Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I note with interest that some people stock say Trout for Winter and BArra for summer. I read somewhere or several places that fish go off the food if outside thier ideal conditions but will they actually die?

As you read these forums you get different ideas etc. I was going to say create say a 1000lt fish tank and stock say Trout. But what if do 2 tanks, 1000lt each and stock to say half the ratio each but trout in one and say Barra or Murray cod in the other. During the summer months would the Barra or Cod do well and during the winter, the trout would go well but in both cases when one is gaining weight, the other is just cruising.

I am not googling my locality for temp records and averages etc

Trout would certainly grow out in your area...

Barra might.... if you can get them early enough... and the spring/summer pans out as normal...

But looking at this months records... Barra would probably have struggled, unless under cover, and/or heated...

Your problem is, your area can drop temps really quickly around mid April... just when the Barra might be ready to harvest...

Here's some date for your area...

http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/ ... 3142.shtml

My original choice was and still is trout and if they would go ok, all year round. However I did grow up near the Bahmah Forest and the Murray River where Murray Cod used to get pulled out of the river around 50 kilos. Never been a favorite fish of mine to eat but wouldnt mind having them in a tank if they could handle it as well. Again in a seperate tank but being what they are, can you put a couple of cod in the same tank with each other?

Trout would probably struggle through Dec/JanFeb....

Murray Cod would be OK all year round... as would Silver Perch....

You need to stock & feed Murray Cod to a level where they don't cannabalise... and/or grade them into seperate tanks according to size...

A lot depends on whether or not you have some control over your environment... ie greenhouse/shadehouse/shed...

I am looking at cooling my tanks in summer for the trout. Whats the maximum temp for trout? I thought it was in the low 20's

As for the cod, I have seen the comment about the stocking levels and think it was High Density. Does that mean (as I googled it but didnt really get an answer) a lot in a small area or a few in a large area?

How???... and what size tanks...

Trout can survive short periods with tank temps up to 25+.... but for short periods... and with mucho, mucho oxygenation & no feeding...



Usually suggested that they be crowded... high density...

Cooling by a refrigeration system. Tanks say 1000 litres each.

"refrigeration" Do you mean a chiller or are you planning on making something. Just a note on keeping some metals away from the fish water. I have a chiller that will do a 1000ltr tank. Just need to get around to finding some trout.

Yeah basically a chiller but not a commercial one. As I mentioned in another topic and as many may already know, I am a tradesman with a passion for tinkering. So I use Used vege oil to run diesel motors so am looking at driving the refrigeration compressors directly from the motor. But we will see. For now I will install plumbing and outlets to allow the circulation of the water through a heat exchange unit that I can add later.

Sounds good. Just make the heat exchange stainless steel if the FT water is going through it.