Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi all.
I've just finished building my first AP system, and it has just finished cycling. We are renting so it's pretty small but I wanted to get my head around it all as I've been semi promised a massive space at work that I can use next year with my class. . And I've been reading stuff for ages on AP and wanted to finally get started.

Anyways to my actual questions.

I live in Alice Springs and our summers are hot and our winters are cold (my water temp is currently about 10 deg in the morning, and warming up to about 18 by the end of the day. I need some advice on what I should fish I should stock given the huge range of temp. Currently I've got some goldies in there which I used for the cycling period, but I'm keen to give them the flick!

So if anyone has some ideas/contacts etc please let me know, and point me in the right direction!

Hi JK

Welcome to the forum !

I'm not sure what the NT fisheries restrictions are but my first suggestion is rainbow trout through your cool season and jade perch through the warm season.

The temps you're quoting now are quite good for the trout but your summers will be too hot for them, hence the perch. Your other option is to run silver perch all year round.

Your winters are too cold for barramundi and jade perch.

Other possible contenders are Murray Cod and Murray River Catfish (Tandanus tandanus) for year round.

Barcoo grunters , yellow belly , spangled perch and cats

Yep, meant to say yellow-belly and completely forgot

Jade Perch = Barcoo Grunter

Yeah the perch over the summer was one of my considerations. What is an average grow out period? I have seen some varying numbers...

The other was some kinda heating so I can stock them all year
I saw a compost heap hot water cylinder thing recently has anyone ever tried making one of these?... how effective was it?...
Issues?...
Things to be aware of?...
etc

I reckon you could keep Jades year round up there. Even though you get cold nights you get much higher day temps than we do here and I had a couple of jades that nearly made it through the winter last year.