Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

HI fish people,

I am setting up a new system, have already the basics, need to add the plumbing but wanted some advice

System is 1800L round gal tank, 700H, then 2 semicircular troughs, 1800 long, 450H at greatest depth, about 400 across. I have yet to get a roof on it, but that is planned...

I am in Melbourne, and will start with Silver Perch as recommended, but want to eventually grow Victorian river fish, such as Murray Cod , yellow belly, or whatever I can get similar.
Can I grow the fish I want to without heating?

Will I need to arrange my plumbing past the garage roof to heat it up? If I run this through black LDPE (cheapie polypipe) will the plastic upset the fish?
If I don't heat the water, or put sides on the the roof structure to keep sun heat in, will the fishies grow in Winter, or will they stop eating (as has been suggested to me) And if the fishies stop eating, then I won't be able to grow veg in Winter with no free fertiliser? How does the Winter thing work?!
Would really appreciate any feedback, as I am so keen to get this thing going!!!

Murray cod and Silver perch will survive a victorian winter, but they wont eat much, or grow much below 15 deg c. Most people have Trout for the winter, silvers / jades / cod for summer.

Welcome Veggiegirl... not related to veggie boy are you....

Each species of fish has a temperature tolerance range... and an optimum growth range that's temperature specific... search the fisheries sites, or talk to the hatcheries where you're going to source your fish....

In general... all fish metabolise faster as temperature increases... to do so requires more energy... therefore they eat more, and tend to grow more at higher temperaturs...

During winter their energy requirements are lessened ... sometimes to the point that they will only eat every second or third day.... pretty much true of all fish...

Except for trout... who enjoy the winter water temps... it's their optimum range...

Great fish the Murray Cod... but can be a little slow growing.... inevitably, you'll have to cope with winter...

Maybe Silvers in summer and trout in winter might be your best option... seems to be the way most people go...

In terms of heating.... the poly pipe works to a degree.... but not all winter days are sunny and/or warm...

And the loses through the night tend to take back any gain through the day anyway...

Unless you bury your tank, don't pump through the growbeds at night etc..etc..

Hi vegiegirl what area of melbourne are you in if you want to see a system thats been running 2 years and addresses most of your questians you are welcome to see my system

Thanks heaps guys for your answers. Another question that arises from them is, if I pop some little fishies in my tank in the next couple of weeks, do they actually reach eating size by Autumn? And then do i get some trout?
Or do you mean that the trout and Silver Perch co-exist for a couple of years, but the trout grow better in Winter (and so provide the veg with nutrients then) and the Perch in Summer?
I really have no idea how fast fish grow - how long does it take until harvest? Or if I just have Perch through Winter, and they only eat every 2-3 days, then is there enough goodies for vegies in Winter?

To RupertofoZ - no I am unrelated to veggieboy - just a keen vegiegrower myself.
To Food & Fish, I am in Pascoe Vale South, but happy to drive mostof Melb for the offer of seeing an up & running system. Thanks for the offer!
Should I go offline to give you my ph number? How do we arrange a meet?

Veggie... select the "PM" button besides F&F's profile... and "private message" him...

If you get some silver Perch soon... then you'll go close to eating them by mid autumn...

While you're eating the Perch... you can be starting the trout fingerlings... although probably not in the same tank...

Trout grow like weeds... 5 months will see them on your plate from fingerling...

Have a look through the members threads from those down your way... or SA & WA...

Trout and perch do not play nice together at all.

To get the best out of your system you'll probably need two tanks, one for the trout in winter, and one for the silvers/jades. During the summer the perch can be in both tanks, then put them all in one tank over the winter. The sump tank in a CHIFT PIST system can be used for the perch over winter.

Thanks Rupert, in other words I can get going on this, yay!

I have a spare 300L tank, (upright though), that I had planned to keep small fishies in until they were ready to swim with the big boys.
Now I see that I might get some trout to mark time in the small tank while the silver perch get harvested from the big tank, then transfer the trout to the big tank.
Have no sump in my system, just the grow beds sitting directly above the fish tank draining into it. (Will get to posting a pic- having problems with some programs on computer at the moment. love technology)

Vegiegirl, you are just down the road from Steve as well. He has a system

yea but its only half finnished

maybe she could help?

Who is this Steve you speak of?!

Also, MrOutbackozzie, I have read your last post a few times but still am confused so must ask for further info:
If the trout and perch aren't very happy with each other how does it work that the perch get to be in both tanks during summer? Won't they make the trout grumpy? I must have missed something basic here...

I have both species together (still building the next tank) but be prepared for losses.

During the summer you will not have trout, therefore the silvers can be spread across both tanks if you like.