Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Cool John!
What about blue gill? They would be able to handle cooler water temps. Gold fish are always an option. Travis Hughey of barrelponics fame is using grass carp.

Not sure Dave, at present the water goes from 80 day to 70 night. To hot for Yellow Perch. I wish I had a years worth of data on the setup. I'll check about and get the temp ranges for the Blue Gills and such. Gold Fish may be the ticket. Grass Carp eh. Thanks time will tell.

pond looks real nice

Thanks Steve, hoping it all works for some thermal mass, I think I'll be fighting the cold in the winter and the heat in the summer. Tonight and the next, low outside temps are going to be near freezing.

Looking great John! I want a greenhouse so freakin' bad. If you can keep your temps >70 thru winter, try tilapia. I did Bluegill, catfish, crayfish, koi, and pacu in prior systems and will never go back. I'm completely sold on the hardiness of these guys, except you do have to keep the temps up a little for good growth.

Yesterday my system hit 85 degrees and the tilapia practically jumped out of the tank going for the food. The kids love feeding them.

Your tank is relatively small and would heat just fine with a 400w tube...

Hey MF:
Which would be your second pick?

MF, I see a big advantage in a green house in just keeping the winter blues away. We both love playing in the yard etc and the winter months are yuck! It will be a little santuary for sure. Logging temps so I can get my mind around it all.
I'll get some water flowing through the poly coil I have around the tank and see how that helps, I want to use as little power as I can in reguards to a heater.
As to what fish, I'll be waiting a bit as I see what more is needed in reguards to temp stability, dont want to hold a record for fish kills.
There is also the plan to make this a small business so I'm looking at market, costs, etc. Taking it all slow and attempting to get dual value for all.

Hey GF:
Lettuce is easy to grow. I am having a lot of success with salad greens. My basil is not looking good. Cherry tomatoes have taken time to fruit but I should have some in the next two weeks. Peppers could also work if I give them more time (have flowered recently). Think fresh salad fixings. maybe some people in your neighborhood would pay for that in Winter. The lettuce is much more tender than store-bought.

Mmm cherry toms, it all would be great, even better in the middle of winter! Did you hear of the ecoli oubreak? From some spinach I think, just another reason to do this!

Yeah I heard about the spinach.
For those of you down under, all the spinach in the US is being recalled because of E Coli contamination.

John, I totally appreciate your patience. I too would like to do this for a living. In May '07, the wife and I are going hunting for a 2-5 acre parcel with a greenhouse in mind. We saved up a good amount of cash and may be able to build the greenhouse without a loan, we'll see.

In the meantime, keep the information exchange open. Tell me how you got started in AP, what made you want to strive for commercial production, what are your longer range goals?

Dave.... my second choice, Bluegill or any of the perch. Only problem w/ perch I found the perch not tolerant of high water temps. The hardiest was the Pacu, and they grew big, but too bony to eat. Tilapia trumps all. Wide temp and water quality range, grows big fast, and great to eat.

I live on 2 acres and a neighbour has been into hydroponics (roses) commercially for many years - regularly head down to his place with a six pack and looked at his setup.

Now I brag about AP and advise him of the entrance fee to my place if he wishes to advance his knowledge, show him the scaled down model and the potential to expand, he's interested but won't admit it - yet.

I have no interest to expand commercially but do enjoy how different approaches are used successfully - not good hearing about the spinach outbreak tho.

Have no idea what this has to do with your conversations but living on acreage was what got me started

Its all good Ell!

I hadn't heard about the E Coli break out in the states and the recalling of the spinach. AP spinach would be work a bucket atm

I would like to have a greenhouse, large enough to support maybe four nodes, and produce enough veggies and fish to take to local organic markets. Basically the cottage farm concept, only AP style. I'm set up for retirement in 10 years and could see myself driving a little refrigerated truck up and down the valley stopping in at farmer's markets and local resteraunts delivering the goods.

Ell, can roses be grown in AP? Anyone?