What is the ideal temperature for an aquarium? What is the temperature of the water in an aquarium? The water temperature is an essential factor for a successful aquarium. Not only fish, but also plants and bacteria are very sensitive to changes in water temperature. To know how to heat and cool an aquarium, you need to be interested in the characteristics of your aquatic environment: freshwater or seawater aquarium, introduced fish species, … Discover the guide of the water temperature in an aquarium as well as the solutions to heat, cool and regulate the temperature of your aquarium.
Average water temperature of an aquarium
To know how to temperate the water in your aquarium, you need to be interested in the fauna and flora that live there. Indeed, each species of fish, aquatic plant and even bacteria have preferences for water temperature. Having water that is too hot or too cold can have a direct impact on the health of your fish but also on the bacteria present in the tank. It is therefore necessary to accurately monitor the water temperature and regulate it to the desired temperature.
The ideal temperature in aquariums is between 24°C and 26°C. Or in Farenheit, a temperature between 75.2°F and 78.8°F. The Farenheit temperature is particularly useful for aquarists who equip themselves abroad or follow English guides.
The average water temperature in an aquarium is therefore 25°C. For the majority of exotic freshwater and marine fish species, as well as plants and bacteria, this environment is ideal for their well-being. However, the Discus (Symphysodon) requires a higher water temperature: between 28°C and 29°C. It is therefore necessary to be vigilant in case of introduction of fish or change of water to have a temperature adapted to its fish, plants and bacteria. The good maintenance of your aquarium depends directly on the heat of the water.
Water temperature for Discus and Guppy
Guppies need a water temperature between 20 and 26 degrees. Concerning the Discus, its exotic fishes need a warmer water, between 28 and 30 degrees.
If you have Discus or Guppies in your aquarium, the temperature of the aquarium must be between 26°C and 27°C in order to maintain a favorable environment for these two species of fish. This is an ideal temperature of 27 degrees during the day and 26 degrees at night for these tropical freshwater fish. To raise Discus and Guppy in your aquarium, it is therefore essential to monitor the water temperature with an aquarium thermometer or an aquarium temperature controller.
However, if you only have one bank of Discus in the aquarium, the water temperature should be 29°C to within one degree.
The main difficulty is to select and introduce into the aquarium plants and bacteria adapted to this high water temperature. For example, Anubias barteri which occur naturally in water of this temperature and share the natural habitat of Guppy, Discus, Platy and other tropical freshwater fish.
Ideal temperature for a freshwater aquarium
What is the ideal temperature for a freshwater aquarium? If you are starting a new freshwater aquarium, it is advisable to choose fish species that have the same needs in terms of aquarium quality and temperature. In general, you should choose freshwater fish from the same geographical area because they share similar needs. This criterion greatly facilitates the management of an aquarium with similar water temperatures.
Tropical freshwater fish require a water temperature between 24°C and 30°C depending on the species. In addition, you should think about introducing in your aquarium a flora living in the same conditions: hot or cold water. Each freshwater aquarium fish and plant has a tolerance range of two to three degrees Celsius.
If you have a freshwater aquarium and a school of tropical fish, it is therefore mandatory to heat the water and regulate its temperature all year round.
Heating and cooling an aquarium
Depending on the type of aquarium, hot or cold water, it is essential to heat and cool an aquarium. Indeed, becoming an aquarist is a fascinating passion in terms of maintenance. To make a success of your aquarium, you must know how to heat and cool the water in an aquarium according to the needs of its occupants. It is easier to regulate the temperature in an aquarium with a large capacity (more than 100 liters) because the heat of the water is more stable. Discover the solutions to maintain cold or hot water aquariums.
Heating in the aquarium
If you plan to install a tropical, marine or freshwater aquarium, you will need to invest in an aquarium heating system. In fact, warm water aquariums require heated water to provide an optimal environment for tropical fish to live in. Otherwise, you risk damaging the health of your fish. You should therefore choose an aquarium heater according to the capacity of your aquarium and the needs of the fish to be introduced. Heating tubes of the immersion heater type are a popular solution to maintain the water in your aquarium at a temperature of 25° to 29°.
Concerning the heating in the aquarium, you should never unplug this equipment at the risk of quickly impacting the water temperature. There is nothing worse for tropical fish than a sudden drop in water temperature. If necessary in the summer, you can adjust the heater thermmostat in the aquarium in order to heat the water less strongly. This is because the air temperature in the room also affects the temperature of the aquarium. The same applies to the lighting in the aquarium, reducing its duration will reduce the heating and therefore slightly reduce the water temperature. But be careful with the needs of your warm water fish.
Cooling the water in the aquarium
To cool the water in an aquarium, it is necessary to lower the heating power. To be able to cool an aquarium optimally, the water temperature must be monitored regularly and if the water is too hot, the aquarium must be cooled quickly. Because the last solution for cooling the water in the aquarium is to put ice cubes in the water. However, using ice cubes to lower the water temperature in an aquarium is really the last solution to put in place. Because the water will not be at the same temperature depending on the top and bottom of the aquarium. This temperature imbalance will weaken your fish.
To cool the water in an aquarium, you must therefore anticipate and turn down the heating in advance. Especially to lower the temperature in a large capacity aquarium that requires a few hours. The ideal is not to rush the fish because Guppy, Discus and other Neon fish are very sensitive to water temperature variations.
Temperature regulator for aquarium
The water in an aquarium must be maintained at a precise temperature, despite the factors that impact this environment: sunlight, room temperature, lighting, summer or winter, … It is therefore necessary to monitor the degree of cold or heat in the aquarium in order to have a well conditioned environment for your fish and plants. The necessary equipment for a beginner is an aquarium thermometer to check the temperature maintenance and to avoid any heating. It is important to remember to place the aquarium thermometer so that you can easily read the water temperature.
Nevertheless, there are much more practical and precise equipment such as the aquarium temperature regulator or immersion heater with thermostat. These systems automatically maintain the tank water at the set temperature.
It is recommended to fill the aquarium with warm water when putting the aquarium in the water if you wish to introduce tropical and exotic fish. This way, the water will take less time to reach a temperature between 25° and 29° depending on the species of fish. If you have just bought new equipment, you must be careful with the heater: check that the heater is working properly and that the temperature indicated is in accordance with the actual temperature using the aquarium thermometer.
