Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I am getting ready to start construction on my system. I live in central Missouri and am going to enclose everything in a hoop style greenhouse. My question is what would be my options for year round production?

Hi DW,
Year round means cold-tolerant, so goldfish, koi, catfish, yellow perch, bluegill, carp.

Thanks. What about Tilapia and trout? Would it get to warm in the summer for the trout?

I forgot about trout! Trout won't like the warmer months but if you could split what you raise during the Winter from the Summer then that could be possible. Since MO is like Iowa you should look into what GotFish (John) has going in his greenhouse. He is growing yellow perch in a minimally-heated kit greenhouse. The beds practically froze up this Winter.

S&S is in MO and they raise tilapia in a greenhouse - but theirs is more of a structure than just a hoop house. You might be able to grow tilapia in the warmer months in a greenhouse but only if you got a head start on it by growing them up indoors at the beginning of the year.

I am growing tilapia in the basement and haven't yet been able to pump the fish water outside because of the lost heat. As things warm up I hope to. I would like to try bluegill this year if I can get things sorted out for them this Summer.

I think I'm going to try to get over to S&S sometime soon. They offer tours and such. The last contact I had with them though, they had sold their operation and were moving into a new location. I am thinking of purchasing their manual. I thought about the BYAP but didn't know if it would apply here in the states.

Get them both DWilson... and take the best ideas that suit you ....

I really think people need to harness the situation of varied temperature.
I am tinkling with measurements to run two systems , one warm one cold. ( trout and Aussie tilapia = Jade Perch)
I won't waste space here with theories etc , I'll wait until it all comes together and then start a thread.

Chappo

Are you going to leave one of the systems idle while the other is in operation?

The way dads system and my own are set up is such that the Silver perch overwinter (without actually eating much) while the trout are at full steam, by the time the trout need to be harvested the silvers are back on the feed. two fish tanks plumbed into the system, common water and growbeds

DWilson , Both systems will be almost continous . Once the cool water system gets too warm harvest will be finished,and it will be stocked with fingerlings to be used later in the warm water system , same the other way round.

Now if i can actually get this to work ,, and so far it's looking VERY positive , I'm on a winner.

I've been investigating natural thermals within my own backyard ..... amazing differences found ..... soil temp down the dark corner was about 18 C , very helpfull heat sink to keep Trout happy ..... soil on a north facing part of the garden ( behind a brick/cement wall ) 23 PLUS and a nice warmer for Jade Perch.

These conditions are already existing in my yard ,, small labour NON intensive ( I'd rather drink beer than work hard for nothing ) mods can definately help nature along. Example ,, that wall already sinks a huge amount of heat ..... paint it black ADD heat.
Grow beds in cooler system will be topped with WHITE gravel to reduce heat absorbtion .

I really should start the thread so other peoples threads don't get messed up.