Keeping a large fish tank in a Steel Garage Building?

[Ocean Railroader]

Lately I'm thinking about the idea of buying one of those steel pole barn buildings or one of those household steel garage buildings that look like a giant arched culvert pipe and setting up my dream train room in it and a large fish tank in that this sounds like it would easier to it up inside of one of them than to set up a large tank in a wooden house. Where the the fish tank might be resting on floor boards or where the water in the tank might be a bad mix for the wood in the house.

 

[Arthur]

Have seen it done, just insulate it well and you'll be fine.

 

[David R]

We were considering steel framing for our house when we were looking at building, and a friend who used to sell and build similar steel-framed sheds advised strongly against it (despite being part owner of the company still!). The problem with steel framing is that although the framing itself is galvanised, the swarf that comes out when they drill it to assemble isn't. If every last tiny scrap of it isn't cleaned up, it will over time begin to rust (probably accelerated if housing a large tank) and that rust will spread to the framing. he showed me his own shed and how it is happening in a few places. In an open framed building it is easy enough to spot and take care of it, but if it is sealed in an insulated wall you'd never notice it.

TBH you'll probably be alright for many many years, but in the long run timber framing would probably be better.