Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

How about this concept: picture a fishtank built like a chest freezer. Inside is black for heat absorption. Install single or double glazing (from old sliding glass doors?) over the water. "Lid of freezer" can cover it all to protect from excessive heating (on hot days) or cold (at night) or be raised to correct angle to reflect (did I mention it is reflective?) light into the water. No pump, no moving parts (except lid), but solar gain is limited to only about 1.5x surface area of the fishtank.

details:
tank orientation must be such that lid hinge runs east-west
feeding access (maybe make a small hatch to toss in feed? Part of glass lid could be open a few inches?)
aeration (return water from growbed should do it, but water flow is essential as air under glass may become stale).
Having large volume of water or bubbler would be extra insurance.

That much light would make me fear algae

Hmm.. yep, I see your point. I have some tilapia and they eat all they can get, but I guess it might be a problem with other fish. Oh, well.

Hi folk back at the hill had to leave my AP gear at the farm till next school hols . I set up a solar heater for my spa at the farm worked like a treat used copper which cant be used in Ap but think black ag pipe be just as good pumped spa at ground level to piping on the roof by means of a 12v bilge pump as used, and bought cheeply,in a boat had it connected up to a deep cycle battey Could of got flash and also incorporated a solar panel and maybe a rated power supply on a timer farm is all solar so had to be very carefull with power usage heat all day on battery and charger then fire up geni for the spa but definately considering using something similar for winter in AP