125 Setup

[hapgaz]

Hey guys,

I need to get up and going again with some new tanks and stocks, but I don't have the space after several moves. In my area there seems to be a lot of good tanks available in the 125gal range, and I have plenty of room in my garage which is of course on a slab. The only problem is I live in the midwest and the temperatures are not what you could call consistent. Whatever it feels like outside is what it feels like in the garage......100 degrees in the summer, or maybe 10 degrees in the winter. It probably isn't that extreme in the garage, but it might be close. On the other side of the wall from the garage is the electric water heater, so I didn't know if there was a way to get things set up to heat water that way and keep fish in a tank in the garage or not.

I currently have a 55 and a 29, and I would like to start back with those, but if not then I am not against getting and setting something up in thw 100-200 range.

Please help, I need to get something up and going again as I have a few fish that either need bigger tanks or need to move on to more open pastures.

Recommendations, thoughts, ideas, let me know.....I'm an aquarium addict and I am desperate!!!!

Thanks!!!!

 

[hapgaz]

Anyone?????

I saw a nice 150 with all the filtration and lights on CL today and would love to act on it, but I need to get a feel if this is a possible project or not.....thoughts?

Anyone?

 

[Sarmo]

you can always insulate your garage. that will help with the temp flucuation. and help keep it much cooler in the summer.

i once had a 55 in my garage here in Montana go through a winter. it got well below 0 but i kept the tank warm with a heat lamp under the tank and sleeping bags over the tank, not to mention 3 heaters. the fish survived but i didn't get to watch them much.

you can also get a cheap garage heater http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200316363_200316363 installed that will make the room any temp you want. i just did this in my garage so it's warm enough to do wood working with the kids.

as far as getting heat from your hot water tank, that is possible too. you'd need to plumb in a loop from the hot water tank and back. install a small recirculating pump that is controlled by a temp controller. when the temp of your tank drops the controller would turn the pump on and hot water (about 130 degrees) would circulate through the loop. if you run the loop into your tank it would keep the water warm but you'd have the pipe in your tank. you could also run it under your tank, i'd put some sort of insulation below the pipe (like styrofoam bead board) to force the heat up into the tank. either way should work.

good luck

 

[hapgaz]

All good ideas. I currently am renting though so insulating the garage would have to be agreed upon and done by my landlord.....maybe, maybe not, but that would be the best route. I'll check into it and see.

What about the heating of the water. If it is heated effectively does the tank have to be insulated or covered when it gets cold? I undersatand that acrylic can act as an insulator, what if I had a tank with thick acrylic walls, would that insulate it enough so that I would only need to effectively heat the water?

Thanks Sarmo for throwing me some ideas!

Anybody else?