Hello you guys think it possible to keep an aquarium outside in Ga? I would maybe use convicts and have two water heaters.
Keeping a aquarium out side in Georgia.
- Thread starter fahaka30331
- Start date
I've had outdoor tanks on a couple occasions; I understand the appeal but I didn't find them worth the trouble. Of course, up here in Canuckistan a tank needs to be drained and moved indoors or at least into a sheltered area for the winter, which adds to work involved. But even a year-round long-term tank will have issues and maintenance that exceeds those encountered in a typical indoor tank.
Do you have raccoons? They suck the joy out of an outdoor tank real fast. Hail? I've had it shatter poly and glass lids, and always wonder if it might someday break the tank itself.
And then, of course, there's temperature. Aside from costing an arm and a leg, the heating requirements for an outdoor tank are more stringent than indoors, and the potential for disaster much greater. An indoor tank with a heater that fails "off" will gradually drop down to ambient room temperature; an outdoor tank in cold weather will cool off much faster and much colder. The tank needs to be fairly large to slow down these temperature swings; forget about 20-gallon tanks outside.
The only way this idea makes any sense, IMHO, is to keep fish species that are comfortable in the complete temperature range they will encounter outdoors in your locale, and thus won't require heating. There are more like that than many people realize; do some research and you might be surprised.
Oh, and by the way...even in a shaded area, your outdoor tank will likely receive many times more light than any indoor tank. Be prepared to clean algae...a lot...
Do you have raccoons? They suck the joy out of an outdoor tank real fast. Hail? I've had it shatter poly and glass lids, and always wonder if it might someday break the tank itself.
And then, of course, there's temperature. Aside from costing an arm and a leg, the heating requirements for an outdoor tank are more stringent than indoors, and the potential for disaster much greater. An indoor tank with a heater that fails "off" will gradually drop down to ambient room temperature; an outdoor tank in cold weather will cool off much faster and much colder. The tank needs to be fairly large to slow down these temperature swings; forget about 20-gallon tanks outside.
The only way this idea makes any sense, IMHO, is to keep fish species that are comfortable in the complete temperature range they will encounter outdoors in your locale, and thus won't require heating. There are more like that than many people realize; do some research and you might be surprised.
Oh, and by the way...even in a shaded area, your outdoor tank will likely receive many times more light than any indoor tank. Be prepared to clean algae...a lot...
I have kept tanks in Wi outside, but seasonally had to bring fish inside.
I would not try to keep tropical species outside in Georgia year round.
The country of Uruguay has a similar climate to southern Georgia, so there is a chance you could keep cichlids from that country outside.
Species such as Gymnogeophagus, or Australoheros, the can handle temps in the mid 50s, might have a chance.
Australoheros left, Gymnogeophagus, middle and right.
But as jjohnwm warned, if you have raccoons, certain snakes or other predators in your area, they can be a problem
I tried to keep Gymnos in a pond , but only until, and after I dug steep sides of over 2 ft in depth, I´d find half eaten dead cichlids in the morning.
I would not try to keep tropical species outside in Georgia year round.
The country of Uruguay has a similar climate to southern Georgia, so there is a chance you could keep cichlids from that country outside.
Species such as Gymnogeophagus, or Australoheros, the can handle temps in the mid 50s, might have a chance.
Australoheros left, Gymnogeophagus, middle and right.
But as jjohnwm warned, if you have raccoons, certain snakes or other predators in your area, they can be a problem
I tried to keep Gymnos in a pond , but only until, and after I dug steep sides of over 2 ft in depth, I´d find half eaten dead cichlids in the morning.
One of the most common problems I had with tanks outside under 100 gallons were water temp fluctuations.
Temp in the afternoon might rise to 90¨F, and fall to 50´F at night in summer.
I solved this by using my 1000 gal pond as a sump for the tank, because the constantsb recirculating water in the pond, would hold, and make tank water temp more stable.
Algae blooms could also be probematic if the tank spent too much time in the sun.
I keep tanks outside these days in Panama, and to hold temps stable, the 180 gal main tank is under a patio roof,
with only the 125 gal sump getting morning sun.
I use lots of lily pads in the sump, to keep sunlight from blazing down in the sump.
Temp in the afternoon might rise to 90¨F, and fall to 50´F at night in summer.
I solved this by using my 1000 gal pond as a sump for the tank, because the constantsb recirculating water in the pond, would hold, and make tank water temp more stable.
Algae blooms could also be probematic if the tank spent too much time in the sun.
I keep tanks outside these days in Panama, and to hold temps stable, the 180 gal main tank is under a patio roof,
with only the 125 gal sump getting morning sun.
I use lots of lily pads in the sump, to keep sunlight from blazing down in the sump.
Last edited: