Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I am sure lots of would like to be able to keep our Trout through the summer and get some really good size to put on the BBQ.

So who out there has managed to get Trout through a summer?

5+ metre deep dam is around the only way, or a limitless supply of deep spring water - aka Troutman style.

TBH I prefer Silver Perch to Trout, but Trout are great fun for winter

I managed to get 4 though..
Eagle will get his through this year

Our creek, 50 meters from the house, manages to keep trout all summer despite deepest pool being only a meter deep and no flow for weeks in summer. My AP system water only got as high as 76degF (25degC) last summer and I was trying to get it higher. I think one could keep temperatures lower enough for trout to thrive to do OK by

1) placing a large fish tank in ground in good shade with good air circulation over the water
2) take advantage of our low dewpoint by blowing large quantities of air over the water and having a pumped fountain as needed.
3) possibly create a "solar water cooler": like a solar water heater, but uncovered and only runs at night when temperatures are low.
4) insulate bottom of growbeds to reduce heat gain.
5) make sure growbeds are well shaded with plants or shadecloth in hot spells.

Anyway, that's some of the plans for the next system. Trout year round!

If you are thinking of trying this, set out a couple (insulated from hot earth) containers of water in the sun and try a fountain and fan on one and record the temperatures and times through a day. Also do the same in the shade. PLEASE report on the clash between theory and reality as we won't have a chance here for several months..

I have

NIce fish Novaris

So what did you do to acheive that? How did you keep water temps down? What was you max water temp during summer? Sorry about all the questions at once

Well for me the max temp got to 26 I iced a few times but not much.
The hottest day I wasn't home so 'others' looked after the system, all was ok!

Max temp was 26c, that was on the black Saturday our place was 47.5 in the shade. I built with insulation, and I ice with 3L milk bottles occasionally on the hotter days or if we have hot nights. This year I have an under ground tank that I can use to cool the system it sits at about 18c and seems to have a recovery time of about 24hrs. Due to the insulation my heat gain is slow for the volume of water (tank and sump about 1700L ) but so is the loss my recent run with average 33c days is between 21-24c (usually varies about 2c per day), hot nights are my biggest danger as I cant get rid of the heat from the tank. I am thinking of trying adding fans as discussed in the cooling tower thread. Also I noticed that my diverter box for the growbeds was not covered and I believe this has been adding to the heat recently. Last year it was shaded by plants but at the moment it was getting full sun and even though had constant water flow it was too hot to hold hand on, so I have now shaded it. Trout are feeding lightly most of the time.

Yep pretty much the same here novaris
But this year I have waaaay more fish...
Time to cull some I think.
Time for a dinner party