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I tried to search for the answer, but I couldn't find it. Well, the question is:

how do I efficiently cool the water temperature? What I'm doing now is freezing a plastic bottle of water and just floating that in the tank. But I'm worried that it's not a good method for the fish.

What do other recommend to do? Remove some water from the tank and replace it with cooler water? But this doesn't bring the temperatures down enough...

I need some advice

take the glass lids off, increase water surface agitation, blow a fan over the surface, and if you are going for ice cooling, stick it in the filter, that way it gets mixed up better

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

Without saying the size of the tank and what the temp should be at and what temp its rising to, its not an easy answer to give. If its a large tank, then the ice cube effect you are using shouldn't cause too much stress (Can't be worse than boiling to death) and the water change method can cause problems with water quality if done too often. If its a serious increase in temps, then leaving the lights off for longer periods may be another factor to consider or the ultimate efficiency would be to install a chiller. They are expensive but it depends on how essential it is in your area.

take some of the water in your tank and freeze it. Then put a couple of ice cubes into your filter like Callatya said.

Don't bother.
Unless you're able to constantly add cool water, ice cubes will just make the temperature shift too much causing stress.

Keeping the room as cool as possible will help, as will leaving the lights off if not planted, or on for shorter time periods if planted.

^_^

Can the fish you have take the higher heat? I would set a heater to match that heat and keep it there, instead of getting 80 F during the day and 74F at night, it'd just stay 80 F night and day. If the fish can tolerate it, that'd be a lot healthier in the long run.

i am having the same problems, my temp it over 80 the fish seem fine, but im not sure. at first i thought it was my heater making it soo hot but it still happened after i unplugged it

i don't know about this F thingy
but my tank temperature hit 35C last year and everyone is still fine in there. as long as you keep the temperature farily constant (mine is around 30 all the tims so 35 isn't a huge deal), healthy fish should be able to stand higher temperature than their ideal range

Okay, sorry, I should have given the tank info:

10 gallon tank (temporary housing) for 1 baby RES and 2 feeder guppies

The day time temps climb up to 86 without adding ice.
By adding a standard large ice tray of ice, I can drop the temperature 2 degrees in about 5 minutes (according to thermometer).

I try to add ice, and drop the temps to 80-82, but I would like them at 78.

What I started doing was adding ice cubs directly to the water, the RES doesn't mind, and the guppies would stay away. I also froze bottles of water and put the bottle there directly. Now, I am trying to freeze water in styrofoam cups and just dumping ice blocks into the water.

All the animals are fine - perhaps the fish are a little stressed. The turtle is completely fine.

What I tried last night, and it's working since, was to have the filter output out of the water (duetto internal sumbersible filter). I hope this will help to cool the water. Additionally, I have a fan set on low blowing lightly at the tank since this morning.

So I check the temps this morning, and there I have it - 77 degrees fahrenheit. I love it!