and saving cost on energy. To this end, you should check for an aquarium chiller that will consume less energy without compromising quality or effectiveness.
- Type of refrigerant: The refrigerant is of great importance in the fish tank chiller as it creates the cooling effect, and its potency goes a long way in determining how cold the water temperature within the tank will be. It is essential that you go for an chiller that has eco-friendly refrigerants in it; EcoFluor R410 and HFC-134a are among the most commonly used refrigerants
- Noise level: You should also be particular about the amount of noise produced by the cooling system you have in mind; this, you can ascertain by demanding a test run before making a purchase. Better still, you can do your research and read reviews on different aquarium chillers before approaching the store.
- Features: The features on the product also matter as they will be decisive in determining how easy the device will be for you to use. The temperature control and LCD unit for temperature reading – besides other major components – are very vital in this respect.
How Does the Aquarium Chiller Work?
To understand how the aquarium chiller performs its function, it is fitting to note that the device has the compressor, condenser, heat exchange coil, and expansion valve as its major components.
So, how does it work?
First, you need to know that, in an aquarium chiller, the scientific principle of heat diffusing from an area with a relatively higher/warmer temperature to that having lower/colder temperature holds sway.
The heat exchange coils take in heat from the aquarium water, and the heat is absorbed by the liquid refrigerant that had been in the coils beforehand. The refrigerant is thereafter turned into a gas in the compressor which functions to pump the refrigerant [now in its gaseous state] into the condenser coil thus bringing about a rise in temperature and pressure.
