outdoor native tank

[knifegill]

As long as the acrylic doesn't get direct sunlight, the seals won't crack, right? I've been told outdoor light destroys acrylic tanks pretty quickly, but they might survive indirect sun, right?

As for stocking, you really should just stick to mosquitofish for this project. The biological demands of the other species will be too high for sustenance in a naturalistic pond setting like the one you're running. To really get any amount of feeders out of that tank, you'll need a species like the mosquitofish. Raising sunfish fry out there will give you a cardiac infarction once you realize the potential complications. Predatory insects, stressed parents freaking and refusing to breed, etc. Go simple and be happy. Mosquitofish for the win.

 

[Fishermoe14]

keep the tank in the shade otherwise they will boil..

 

[SkidMark]

this whole setup doesn't make sense if you're wanting to breed for feeders there's so many better options. gl with your project though hope it works out.

for the overflow you need a wet dry sump, some plumbing and a return pump. here's a couple of diagrams so you can get the basic idea.

http://w3page.com/fishline/gif/sump.gif

http://bobstropicalplants.com/Chuck/images/wetdry_overview.gif

 

[Coldkill]

Where to start...
Have you cycled this tank fully? What are your parameters?

If you were considering an arowana for this tank, as you indicated, it would soon need a much larger tank, even if you started with a juvenile. Not to mention other complications associated with this setup. And few other fish (especially arowana) are likely to agree with the conditions you will be providing for the natives.

And by the way, rainwater is generally acidic with a pH of as low as 4.5, and well water is generally quite basic. A heavy rain could cause extreme pH fluctuations.

 

[jdm_da510]

LOL FAIL