Outdoor Aquarium
- Thread starter Corvina
- Start date
I wouldn't risk it. You'd get crazy hot water temps in the summer - I'm battling high temps all summer even in my indoor aquarium. Besides that, you'd have uncontrollable algae growth, with all the sunlight.
In the winter, we do get cold enough to freeze out here. In a pond, the fish can swim deep enough that they don't freeze too, but in an aquarium they wouldn't have a chance.
You could try, but I think you'd just end up with dead fish.
In the winter, we do get cold enough to freeze out here. In a pond, the fish can swim deep enough that they don't freeze too, but in an aquarium they wouldn't have a chance.
You could try, but I think you'd just end up with dead fish.
It's possible... but it'd probably be a LOT of work. You'd have to figure out a way to inhibit the algae and keep the water chilled enough to keep the goldfish comfortable. If it was on a covered porch, the shade would make it easier... but it'd still require a lot of effort.
But heck... we wouldn't be as far as we are in this hobby without going out on a limb every now and then, right? If you think it'd be neat and you're willing to give it all you've got, then try it!! Just let us know how it goes, eh? :hang:
But heck... we wouldn't be as far as we are in this hobby without going out on a limb every now and then, right? If you think it'd be neat and you're willing to give it all you've got, then try it!! Just let us know how it goes, eh? :hang:
I'm most worried about the temperature swings between day and night. THe temp could easily swing 10-20 degrees in the spring here. Chiller in the day, heater at night? It might be possible, but it would be really tricky.
Here is a link to a post by neonfish3 on the APC forum who tried an outdoor aquarium and it includes photos.
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/local-biotopes/7285-my-native-outdoor-tank.html
neonfish3 also references another post that inspired him, but I just noticed that the link to the "sunny tank in the street" post that he mentions is broken. Here is a good one.
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/aquascaping/5018-my-sunny-tank-in-the-street.html
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/local-biotopes/7285-my-native-outdoor-tank.html
neonfish3 also references another post that inspired him, but I just noticed that the link to the "sunny tank in the street" post that he mentions is broken. Here is a good one.
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/aquascaping/5018-my-sunny-tank-in-the-street.html
Or chiller in the day on a timer... surely the nighttime temps don't drop low enough to traumatize the average goldfish in California?
Lately we've had a few good cold snaps. Tons of crops here in Southern California were destroyed a few months ago because we had a major freeze and temps dropped into the 20s. It devastated many farmers. I don't think an outdoor aquarium would do well in such cold snaps. Some years, we have warm winters, but even one freeze could threaten goldfish. It'd be risky.
umm, goldfish are coldwater fish. I have had them survice quite nicely with the pond frozen over completely. As long as the water does not freeze solid through to the bottom they will be fine.
I might be more worried about the heat. But if the tank is kept out of the direct sunlight they should be ok.
Yankee Dog