How to keep 100 gallon stock tank from freezing in winter?

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Loganfish

Loganfish

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Jun 3, 2024
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So I might be able to get a 100 gallon stock tank to go on the side of my house and I was wondering how to keep it warm or from freezing in winter. I’m planning on stocking it with my Chinese Hi Fin Banded Shark, as well as my Longnose Gar, and maybe even other things like Goldfish, Koi, Shiners, Darters, etc. The measurements are 56” L, 36” W, and 20” H. Besides finding something to cover it, how else can I protect it from freezing? Several heaters? Water flow?
 
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this is a bad idea. Four seconds on your search engine of preference will make your life so much easier. These are LIVING ANIMALS that have no other option than captive care if you have acquired them. And what you are engaging in and suggesting in engaging in is animal cruelty. Which is highly frowned upon in a fish forum.

TLDR: TAKE CARE OF YOUR FISH PROPERLY
 
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Kayden said:
See other posts.

this is a bad idea. Four seconds on your search engine of preference will make your life so much easier. These are LIVING ANIMALS that have no other option than captive care if you have acquired them. And what you are engaging in and suggesting in engaging in is animal cruelty. Which is highly frowned upon in a fish forum.

TLDR: TAKE CARE OF YOUR FISH PROPERLY
Click to expand...
How is it cruelty?
 
Kayden said:
See other posts.

this is a bad idea. Four seconds on your search engine of preference will make your life so much easier. These are LIVING ANIMALS that have no other option than captive care if you have acquired them. And what you are engaging in and suggesting in engaging in is animal cruelty. Which is highly frowned upon in a fish forum.

TLDR: TAKE CARE OF YOUR FISH PROPERLY
Click to expand...
It’s not like I’m goons not clean it. It’s just for how to keep it warm. The Gar will be rehomed eventually and so will the Chinese Hi Fin Banded Shark, but they Chinese Hi Fin Banded Shark grows slow
 
Loganfish said:
How is it cruelty?
Click to expand...
I speak from experience when I say don't go down the route of "I want this huge fish but it's alright if I can't house it long term because I'll be able to rehome it". It is not good on the animal, and eventually it isn't good on your conscience, as sometimes things go wrong and you can't upgrade the fish enough, in time, or at all. The gar will make sure anything smaller doesn't make it in there. 100 gallons is already small for a gar, let alone a gar + several other relatively large fish that are already too big for a pond that size. Inherently, a pond that size won't freeze solid. You can do the shiners and such with no issues. I know this is a monster fish forum but you don't need to fill out every container you have. Consider maybe (ONLY) larger species of sunfish if you want something "big" but still within reason for that size pond.
 
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Loganfish said:
So I might be able to get a 100 gallon stock tank to go on the side of my house and I was wondering how to keep it warm or from freezing in winter. I’m planning on stocking it with my Chinese Hi Fin Banded Shark, as well as my Longnose Gar, and maybe even other things like Goldfish, Koi, Shiners, Darters, etc. The measurements are 56” L, 36” W, and 20” H. Besides finding something to cover it, how else can I protect it from freezing? Several heaters? Water flow?
Click to expand...

Adding some large air stones or a waterfall could keep the top from getting frozen. They also sell floating pond de-icers.

Fish tank heaters don’t have enough power. You’d be better off getting a commercial immersion heater. An appropriately sized one should be able to handle it but it will cost a lot in electricity.

I also had a friend run a large rack systems outdoors. He ran them year round by hooking up to a natural gas pool heater…power costs were minimal compared to electricity. But that’s a lot of work for a 100 gallon stock tank.

Darter, shiners, and other natives sounds pretty cool. You’re not gonna get a lot of support putting monsters in a 100 gallon. That’s a small tank around here

You can check out Immersion heaters here:
www.mcmaster.com

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I have had 300 to 500 gallon stock tanks and ponds freeze solid ito the bottom in Milwaukee, in winter even with heavy aeration.
It all depends on your location..
I have always needed to bring in fish to a kiddy pool in the basement to allow them to survave in that area of the midwest, because a 100 gallon tank is a puddle compared to the area these fish live in.
Even by late fall, my 300 gal stock tank would get frozen, so you can imagine how it would get in Jan or Feb.
So keeping my kiddy pool in doors was the only way for even small fish to survive in the dead of winter.
 
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Hybridfish7 said:
I speak from experience when I say don't go down the route of "I want this huge fish but it's alright if I can't house it long term because I'll be able to rehome it". It is not good on the animal, and eventually it isn't good on your conscience, as sometimes things go wrong and you can't upgrade the fish enough, in time, or at all. The gar will make sure anything smaller doesn't make it in there. 100 gallons is already small for a gar, let alone a gar + several other relatively large fish that are already too big for a pond that size. Inherently, a pond that size won't freeze solid. You can do the shiners and such with no issues. I know this is a monster fish forum but you don't need to fill out every container you have. Consider maybe (ONLY) larger species of sunfish if you want something "big" but still within reason for that size pond.
Click to expand...
I have no worries of rehoming the Gar. I have countless options with the first few being places that’ll probably accept it. Also I might see if the Cowturtle the Eel Pit guys wants mine.
 
duanes said:
I have had 300 to 500 gallon stock tanks and ponds freeze solid ito the bottom in Milwaukee, in winter even with heavy aeration.
It all depends on your location..
I have always needed to bring in fish to a kiddy pool in the basement to allow them to survave in that area of the midwest, because a 100 gallon tank is a puddle compared to the area these fish live in.
Even by late fall, my 300 gal stock tank would get frozen, so you can imagine how it would get in Jan or Feb.
So keeping my kiddy pool in doors was the only way for even small fish to survive in the dead of winter.
Click to expand...
I’ll consider. I’m in Ohio. Since it isn’t too big I might try to move it inside
 
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