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Do I Need an Aquarium Chiller? 

Well, chillers are used to keep the water temperature cool, so do you keep fish that need to be kept at constant temperatures or cooler temperatures. Chillers are an added cost but they last for years and the difference it can make to an aquarium is quite amazing, a successful reef tank will most certainly have a chiller and the reef corals will not flourish and grow without them. There are a few applications you may consider adding a chilling unit to your aquarium.
The main use for a chiller is in Marine or Reef Aquarium, fish only systems fare OK in Australia but a reef tank that houses corals or anemones will not survive if the tank rises above 26o C however the optimum temperature is 25o C.

In some areas in Australia the temperature is extremely hot at certain types of the year which could affect even the keeping of tropicals, their water should not exceed 30oC.

If you are a keen Mexican Walking fish keeper you may find a chiller necessary depending in which region of Australia you live. The metabolism of Axolotls slow down if the temperature raised over 250 C they can stop eating and obvious problems can arise.

Of course air-conditioning is also a option and may suit you and the aquarium better however it would not be as cost affective as a chiller which works on a thermostat in the water and only runs when the tank exceeds the set temperature.
There are 2 types of aquarium water chillers:

• Drop-in, and In-line chillers.

Drop-in aquarium chillers are simple and work by having coils that you simply place in the sump and act to reduce the surrounding water temperature. Drop-in chillers have a probe that is placed directly into sumps or open trickle filters, they do not require any plumbing and are ideal for systems with limited space. However the sump must never drop low on water or the coils can get damaged and they are a lot more expensive than in line chillers.

In-line aquarium chillers differ because they have internal cooling coils. They work by pumping the aquarium water through their coils where it is cooled and then returned to the tank at the lower temperature. They have a built in thermostat so you can set the temperature accordingly and the chiller will work at preventing the temperature from rising above that temperature. This will protect corals and anenomes from bleaching and dying and decreasing their susceptibility to infection and disease.

Aquarium setups - reef aquariums in particular - often use, lighting and water pumps that produces heat, added with the outside temperature the water temperature starts to rise. Without a chiller to decrease water temperature, aquarium water can warm to a point where it no longer holds enough oxygen to sustain the inhabitants and causes coral and anemone bleaching and death.
Chillers are external units that often require plumbing and always require adequate space and sufficient ventilation. They give off significant amounts of heat when in use. In fact, you should avoid placing your chiller in an enclosed aquarium stand, because it can give off enough heat to raise water temperature, so always leave ventilation in a cabinet if you have planed to place your chiller in one.

Factors to consider when choosing a chiller
When choosing a chiller, consider your aquarium size, additional equipment and the heat it generates, your aquarium setup, and the temperature requirements of your aquarium inhabitants. Choose a chiller that effectively cools your aquarium water in the space and setup you have allotted. If your cooling requirements are on the upper end of what is recommended, choose the next largest chiller to ensure an adequately cooled aquarium and healthy inhabitants.