Can You Keep An Aquarium In An AC Room?

One of the most confusing things for many new tank owners is the best place to keep their tank in their home. While tanks are made to be looked at and admired, not every location that appears ideal is suitable.

You can add to this the age-old question, which crops up even more with newer houses.

Can you keep an aquarium in an AC room? The answer to this is yes, but with some provisions. Temperatures inside aquariums can change rapidly, and these fluctuations can make it both uncomfortable for your fish, or if there is a sharp swing in either direction – it can be dangerous for them. 

Here, we will look at all you need to know about tank placement in different areas of your home. By the end, you can find that as long as your AC inlet or outlet isn’t in close vicinity to your tank, then there shouldn’t be too much of an issue.

Where Shouldn’t I Place My Aquarium?

It can be easier to begin by looking at places that are not ideal. However, before proceeding, it is worth noting a few things that can affect tank placement.

• Aquarium size
• Shape of Aquarium
• The layout of your home
• How Your home is used

Once you start to look at these factors, you may see the ideal place for you, may not be the best place for your fish.

Here are several areas that are not suitable for aquariums. A couple is a common sense, and the others specifically deal with tank placement. Concerning heating, most of the issues come from fish not being warm-blooded as humans are. They are unable to regulate body temperatures, and they do need a constant temperature.

1# Radiators and Air Conditioning Units

While the question concerns AC units, not all homes have AC vents that blow air into the rooms. There is all manner of heating elements you need to consider. Fireplaces or radiators are just as bad for a tank, if not more so than a stream of cool or warm air. These two will deliver direct heat to the side of your tank and will heat the water inside.

Likewise, if you live in a warm climate and your AC is blowing cool air, this can cool the water too much. You can say the same for being too close to a window. Direct sunlight has the effect of a radiator, or that part of the room gets cold at other times of the year.

2# Close to Doorways

Doorways may not affect your tank by temperature, yet constant opening and closing send shockwaves through the sides of your tank and the water to your fish. Doing this will quickly stress your fish, and once this happens, they can suffer from a weakened immune system.

3# Sitting On the Floor

Placing your tank on a floor doesn’t work for several reasons. One, you will need a floor which won’t transfer cold through the bottom of the tank during colder periods. Two, if you have a tank on the floor, there are all manner of things, which can fall at the top. Even something dropping on the top of a covered tank can scare your fish, or break the lid.

4# Keep Tanks Away from TV’s and Speakers

For the same reasons your tank shouldn’t be close to a door, they should never be close to speakers or a TV. Fish hate loud noises and two of the worst things for delivering sudden loud outbursts are music and the latest action movie on the TV.

5# Heavy Traffic Areas

Finding a light traffic area in sight can be hard if there is a large family, and many kids are running around. You don’t want your tank hidden away where it is not in view. Nevertheless, yet you don’t want it in the direct path where everyone walks.

Light traffic areas are ideal; this will deliver some quiet to your fish as well as everyone has the chance of observing it without diverting around the home to do so.

6# Never Keep Tanks above Electrical Sockets

Following this is common sense, as water and electricity never mix. While we may be able to survive a shock, there is no way your fish can survive a bolt of electricity, finding its way into your tank. Some tank owners may argue it needs to be in this position because of the pump and lighting fixtures, yet there are ways you can cover this. A tank ought to be around four feet from any electrical outlet.

7# Use the Right Stand

Some tank owners may decide, to use an old cupboard or similar to hold their tank. However, once you have tanks that hold ten gallons or above, they are extremely heavy. You can find the total weight reaches well over fifty pounds.

Any large tank should be sitting on a purpose-built stand, or at the very least, the furniture needs testing thoroughly to make sure it can hold way above this weight. One other thing with using old furniture is it may not deliver a level sitting for your tank. Over time, these pressures can crack your tank or the sealed corners.

Aquariums and Bedrooms

Once tank owners look around their home, they come up with their bedroom as a good choice. The relaxing sight of fish during the night can send anyone to sleep. Yet, is it a good idea?

Here are some things to consider if you think your bedroom is the ideal place to house your fish tank.

Filter Noise

If you are new to aquariums, the filter you may have is probably one of the cheaper models. While it can perform its duties, it will do so with added noise. If a quiet flow aquarium filter isn’t a possibility, then you can do a few things to make your regular filter less noisy. Placing it on a soft surface is the first place to begin.

Bedroom Humidity

Humidity can be one of the most significant issues having your tank in your bedroom. These rooms tend to have high humidity unless you open the window. Opening a window at night in itself can be bad for your fish if the outside temperature drops.

Tanks will require lids to keep stable humidity levels. Doing so will prevent evaporation and more humidity in your bedroom. One way to combat extra humidity and to prevent mold is by the use of a dehumidifier. These can be cheap and are enough to tackle higher than normal levels of moisture.

Tank Light Timers

One thing with bedrooms as the ideal home for your tank is that you can turn your lights off by the use of a timer. Fish will appreciate the darkness, so they, too, can rest.

This day and night cycle is good for them and good for any plants you may have.  

Are Fish Tanks in Bedrooms Unhealthy?

If you keep your tank clean as you should be doing, then there is no reason why having your tank in your bedroom will be unhealthy.

They need clean water to survive, so that isn’t an issue, and the only real concern is your bedroom having too much humidity. If your filter is noisy, you can change this, or you can listen to the repeating sound and use it to help you fall asleep.

Conclusion

Rooms that use AC aren’t necessarily bad for your aquarium unless they are changing the temperatures to a degree where your tank water drops or raises past the suitable range for your fish. If you get the balance right, you may find the AC replaces the need for your tank heater.

However, it is wise to let the thermostat decide on that rather than turning it off manually.