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I'm looking for ideas to help out a friend who wants to build basicly an aquarium in ground outside. He wants to dig it to the deepest part to about 7 ft and then have shallow shelfs. and then is thinking about diggin down one side and basicly put in a viewing window to see in. trying to talk him out of that

And the fish that he wants to use, are more chiclids that could be kept outside all year and ones that would grow large.

He lives in Michinan. Where, well it snows alot during the winter and gets cold. Anybody?

Fish tanks are an expensive addiction

no cichlids can be kept out side in the winter where he lives most need like 70 at lowest..... the only thing he could put in there are natives....... sry dude.....

Thats what I figured. And I knew heating the water all winter long would be some what expensive.

We'll just have to see whats in the area and get ahold of them

Fish tanks are an expensive addiction

How wide is this friend planning on digging? He'd have to go pretty deep and wide to keep the pond from freezing through before winter is over in Michigan. I doubt 7 ft is deep enough. I have a cousin in Holly, MI. His pond is about 13-16 ft deep in the deepest end and I can't remember how wide. I remember him saying it almost froze over one year. He was ticked off because he just had it re-stocked with perch and bluegill. (Someone snuck on the property and fished him clean in one night!)
You are definitely right about the window. If he gets fish that get large, as you stated, it could slam into the glass and break it. (never underestimate a bubba fish!) Not to mention the weakness of the glass in winter. (pressure from the ice)

TTFN --->Ta-Ta-For-Now
Kelly ;o}

The viewing window would likely have to be out of acrylic if you're going really big. Acrylic is pricier but it's what public aquariums use for this kind of job.

He could go for some of the native sunfishes. They're remarkably similar to cichlids.

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The aquarist is one who must learn the ways of the biologist, the chemist, and the veterinarian.