# tank outdoors anyone?



## xpistalpetex (Mar 31, 2008)

has anyone have a tropical tank outdoors, im asking this question due to the fact my parents are complaining of me leaving lights for the planted tank during the day? i trying to figure out if this is a good idea and the tank would be partially shaded under the balcony


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## ngb2322 (Apr 9, 2008)

What is it like where you live? Can you keep the tank from getting too much direct sunlight, but enough to grow your plants?


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## xpistalpetex (Mar 31, 2008)

sunny westminster, ca so right now the tank is in my room however i do not get any sunlight in my room.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

You would only want to try this if the outside temperature stays between about 70 and 85F day and night. Otherwise you need a heater, which means an extension cord running out to the tank. And, of course you still need a filter and water circulation, which is more electrical power needed.


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## xpistalpetex (Mar 31, 2008)

good point but there is a outline in the backyard. only problem direct sunlight would hit so there goes my idea...now i got to find a cheap way to get lighting since parents are complaining using too much energy T_T


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## Heady (Mar 4, 2003)

You would probably have lots of problems with algae keeping your tank outdoors...


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## xpistalpetex (Mar 31, 2008)

well if i was to put the tank outdoors it would to grow plants and i would probably have plenty of algae eaters


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

It wouldn't be terribly hard to rig up a simple sunshade to stop the direct sunlight from hitting the tank. And, it would be an interesting experiment. I'm not sure how you handle filtration and possible heating, though.


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## xpistalpetex (Mar 31, 2008)

if i do set it up outdoors, theres is a outlet outside so i dont have to use a extension cord from indoors to outside. now i just to plan everything out and diy electronics with solar power


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## Tube (Apr 1, 2006)

Turn your lights on at night when electricity costs a fraction of its peak rate.


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## xpistalpetex (Mar 31, 2008)

Tube said:


> Turn your lights on at night when electricity costs a fraction of its peak rate.


i heard it was 7 o'clock that it peaks down but i could be wrong? and another thing is i thought fish also needed night time


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

While the concern about algae is a valid one, I would be more concerned with the heating and cooling such a tank will go through. 
What size tank is this? Is it possible to move it to a sunny window?


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

Why not offer to pay that portion of the electrical bill? It can't be more than $10.00 / month.


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## Dryn (Sep 6, 2007)

Depending upon the type of fish that you have, many people have kept fish in temporary outdoor quarters during the summer. It's too cold here for most fish, but your area may be o.k. If you have adequate vegitation, algae should not be a problem. Most of your aquarium plants may also benefit from some time in the sun. A loose estimate is that the vegitation should cover at least 1/3 of the surface area. Toss in some water hyacinth if you don't have enough vegitation. Keep them from covering up your submerged plants with fishing line. I hope this helps. Just know that it has been done, but it is very hard.


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## xpistalpetex (Mar 31, 2008)

thanks for the tips guys


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

I doubt if this will be helpful since the tank is in Spain, but I love the tank in this thread: http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/aquascaping/5018-my-sunny-tank-street-photo-session.html


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## dansbdk (Mar 16, 2008)

You can assure your parents that most electrically run aquarium pumps, lighting, heaters, etc, are designed to run using only pennies a month
worth of electricity. If they are that concerned about pennies worth power consumption, I'd suggest you trade them in for new parents! LOL!!!


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

Read the packaging or labels on all the equipment. Somewhere on everything ought to be a note about how many watts it uses. 
Electricity is billed locally by the kilowatt-hour: (I do not know if your local company bills you this way)
A thousand watts of electricity for an hour costs 11.4 cents. (It is on an old bill, and I do not have a current one in front of me- you need to read your own bill, anyway, not go by my rates.)
Add up everything:
Pump/filter: 15 watts.
Heater: 100 watts, but is only on about 1/4 of the time, so it counts like 25 watts. 
Air pump: 10 watts.
Lights: 100 watts, but only on half a day, so they count like 50 watts. 

and so on... whatever the numbers are...

Add them up:
100 watts (I deliberately chose the sample numbers to come out this way ;-) )

Multiply by 24 hours:
2400 watts per day, or 2.4 Kilowatt hours.
times 11.4 cents = 25 cents per day. $7.50 a month! 

So offer to do a load of dishes once in a while or something!

Your parents ought to be GLAD you are into an interesting and good-for-you hobby such as this!
I gladly bought fish and tanks for my kids as they grew up, and helped then to learn about such things!

You do the math, using your own tank's equipment and your electric bill and show your parents that aquarium keeping is not so expensive, and the cost is tiny compared to all you learn from it! Biology, Botany, Geography, Arithmetic, Chemistry... 

By the way, the old bill that I found had my total electrical use on it, while I had 21 tanks running,(I still have this many) sized from 1 gallon to 72 gallon, around 600 gallons of water. (I do not remember if the 125 was running then, probably not), and a 250 gallon pond. $15.00 worth of electricity, includes household lights, microwave, washing machine, computer and other uses, too)


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## thefishmanlives (Feb 15, 2008)

Bro! I dont think your grasping this concept. The fish's "nighttime" does not have to be the same as your night time. Just keep your lights on at night when peak energy hours are over, and keep the tank off during the day (your day will be the fish's "nighttime"). Its ok if the fish get some light from lights in the house during the day, as long as their lights are off it will be night time for them. They won't complain!


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