Keeping tanks outside

[cheeky_monkey]

So our new house likely won't fit any more than one of my tanks inside, I have 4 roughly 55g each and 2 smaller.

The only option I have is to put them on the patio outside.
They will be under cover with lids. Tropical fresh waters but I don't know what their contents will be yet will be starting from scratch.

Aside from keeping them out of direct sunlight and keeping an eye on temps, is there anything else I will need to be doing with them? It is a very tropical climate where the lowest winter temp would be roughly 68F or 20C the highest being around 95F or 35C.

I really don't want to have to sell them but there's literally not enough room inside for them.

 

[adadkins1]

I think your biggest problem would be summer temperatures. If day temps. are very high and the aquarium temperature rises above about 80* then you would have a problem. However if you are able to keep temperatures BELOW 80* then you should be good. The only thing I would worry about past that would be animals? Maybe far fetched.

 

[Scouser]

Well if you haven't stocked them yet you could try and build a heated shed?

Maybe a small wooden shed insulated with foam or something and then hook up an outside heater in the roof of the shed, that way you can regulate temps better and prevent contamination from outside sources.

This may not be financially viable but it's definitely worth looking into if you plan on having outdoor tanks.

Hope this helps

 

[jlk]

I have to agree with Adadkins- your low temps are not going to be an issue but the summer temps will be! Perhaps you can invest in chillers to keep your fish from cooking in the summertime. Heaters will handle any winter time low temps. And as long as they are out of direct sun, you should have any issues with algae or big temp spikes.

 

[cheeky_monkey]

Probably a really silly question but is there any way to estimate what the water temp would be in relation to the outside temp?

We get temps around 90F where I live currently and although the fish are inside here the heat inside is often worse than outside in shade because of wind (unless air conditioning is on) they currently sit on or around 80F constantly with no heater.

 

[jetajockey]

Tank temp is usually a few degrees cooler than the ambient air, if it's in the shade.

 

[cheeky_monkey]

Thank-you
I guess what I will have to do is set one up and test water temp fluctuations before stocking it.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

I have heard people in the NT need chillers. It simply gets way too hot in the middle of summer. The tank inside with aircon will be fine but the outside ones I'd be worried about. Ask on aquariumlife.com.au. One of the sponsors runs his business from up there and I know of at least one prominent member thats up their too.

 

[cheeky_monkey]

Thanks Mumma have posted.

I guess we will just invest in some chillers then. I can't get rid of the tanks, I won't. Hah.

 

[Terrance]

I'd be afraid of bugs getting inside the tank. Many critters like to spawn in wet areas in the shade.

 

[cheeky_monkey]

Could I put screen under the lids to stop bugs entering the water? Would they still like it if the surface is agitated?