Garage Tank??

[Wes Allsbrook]

Does anybody have a tank in their garage? I have a reef tank in the house but keep thinking about a larger tank in the garage.
Thoughts?

 

[OhioReefKeeper]

I have a 10 gallon in my garage that I use to propagate amphipods in. I would love to have a large tank or pond in there but my garage is not insulated so it would have wide temp swings.

 

[Hypan]

I keep some 30 breeders in the garage for breeding plecos

 

[Bj’s Reef]

I’m following to see where this goes, I’m considering something similar.

 

[ZoWhat]

Two concerns:

* wide fluctuations in ambient Temps. Not knowing where you live, garage Temps fluctuate from subfreezing to high humid 90s with the Seasons. Nearly impossible to stabilize a tank at 78° +/- 1°

* air quality. Fumes from cars and chemicals we store in the garage, fertilizers, gas, cleaning supplies, you name it .... leech into the air and the air is usually not well ventilated other than opening the garage door


.

 

[Wes Allsbrook]

I was counting on needing a chiller for the summer and typical heater for winter. Idk just a thought that bounces around in my head.

 

[cloak]

If a controlled environment is the name of the game a garage is not exactly the place to do it IMO. Like mentioned above though the heat, the fumes etc can be bad.
It can be done if your willing to do the work. Some garages have refrigerators, couches, a TV etc. A home away from home so to say. GL.

 

[AydenLincoln]

Does anybody have a tank in their garage? I have a reef tank in the house but keep thinking about a larger tank in the garage.
Thoughts?

I would say it depends on where you live and the type of garage you have. But I would say no especially if you get all 4 seasons or live in a very hot or cold climate. Simply because garage temperatures fluctuate so much so it would be very hard to keep it there all year. Also how often would you really be in your garage to enjoy it?

 

[biguebs]

I did this in northern Indiana for 5 years… 3 125 gal tanks and one 180 gal. I had a 30k btu gas heater to keep it ambiently warm in winter and used fans in summer. Summer was harder!

No issues with “fumes”. Unless you’re running the car with garage closed this is a non issue. I have a family of 6, two vehicles (both V8) were parked in garage with tanks in 3rd bay. We were in and out plenty. I have the full array of Hannas and never saw anything unusual.

You can do it. Just have to pay attention to temps.

We have since moved and I have these all setup in an unfinished area of basement… all still running and without any real change in “behavior” from a system perspective.

 

[Wes Allsbrook]

I would say it depends on where you live and the type of garage you have. But I would say no especially if you get all 4 seasons or live in a very hot or cold climate. Simply because garage temperatures fluctuate so much so it would be very hard to keep it there all year. Also how often would you really be in your garage to enjoy it?

Agreed. If I had a cool tank in the garage I’d definitely be there more often.

 

[Wes Allsbrook]

I did this in northern Indiana for 5 years… 3 125 gal tanks and one 180 gal. I had a 30k btu gas heater to keep it ambiently warm in winter and used fans in summer. Summer was harder!

No issues with “fumes”. Unless you’re running the car with garage closed this is a non issue. I have a family of 6, two vehicles (both V8) were parked in garage with tanks in 3rd bay. We were in and out plenty. I have the full array of Hannas and never saw anything unusual.

You can do it. Just have to pay attention to temps.

We have since moved and I have these all setup in an unfinished area of basement… all still running and without any real change in “behavior” from a system perspective.

Did you also use a chiller in the summer?

 

[snorklr]

north carolina...40b in attached garage...takes 1/4 hp JBJ chiller and a 300w heater....insulated doors...have since blown a foot of insulation in the ceiling, installed a 24k a/c unit through the wall and a 240v 4000w electric space heater....cause who wants to hang out in a 90 degree garage to look at/ work on their tank?....have garage door openers and shut the car off and coast in but the wife is another story

 

[KDawg0623]

What if you build a fish room in the garage and have the connecting wall to the living room as the viewing side. Whre the tank and life support is in the garage but it is viewed in the house?

 

[GARRIGA]

Tinkering with setting up a coral farm and predator tank in the garage but first need to throw lots of garbage away or get it better organized then new floors and an AC. Pretty sure nothing will survive 90 plus degrees or getting lost behind boxes full of Christmas lights.

 

[robertjules1981]

I had my freshwater tanks in the garage, setting up a coral farm in them now on gladiator shelving. I live in northern Arizona so it does freeze and get up to 100. I have ac/heat and it is insulated. Debating on using a chiller in the summer but not sure yet.

 

[rogueshrimp88]

I live in Oregon and have a small freshwater pond (18 Gal laundry bucket) with 2 100w heaters in it in my garage. The winter it gets down to about 43 degrees in winter and the 100w heater keep it at a steady 73 degrees. In the summer the garage door faces the East so temps hit about 90+ so I move the "pond" outside on the shaded porch. I'm going to try insulating my garage door with those insulation panels that are shiny on one side to block the heat. Hopefully then I can keep the temp relatively stable to at least move my quarantine stuff in there instead of the kitchen/living room area.