[Eric222]

I'm getting ready to set up a 29g that will be my first planted tank and first tank since the neon gravel, bubbling pirate ship tank of my childhood. I'm planning on putting the tank in the basement, but the spot I have picked out is only about 6-8 feet away from a sliding door that we use regularly to let the dog out in the backyard. Do I need to be concerned about drafts of cold air that the tank will get in the winter time? I plan on starting with some easier plants and have read that Anubias in particular are sensitive to temp changes.

 

[livingword26]

Water temperature changes pretty slowly compared to air. If your just talking about opening the door momentarily, and your basement is heated, then I wouldn't think there would be a problem.

 

[PlantedRich]

No problem at all if the door doesn't stay open all night. Think of how long it takes a bottle of soda to cool when you put it in the frig? I might guess the 29 gallon takes hundreds of times longer. A drop of a few degrees is not a problem but if it should be a drop of 15 degrees, then there is a worry.

 

[Nordic]

I moved all but 4 tanks into my den with me.... they are my central heating for the winter. Electricity costs are atrocious here.

 

[lksdrinker]

I think as hobbyists we all tend to worry too much about this kind of stuff (myself included). Think about nature....temps swing wildly from day to night and from one day to the next. What about sudden cold front and a torrential downpour? Besides the colder air temp, nature dumps colder water into the system where the fish live naturally. So long as you dont take a fish from an 80 degree tank and instantly move it to a 60 degree tank I think you'll be fine. If a cool breeze kills your livestock chances are something else has gone majorly wrong!