Temperate tank temp.

[outpost]

Would I be possible to have a 60 gallon temperate tank without a chiller? I live in Santa Barbara CA. The tank would be kept in my garage. Our weather here is very mild. We have 65-70 degree weather.

[Jacobnano]

It would be close. What are the water temps in Santa Barbara?

[C-Rad]

I lived in Santa Barbara for about 15 years, and I wished I had an air conditioner a few days per year. Room temp was comfortable (72 degrees F?) the rest of the time. The temp is likely to fluctuate more in a garage since it is probably uninsulated and not well ventilated, so on hot days it will be even hotter than the house. On those same days, the temperature of a shallow tide pool at low tide, in the sun, will also be high. On the other hand, the water temp everywhere except in isolated tide pools almost never gets above 72 degrees and never stays there more than a few weeks (except maybe during an El Nino). My guess is that if you keep tide pool animals, which are tolerant of temporary high temperatures, it will work, but you probably can't keep animals that don't live in tide pools.

 

Keep in mind that pumps and lights will add either a little or a lot of heat to your system, so try to make choices that reduce the amount of heat they add. External (air cooled) pumps add far less heat than submersible pumps, and if your lights are regular 10K fluorescents and set a couple inches away from the top of your tank (not laying on the glass top (if you have one)) that will help a lot. A fan set to blow air over the surface of the water will cause a lot of evaporation, which will cool the tank 3 to 6 degrees (but require frequent top-offs with fresh RO/DI water (with no salt in it).

 

My suggestion is that you go for it, and then make a habit of watching craigslist every day or two, waiting for a deal on a 1/5th or 1/4 hp chiller. In a town as small as SB it might take a year, but eventually you'll find a deal on a used chiller. After that your animals will be happier, and you'll be able to keep a lot more things. I got a used JBJ Arctica 1/5 HP for $150, and a 1/4 hp for $200 (or maybe $300, it was three years ago)

 

You probably already thought of this, but don't forget to have a heater, set to come on at 63 or 65, or better yet, at about 10 degrees below the average day time temp (so lower it in winter). Nights can get cold there, especially during the winter, and you don't want your water temp to drop too far on a single day.

 

Also, if a car will be driving in and out of the garage, watch out for high carbon monoxide levels in the garage.

[outpost]

Thanks C-rad. This tank isn't actually for me but for my friends dad who is a spear fisher. So for tidal animals that would mean anemones and little critters? Are there any fish in the tidal zones?

[Jamie]

Not really the kind you're probably thinking, but there are small things - sculpins, etc. If you're interested in specific fish, try looking up information on their range. California has a mix of things that like cooler temps, ranging down from the north, and things that like warmer temps, that range farther south. If you wanna try keeping things that aren't tidal, pick only things that range down into mexico.