[sayurasem]

Just moved in to a new house. Landlord doesn't want aquariums inside the house. So the only place to keep my shrimp tank is in the backyard. At night it gets chilly here 40-45F. Heater is not cutting it. I'm using 50W aqueon heater 88F on the setting and only can heat up the tank to 58F on a 40F night. Water temperature barely hit 70F in the evening when the sun is out.

Any tips on keeping my tank 70F all night long? It's a 10 gallon tank closed top by a hood to keep it warmer. What can I use to insulate the tank? I was thinking styrofoam or maybe blanket around the tank.

Any tips would be great!

Thanks!

 

[Vincent Tran]

Would it be bad to have a stronger heater?

 

[jake10]

Maybe a reptile under tank heater would keep the ground warm allowing less surface area to be exposed to temps?

 

[Kinection]

Well, from my experiences of an outside tank and using heaters,
it really just depends on the brand and the wattage.
For example, I just setup my 55 gallon a week ago, and I'm
using an Aqueon 300watt heater. (able to heat 75-90gal aquariums)
I don't know why but, I think the thermometer on it is messed up
or something, it is 4 degrees (F) more than you set it. I've
even tried returning it. I set mines up at 68F (lowest) and it
goes all the way up to 80F during the day, and 70F at night.
I then tried putting in my Eheim 250Watt heater and I set it
at 73F. It still goes up to 80F during the day (weird), but
keeps it at 73F, no lower.
I also have a 29 gallon outside which also uses an Aqueon
300 watt heater and it dips to 70F at night, but stays at
72-75F during the day. (partially shaded)
I set the heater at 73F. I would say get another heater?

 

[gordonrichards]

Insulate the sides and back of your aquarium with foam.
Will prevent some heat loss.

Aside from that, you can build a small shelter/green house.
Just tall enough for your tank.
Run lights at night to increase the temperature inside the structure.

You could always just break the rules regarding the aquarium.
Owner is probably just afraid of a large tank breaking/leaking.
Did you show him the size of your aquarium?
If landlord is that fussy I'd try to find a new place if I were you!

10 gallon tank... I could understand a landlord saying no 100 gallon/125 gallon etc tank.

-G

 

[MadDiscus]

I hope you meant patio/enclosed backyard. IF so, i suggest make or place it in a close/insulated cabinet/shed which you close it at night and open in the morning. Plus, you need cover and bigger heater with controller.

 

[sayurasem]

Thanks for all the help guys! I just pmed speedie (nick), and I will be using the same styrofoam sheets he uses to ship shrimps.
I'll update once installed!

Insulate the sides and back of your aquarium with foam.
Will prevent some heat loss.

Aside from that, you can build a small shelter/green house.
Just tall enough for your tank.
Run lights at night to increase the temperature inside the structure.

You could always just break the rules regarding the aquarium.
Owner is probably just afraid of a large tank breaking/leaking.
Did you show him the size of your aquarium?
If landlord is that fussy I'd try to find a new place if I were you!

10 gallon tank... I could understand a landlord saying no 100 gallon/125 gallon etc tank.

-G

Well I actually have two tanks. One 12g long, and a 10 gallon. The landlord only liked the 12g long because it looks planted and scaped (see sig). But because the 10g is shrimp breeding tank, it looks chaotic with SS mesh, and mosses flying around.

 

[Forumsnow]

I would tell the land lord to stick it. It maybe swell and all to keep the tank warm during the winter but what about the summer? Think if it like humans, we can keep putting more clothes on in the winter to stay warm, but we can only take so many off before we are naked and still hot in the summer. Are you really going to buy a chiller for a 10 gallon tank? I believe they are pretty expensive and I am unsure if they even make one for a 10 gallon.

Sure you maybe able to keep it warm for the winter and the shrimp may live. But what about summer, it is my understanding shrimp handle cold better than heat. I.E. bacterial infections and such.

Sorry but it just does not sound like a good long term solution to me. Maybe you could scape the 10 gallon a little more so he will like that one too. I know when I was looking for a new place, one of the first things I asked was if they allowed fish tanks. My current apartment complex said I could keep as many and as big of tanks as I would like. Plus heat ac and water are all included in my rent. Kind of a shrimp keepers dream. I can crank the heat in the winter, ac in the summer, and waste as much water with my ro unit and it does not cost me a dime more.

 

[OrangeSoda]

I would tell the land lord to stick it.

Agreed. It's your landlord. Not your interior decorator.

Is he planning on hanging out and looking at your tank when your not there, or taking people on tours through your apartment?

You don't say what your rental agreement says, but if one or two tanks are allowed they can't dictate to you what they look like.

 

[jarvitron]

I have a pretty fancy Finnex 300w digital with an external temp probe that I stick close to the flow of my HOB, and it keeps my tank (20L) basically rock solid 71 day and night, unlike every single "adjustable submersible" that didn't have an external probe I've tried (eheim Jager, several Tetras, a stainless steel with out-of-tank temp control and anything that's older than like four years) which all either nearly boiled my tanks if the sun hit them or let them freeze if it went under 55 in the room. The 300W is too long for a 20L, really, I have it at a diagonal across one wall and it's acceptable only because that end of the tank is obfuscated. I bet the 200W would have similar performance, the 300 is super duper overkill but I was tired of coming in to 60 degree tanks in the morning and 80 degree tanks in the afternoon.

 

[randyl]

Lucky you to be able to keep a tank outside and not waking up to a solid block of ice with shrimps in it lol