Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi I was wondering if anyone has any ideal about raising Talapia outdoors in SW Ontario Canada? I'm not sure how long it takes them to grow from fingerlings to edible size? Would from May-September be long enough to raise them? Durring this time our temps range from 16C-30C with the humidex it can get about 10C warmer during the summer. I know if I wanted to breed them I would have to bring them inside. I read that Blue Talapia are more resilient to temps. Any ideals??

I'm no expert, but that sounds like a tough thing to do without supplemental heat and more time. Tilapia thrive at temps of 85-90F (30-32C) but as you lower the temp from that their growth slows down a lot, and at 60F (16C) they are basically just surviving, not thriving. Blues will supposedly survive down to 45F (7C).

Under ideal conditions (temp, feed rates, water conditions, etc - i.e. a good aquaculture setting), grow-out is supposed to take 9 months. If you could start with larger fish and make sure you maintain the water temp in the ideal range, you may be able to make it work. A small greenhouse with some thermal mass storage and supplemental heat would help a bunch.

Maybe someone else has different thoughts, but that's kind of how I see it.

I am having trouble raising them outside in east Texas, even with a green house covering them in the winter. Summer is no problem, but it isn't long enough to get them to big enough size. Going to try feeding them a lot harder this summer to see if I can get them big enough.

SW Ontario Canada?

I would recommend you forget about it. I have an 800 watt heater in my fish tank all year round, and two submersible light bulbs, and still have issues with water temps.

Hope this information has helped out with your decision.

Thanks for the input. I was wondering if I choose another breed, say like crappie cause they are colder water do you think if I was to have them in the greenhouse year round it would be too hot during the summer? I know when it's real hot here in July-August it can reach 40C+ in there even with the window and door wide open. I'm just trying to figure out what fish would do best and if they should be in the greenhouse or outside of the greenhouse??? Thanks again for any info!! really appreciate it!!

What's wrong with trout? There's a fish you can grow easily without any heating/cooling.

You are in one of those areas where you will need to do more than most to keep things going year round and if you are not willing or able to bring them indoors in winter you will need to plan carefully and decide how much you want to spend (money / resources) on the project.

Your average lows are reported between October to May range from 7°C to -7°C and your average highs don't go past 28°C. I would put in a greenhouse. On hotter days leaving the doors, vents open should suffice, the occasion frozen block of water can be thrown in if you have too.

If you haven't already read the Aquaponics Hungary and Robs Geodesic Dome for some 'excellent' ideas on keeping things optimal in harsh conditions.

http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=9276&hilit=hungarian

http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=8898

I had thought about trout but was told that if the water was to get too warm that they can not handle it or being in a smaller system 50gallon. Anyone have experience with trout on a small scale? or if the water was to get warm like around 80-85C??

There may be a difference in Aussie trout, but from what I have researched North American rainbow trout won't take the normal summer temps most of us see. Anything above 60F (16C) and they are pretty much done. They stock them in the lakes around here in the fall and early spring and they don't survive through the summer. They are basically a "put-and-take" fish for the cooler months of the year. There are cold water streams that they survive in but that's about it.

Maybe yellow perch, channel catfish, or bluegill would be a decent choice. They do well in water temps from freezing up to the 90sF (32C). It may take a year or 2 to grow them out but they would probably survive without too much supplemental heating or cooling. Burying the FT part way would moderate the temp somewhat.

People I know who have tried to raise crappie in freshwater aquariums have had a tough time with it. They don't take to food well but if you started with feed-trained hatchery stock you might do ok. I think they'd be struggling in the heat though.

Some of the rivers in west Texas have trout in them and they survive all year.

Must be cold water streams - correct?

The quadaloupe river is one of them, I see them in the water when I go tubing there. The water is cool, but not cold.

Humm.. Rainbow Trout should be thriving @16C.... Above 20C... and they'll begin stressing and go off the feed....

With trout... it's all about oxygen, oxygen and oxygen...

When the water gets too warm ie >22 degrees C just harvest the trout. You could easily raise trout from fingerlings to plate sized in 5-6 months as they are a fash growing fish. Daytime temps from 16-30 degrees would be ideal for trout as im guessing the minimum temps would be much less during the night allowing the tank to stay below 20 degrees

Ok see I have heard that trout take more like 10-12 months to get to plate size.