Fish in Tanks Outside?

I've been out of the hobby for a long time but still have a few tanks in storage. I live in the Houston, Texas area and have a lake house up on Lake Livingston around an hours drive North of Houston. At this place I have a HUGE covered rear deck, but it is open. The temperature reaches maybe just at freezing a couple days a year at night. Otherwise average night temperatures hover around 45 degrees F. (I used to raise Freshwater Angels).

That said, has anyone ever kept Tropical Fish outside under these conditions? I'm thinking of doing it for appearance as well as for interest in the hobby. Of course I would have heaters in the tanks. I was thinking in the Winter I could fabricate and cover the tanks with a foam box type covers to help retain heat but allow air to circulate. The Summers get hot and this concerns me a little too, but I'm thinking the tank temperature would average in the high 70s when you consider night time temperatures in the low 70s.

It sure would be easy to maintain tanks outside if this would be possible. If nobody has any comments regarding this, I may just put a tank out there with Guppies in it and see what happens this Winter under these conditions and see what happens in the Summer time too. (I don't or at least hope algie won't be a BIG problem as the tank area would always be shaded from the Sun.

Lee

This sounds absolutely wonderful. If you do try it please post pics

Don't know about tanks but I do keep Angelfish, guppies, and platys in my outdoor Koi pond during the summer. Of course they have to be brought in for the winter. The all get huge out in the pond.