Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I know alot of people recommend Silver Perch. What about Jade and golden perch?

I fully intend on buying the books before I do anything, but was just wondering if a pond 2.5m x 2m and 70cm deep (roughly 3,500L), would this be suffice to keep these fish and in what numbers? It would have approximately 5m square of floor space in total. I have also be reading alot about Eel-tailed catfish (Tandanus tandanus) and they sound pretty good, just wondering if anyone has used them and what sort of growth etc can be expected, also how many can be housed comfortably in 3,500L..

Would really like some info on mixing it up, and if it is safe to use your garden pond like this..

Any info is welcome.

Cheers

just a quick reply for now looee,

1) read the useful info section, it will save many questions.

2) I love jade, but you gotta keep your temps up above 16C at LEAST to make it worth it.

is the pon already set up? are there already fish in there? is there a current biofilter?

Not dug yet, still waiting for the go ahead, but would most probably be starting it out with goldies first, is it okay to put smaller fish in there to control mozzies, like guppies or Australian smelt.. I know they would probably get eaten eventually. I am in Sydney, so temps at the moment are getting lower, I do not know how low they can get though.. but will definately check out the useful info section, thanx.

Cheers

Think you rule out Jades and Barra through winter in Sydney Looee.... you'd have to heat them almost non-stop......

Actually I think Golden Perch like about the same temperature rang ... 24-31 degrees...

Even Silver Perch will struggle down here.... they'll survive through winter but probably wont feed more than minimally and probably only every 2-3 days....

Shouldn't die though... just wont grow..... trout will.....

3500ltr.... recommended about 3kg fish per 100ltr.... all depnding on size of fish, amount of filtration....

That's about 3 x 35 = 120 - 150 fish, should be fine......

Caveat... that's really only if they're fingerlings... and/or you're cycled or can cycle...

Probably better to start with about 50 fingerlings if you're going to try and cycle up over winter.... if you can get them......

John at Jamberoo could probably supply or Neil from Aquablue.... but they may be "advanced" fingerlings.... so depending on size ... might have to cut that number a bit more...

Trouble with trying to start with "fingerlings" now is they wont really feed.... and you have to cycle....

Still by the time you build and cycle... it might be spring anyway

Start off with 20 fish of whatever you can buy cheap, doesnt matter what, goldies, guppies whatever.

Monitor water parameters, add urea, a teaspoon per 2 days, easy peasy.

You only get problems if you try to force the cycling process. Higher amonya slows the cycling.

Its all a bit of a moot point, until you actually start Will probably be barra season by the time your ready.

LOL yeh, Im a slow goer.. gotta choose site of pond, gotta dig,.. which reminds me, is 70cm deep enough? that will be the hard part..1m at a time (got nothing better to do..)

Oh.. Eel Tailed Catfish (Tandans) would they do ok in the pond? or is it too cold for them here.

Thanks

Why only 70cm??

I would go deeper.

only know about catfish from googling in the past but found this which was discouraging



http://www.nativefish.asn.au/tandanus.html

I wouldnt want to dig too deep, but I would be interested to build a wall to make it deeper. I have heard that concrete ponds have a tendancy to crack over time, which is what I was hoping to avoid by using a rubber liner in a hole. I guess I could dig deep if I had to.

I have 5 in a tank with 2 silver perch and about 7 goldies...all happy but tandanus are growing pretty slowly.

Building a wall up and lining would be ok as well

What about yabbies, do they grow out quick, and also (since I've never eaten one) how do they compare to prawns..