Outdoor heated tank?

[Longfindragon]

Has anyone kept tropical fish in a heated aquarium successfully outside in a temperate climate?
I'm in southern Australia where it gets quite chilly in winter (close to freezing point at night sometimes) but usually between 10-18 Celsius. I'm getting an 8x2.5x2.5ft tank and there's no room in the house so was planning to put it outside. We have an enclosed patio that's also under cover, receives abit of sunlight too. I was just going to throw a few powerful aquarium heaters in there to keep it around 20 degrees Celsius during the coldest parts of the year, if I cover the tank will this be feasible?

 

[piranhaman00]

Using this link, it calculated you would need roughly 1840 watts worth of heaters to keep the tank at 20 degrees Celsius. Not to mention snow and other winter natural events that would create an even harder time for heaters.That is some serious heating, feasable yes but pretty nuts.

On a side note, it would look pretty awesome.

 

[Longfindragon]

Well it doesn't snow, so that's a plus. I think I'll try it and keep a spare tank on hand inside in case anything goes wrong

 

[raubiy]

10-18 celsious outside... Heating this tank will cost you alot.

 

[HungDang]

it get down to 20F(~ -6C) and some time 10F(-12C) here in the winter but I still keep my 110 galon runing at 60+F(15C) all the time. the only problem is I have to cover it to keep the heat from escaping and I have 6 300 Wat heaters running so the electric bill is really high.
Back when I still live in Vietnam it do get around 10-15 Celsius in the winter but I can keep my 55 galon at 28C with just 1 300W heater and it wasn't running all the time like my 110 Gallon now in the winter.

 

[vincentwugwg]

Weatherproofing the room will help keep the heat in. It may work... good luck

 

[jwh]

Cladding it in 30mm polystyrene will help, but it will be a challenge, have you considered cold water fish?

 

[Lepisosteus]

some of these seem really high. so I kept a 150 gallon in an outdoor garage here in canada. this was 3 years ago and it was one of the worst winters in a very long time with almost every day on February below -40. I was only using 2 300 watt heaters, plexiglass lids and towels on the non visible sides of the tank and temps stayed at 82 degrees. couldn't tell you the bill price as this was in a shop attached to a business on the property

 

[Kittiee Katt]

I'm in TAS and have successfully kept convict cichlids and their fry outside in a heated tank in winter.. We had a power failure one day and the tank dropped to 7°c!!! And we only lost 6-7 of the fry at 10 days old! These fish are invincible. Idk if it would work for other fish though.

Edit: they were in a 150ltr tank with one 200 watt and one 50 watt heaters, and it stayed around 22°c.

 

[Longfindragon]

Thanks for the tips guys! I've already got some salmontail catfish that require the tank and hot water so cold water fish aten't an option. I think I'll cover the tank in winter with polystyrene if I can though or tarp? Very comforting to read about your fish in tasy though kitee kat and same about yours in canada lepisosteus!