The Passive Solar Fish Tank

There are many ways to integrate solar energy into your home design, from south-facing windows to skylights to Trombe walls. Incorporating your marine pets is just another option, albeit one you may find a little strange. The basic design, that is, a water wall, is nothing new. Water walls themselves provide quick and efficient heat exchange that can save up to 90 percent in heating and cooling. That being said, there is no reason why a fish tank couldn’t be integrated into that water wall, providing style and entertainment.

Rule number one of the passive solar fish tank is to purchase fish that can stand the heat. You’ll need a certain amount of education on this one. We do not want to needlessly kill off fish. Furthermore, there are some design considerations beyond those inherent in water wall construction. For one, access to the tank will be necessary for cleaning the tank and feeding the fish. So there are some challenges here, for you and your architect, but the solar fish tank is a most definite possibility.

Hey, if you don’t want to go through the trouble of incorporating a passive solar fish tank into your remodel, you can still passively heat your fish tank. All you need is direct sunlight, perhaps even some glazing on the inside of the tank to increase light absorption. You could put it in front of a south-facing window or even build it into a masonry wall. Or, why not accent your greenhouse or solar sunroom with a solar heated fish tank? If you’re remodeling, speak with a solar contractor who specializes in passive solar construction

Posted on November 28th in Passive Solar by Dan.