5 Best Cooling Fans For Aquariums in 2024 – Top Picks & Reviews

Aquariums can get too hot. That is a matter of fact. If you don’t want to struggle with maintaining a decent water temperature, especially on a hot summer day, you might want to look into getting a cooling fan for your aquarium.

This is why we are here today, to look a 5 options, all of which in our opinion are top contenders for the title of the best cooling fan for aquarium (this one is our top pick).

A Glance at the Winners of 2024

After lots of research, we have put together a list of our top 5 picks, each of them a good choice in their own right depending on what you are looking for.

The 5 Best Cooling Fans For Aquariums

1. Zoo Med Aqua Cool Aquarium Cooling Fan

This is a simple yet effective cooling fan. It may not be the fanciest of options, but it definitely gets the job done (you can check the current price here). Let’s take a look at the features right now!

Features

Well, first of all, this particular cooling fan is ideal for small aquariums like nano aquariums, 5 gallon, and 10-gallon tanks. In all reality, while it does get the job done, it is a smaller fan, so it is best used for smaller tanks.

The small size of the fan does mean that it saves a bit of space, something we can all appreciate. It does have the ability to lower the temperature by a few degrees, making it an ideal option for those hot summer days where your fish need to cool down a bit.

The fact that it is a simple to use fan is another bonus that we really like. It comes with a suction cup that you can use to attach it right to the side of your aquarium. It doesn’t require any other mounting hardware other than the suction cup. This is a simple on/off fan that turns on when you flick the switch, but that being said, there are not multiple speeds to choose from.

However, there is a duckbill control vent for adjustment, which can be used to let more or less air through the fan and to the surface of the aquarium water. Another thing that can be adjusted is the angle of the Zoo Med Cooling Fan, so you can choose exactly where the airflow is directed towards.

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2. Petzilla Aquarium Chiller

This particular model is quite a bit bigger and stronger than the previous option we looked at, which of course comes with its own bonuses and drawbacks. Let’s take a closer look at what the Petzilla Aquarium Chiller offers (you can check the current price here).

Features

One of the things we like about the Petzilla Aquarium Chiller is that it is easy to use and install too. It comes with an included AC power cord adaptor, so there are no power issues to speak of. Also, it comes with a simple clip holder for mounting.

As long as the aquarium lip is no wider than half an inch, you can simply place the clip for this fan right over it. It does not require any assembly or installation other than that. The clamp is strong and stable, so the chiller won’t fall over, especially not into your aquarium.

This particular model is a double fan model, making it fairly powerful. It can easily handle a 20-gallon tank, maybe even a slightly larger tank. It does have the power to offset the temperature by as much as 4 degrees Celsius if left to run on the highest setting. It has 2 speeds to choose from, a high and a low option.

At the same time, each of the two fans can also be adjusted in terms of the angle, so you can direct the airflow to a certain part of the tank. The Petzilla Aquarium Chiller is easy to use, it works, it is strong and stable, and it can even be used for both salt and freshwater setups.

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3. iPettie Aquarium Cooling System

This is a small cooling fan that is ideal for nano tanks and other fairly small aquariums, albeit it does have 3 separate mini fans. Let’s take a closer look at what the iPettie cooling system offers.

Features

This is a very small cooling system, which some people might really like because it is quite energy efficient. You probably won’t even notice a difference in energy consumption, even if the iPettie Aquarium Cooling System runs all day. The small size of this thing does mean that it will take up barely any space, which is something that we like.

It comes with a simple clamping mechanism for mounting. Simply clamp it over the edge of the aquarium and you are good to go. Beware that the clamp will not fit over aquarium lips over 15 mm wide. That being said, there is no assembly required and mounting is made very easy.

The iPettie Cooling System is ideal for tanks up to 8 gallons in size, maybe more or less depending on the number of lights and other heat-producing accessories you have. For a tank with normal lights, this particular fan should be able to lower the temperature by about 2 degrees Celsius.

One thing that needs to be noted here is that this Cooling System does not have an adjustable speed nor does it have an adjustable airflow direction. It is a simple, stationary, small, and low-power consumption aquarium cooling fan.

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4. JEBO F-9020 Cooling System Fan

This is another simple and easy-to-use aquarium fan to keep in consideration. It only has a single fan, but it is fairly powerful, and in fact, is one of the most powerful options on this list so far. Let’s take a closer look at the JEBO Cooling Fan.

Features

The JEBO Fan is not the smallest around, but still small enough to not get in your way. It comes with a very simple clamping system. This means that you literally just clamp this particular fan right onto the lip of your aquarium and it is good to go.

On a side note, the clamp can fit onto any aquarium lip as long as it is no thicker than 0.6 inches. The AC power cord adaptor comes included, plus there is no assembly required, both of which are convenient aspects.

This is a fairly small fan, so it does not consume all that much energy, yet another bonus, but that being said, it does consume more energy than some of the other options we have looked at today. It is one of the larger fans on the list right now, making it ideal for aquariums up to 20 gallons, or even a little larger if the lights you have are not all that powerful. It can definitely cool down the water surface and ambient air temperature by up to 8 degrees Fahrenheit.

The JEBO Cooling Fan is a simple on/off fan, or in other words, the speed of the fan cannot be adjusted. However, the angle of the fan can be adjusted, which is something we like. This fan is specially designed so that it can be used for both saltwater and freshwater setups.

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5. aFAN Aquarium Cooling System

This is one of the more high-capacity fans for cooling down your aquarium. Ok, so it is not meant for huge aquariums, but it can handle larger aquariums than any of the other fans we have looked at so far today. Let’s take a closer look at the aFAN Aquarium Cooling System and what it is all about.

Features

One of the things that we like about the aFAN Aquarium Cooling System is that it comes with corrosion protection. Many aquarium fans can’t handle saltwater setups due to the corrosive salt, but that is not the case with the specially treated Cooling System. It can handle saltwater and freshwater alike.

This Cooling System is not a very large fan per se, but it is a little bigger than the smallest options on this list today, or in other words, it is of fairly medium size. It definitely won’t get in your way when you are trying to work with your aquarium, but it’s not exactly a space saver either.

It is not exactly energy efficient either, but it does have the ability to cool down tanks as large as 30 gallons, or in other words, larger tanks than any other fan we have looked at today. As long as the lights you have are not overly strong, the aFAN System should be able to cool down a 30-gallon tank by up to 4 degrees Celsius.

This Cooling System is very easy to mount. It comes with a simple clip mounting system. Simply clip the fan over the lip of your aquarium and it is ready to go. It does not require any assembly or work other than mounting.

The angle of this particular fan is adjustable so you can direct the airflow. At the same time, there are 2 speeds you can choose from here. This fan is also designed to create stable airflow and not create waves or water turbulence.

Why Do I Need A Cooling Fan For My Tank?

Cooling fans for aquariums can be some pretty nifty tools, and sometimes even necessary. Simply put, there is one main reason why you might need an aquarium fan. This reason is if the ambient air temperature and the water get too hot, and consistently at that. Maybe your lights are really strong, maybe the filter produces a lot of heat, or maybe it is a hot summer’s day.

The point is that your fish can only handle the water being so warm before it negatively affects them, or even kills them. Aquarium cooling fans have the ability to counteract the heat and keep your fish alive, healthy, and comfortable. Different fish require different water temperatures, so this is fairly important no doubt.

Before you go out and buy one, just make sure that it is what you are looking for. Make sure it is large enough to handle the volume of water you have, make sure it is durable, and try to get one that does not consume too much energy.

Conclusion

We hope that our article helped you out and that you have been able to come closer to a purchasing decision. Each of the above 5 options are good options (the Zoo med is our top pick) in our opinion and hopefully, we have given you some suggestions and advice to keep your tank cooler.