Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi there, I am new to this post and new to aquaponics. Having said that, I think I might be opening a can of worms by asking, "where can I get O. aureus around the Mandurah area" without the need for a translocation permit.
Reason I want these is their tolerance to colder water and ability to survive in less than optimal water quality.
Hoping in anticipation.
Doofa

I can't help you with getting fish in AU since I'm in Florida USA. However, what are you thinking is tolerance of colder water?
They might survive down to 12 C but if the water gets any cooler, their immune systems may not recover. Also, Don't expect to get good growth from Tilapia if you are raising them in cool water or in less than optimal water quality. Yes they may survive it but you can't expect to get fast growth from it.

I've found that Tilapia don't even eat at water temps below 20 C and you don't get fast growth till the water is much much warmer.

Mmm, I sort of knew the growth slowed but I was mainly thinking of colder winter months, not so much cold water. I think 20 + degeers is maintainable here in WA, and expect only minimal time below this temperature. My concern was, after having read all the posts regarding putting ice blocks in the water etc to try to rescue stocks of trout, was that high water temp is going to be an issue here. It is my understanding that blue tilipia are more cold tolerant. As for water quality and growth: Growth is secondary to me, all I really want is the ability to feed them anything, (almost) and their ability to poop. Plus I would prefer not to have to rotate fish stocks out to cater for new stock as the temperature dictates.
Cheers
Doofa

There is no way you can have tilapia survive winter here in WA without very expensive heating. Your tanks will spend a lot of time below 20 degrees.

High water temp is not usually an issue - just for trout really. The stocks of Silver Perch would be loving it.

dont know about O,aureus but O,mosambec's are avalable, i have had a couple out side in my AP system in as low as 9.0 degres C this winter, they wont feed at that temp but mine have survived suprisingly, i have added salt becauce they are suseptible to infection at less than optimum temps.

you could keep them with goldfish if your not wooried about the fish themselvs?

Well if you don't care how long they take to grow out, then I suppose blue tilapia could perhaps do ok. Just gotta keep the water temp above 12 C or you risk infections taking them out.

If you want them to grow out in a year, you will definitely need heating but if you have some winter protection over the grow beds (like greenhouse plastic for the cold nights) then you might get through if your location doesn't actually get lots of frosts or freezes.

My system (covered by greenhouse and with sunny daytime solar water heating) did require supplemental heating last winter when we got a solid cool week with two freeze nights in a row. By the second evening the water temp was down to 54 F (about 12 C) and I had to run a trickle of water from the hot water heater into the system to keep it from dropping more. (I was also running the vent from the cloths dryer into the greenhouse and we were doing lots of late night laundry that week too.)

I,m fairly sure water temp would never reach 12 degrees. My backyard pool does not get this cold. Winter temp average is 18deg, (air) with I think average of 8 hours sunshine. Dont quote me on these figures, but I do recall reading them somewhere. Frosts are rare (coastal) and as for freezing, no problems there either. I would be able to cover my system if needs be, and I am thinking of solar heating for the tanks. This is on another thread, I think, and I havent had a chance to read through it yet.
Grunta, I would be happy with O.M's. Where can I source a couple or so. Have access to koi but not really fussed on them. Have goldfish already, but want to expand my set up to allow more growbeds.
Cheers
Doofa

Do keep in mind that though your pool never freezes or gets that cold, you probably don't pump your pool water through flood and drain media beds.

Flood and drain media beds will have a pronounced chilling effect on system water during the cool of winter as they also have a heating effect during the hottest part of summer. It is because the air gets right down in them to affect the media and then the water flows in and is in turn affected.

Well I am going to quote you on them.

Your pool has a large amount of water sitting there doing nothing. Your AP will have a small amount of water, running through beds being cooled down dramatically. Trust me, your water temp in winter will get below 12, it will mirror gruntas probably, 9 or 10 will definately be seen.

Lots of people in Perth have AP, and I am pretty sure that nearly all of them end up at around 10 degrees at one stage or another in winter.

Oops, sorry OBO. I meant mean dont quote me on the average temp and sunlight hours, not pool temp. My bad. I agree, you are probably right re tank temps, but even so, Grunta's O.M's have survived as low as 9 degrees. O. Aureus supposedly can tolerate colder than O.M's. but either one of these fish would suffice. As indeed would O. Niloticus. Supplemental heating would probably be required but I am considering housing my tank in a small garden shed type set up in order to keep it cooler in summer and warmer in winter. Most of my ideas are in concept form at the moment although I have a small 4 bed setup as a starter with some over the pond drip pots as well. My pond is a 2.2 meter plastic boat, (old yacht tender) that has been buried and converted to a pond. I guess the water volume is around 900/1000 liters, but shallow. originally just a handfull of goldfish in it, but water quality meant I needed a filter system etc. Luckily I saw a small piece on the news about BYAP and investigated. I am now a firm convert to aquaponics, even though its mostly only concept. (my head is a full and busy place)
Cheers.
PS. still need to source O.aureus or O. Mossambicus
Doofa

If you do come across some let us know, I wouldnt mind trying to get some breeding happening, and overwinter them in an aquarium.

Hi West Aussies ...

Tilapia (Mossambiques) are tolerated as pet fish in WA .. but not as an aquaculture fish ...

The most hardly, most widely grown source of freshwater fish protein in the world..

Amazing fish .. but ... can have dire consequences ...

Over East .. you could loose your home for keeping them ... as a pet.

May I suggest you look at the WA fisheries site and .. maybe go here ..


viewtopic.php?f=2&t=83&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=fisheries+tilapia&start=15


Contact Gordon for advice.

Best wishes

Johnnie

Hey Johnnie, have read and seen these info sites. I do understand that these fish are aquarium fish, but I figure that 40 fish in an enclosed backyard system in suburbia, really doesn't constitute "aquaculture" as meant by the legislation. I wonder if there is a distinction anywhere regarding aquaculture and aquaponics. My undertanding is that the legislation refers mainly to aquaculture on a commercial scale, and was probably not meant to relate to backyard project.
So anywho, am still interested in O.A's or O.M's if any can help.
Cheers
Doofa

And this thread and associated pdf... outlining the new "national" regulations...

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5729

Still trying to find some of these fish.
Doofa