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aka_catherinet

Keeping Rubbermaid stocktanks cool.

10 months ago

I have some small Rubbermaid stocktanks above ground to grow things like miniature lotus and waterlilies. These tanks get excruciatingly hot in the upper 80's and low 90' we've been having so far this year. And very little rain either. What do you do to keep your water from getting too hot? I'm thinking it might even kill the small tadpoles in there. Climate change is really starting to scare me, in many ways. Thanks.

Comments (5)

  • 10 months ago

    Patio umbrella?


    Yes, climate change is terrifying.

    catherinet (5IN) thanked socks
  • 10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    For many years I have been growing lotus plants in tubs and Treefrogs lay eggs in the water the plants are growing in. I don't think that the high temperatures bother Treefrogs even when exposed to the full sun and high temps. Most of the tadpoles born here become adult frogs - I feed them by freezing leaf lettuce leaves, the freeze explodes the cells in the lettuce and when it is thawed out and floating in the water the tadpoles are able to eat it. They eat a lot of it!!

    Don't worry about the heat, your tadpoles should be alright even if they are not treefrogs. Just make sure to keep the tank that the tadpoles are in filled with water from the hose!

    There are hundreds of tadpoles in the water my lotus are growing in and they are okay with the heat - it has been in the mid 90s here on and off all summer. The lotus love it!! The tadpoles seem to be okay with it too.



    And I agree, climate change is creating extreme weather conditions for everyone.

    catherinet (5IN) thanked Jeb zone 5
  • 10 months ago

    Pond water temperature changes with depth, coldest being at the bottom. During the day tadpoles (and other creatures) pick the temperature (depth) they're comfortable with. I wouldn't particularly worry about it. If there's too much sun on the sides of the tanks you might be able to hang some shade cloth along the sides. The open weave prevents full direct sun, and allows cooling air movement.


    With feeding tadpoles there's no need to freeze lettuce, they still devour it. What's not eaten straight away doesn't rot but stays green and fresh.

    catherinet (5IN) thanked tropicbreezent
  • 10 months ago

    Thank you everyone! Jeb.....are you in a zone where you can keep your lotus in the same containers all year? I'm in the midwest and I have to empty my containers, unfortunately. When I empty them I try to retrieve all the tadpoles and put them in my bigger in-ground stock tank. but unfortunately, I don't think many of them make it. I feel guilty about that. I might be being selfish, in loving to hear them sing in the summer, but knowing many of their "children" won't make it. I used to have a big in-ground lotus bog stocktank, but it eventually died off because of no drainage and probably growing too many roots. I sure miss it. I'm a bit too worn out to re-do it all, but I sure loved those beautiful blossoms! I should mention that the 100 gallon tank I'm referring too has a water lily in it (not a lotus). I have a teeny-tiny lotus in a 40 gallon tank.


    Hi tropicbreezent! Shade cloth is a good idea.....and I have some somewhere... Fortunately, this tank isn't in sun all day. One reason I was so concerned is that I realized that there was a crack/leak towards the upper part of the stocktank (100 gal), and was leaking pretty badly....so I had to drain some of the water out to let the leak dry out and we put water epoxy on it. Unfortunately, it wasn't quite enough, but might be enough to get me through summer. I do occasionally add water to it from my outside faucet. I do have a "small" lotus in a 40 gallon container, but you wouldn't believe how small it really is. It has 4-5 floaters now and they are only about an inch round. I should have realized they'd be small when the tuber was sooooo tiny! I just hope it puts out a little blossom! Nice talking to you!

  • 9 months ago

    This is an update, the Eastern Grey Treefrog will only eat lettuce that has been frozen - last week I put some fresh lettuce in with them and they didn't eat any of it. My tadpoles might be trained to eat the frozen stuff, I probably spoiled them.

    I am using potted plants and a kousa dogwood to provide some shade for them during the hottest part of the day. It has hovered around the high 80s into the 90s a few times this summer, the kiddie pool tadpoles are healthy and growing. I have another kiddie pool with young tadpoles in it and I propped up a piece of plywood over the top to provide some shade for them. It is supposed to get into the 90s again this week. Hot and humid.




    catherinet (5IN) thanked Jeb zone 5
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