Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

BACKGROUND: So I have finished mocking up my system. 2 IBC, 1 Sump 1 Fish Tank, 2 IBC growbeds and 4 cut barrel Grow-beds.. I ordered the Laguna 1350 water pump, just FYI you can get a free $30 Laguna Airpump currently when ordered with a 4 year warranty for $169, I thought it was a great deal considering warranty. I am using Blue Tilapia, claim that they can handle colder weather if needed down to 45F. I have found a quality breeder that is going to set me up. Luckily he is local so I am picking them up myself, gotta get a battery air pump, will be good for backup anyway. I plan on keeping indoor 2 regular 30 gallon heavy duty plastic tote tanks as fry holder (may only need one at first) and a 50 gallon aquarium for my 2 breeder sets to start off with. My original plan was to get a cycle of moving most of them outdoors when weather permits here on the North Carolina and Virginia border, and always leaving 2 breeding pairs indoors to allow them to replenish my stock when I harvest my outdoor aquaponics fish going into every winter. I have bought a 12x12 Rhino Greenhouse with 20 mil polyethylene to put my aquaponics system in. Electricity here is some of the cheapest there is, I feel for some of you that have 5-10x the electrical cost. I will be able to run a very efficient blowing space heater to maintain things from freezing in the winter with hopefully no real issue.

Do these submersible water heaters actually work (esp if you use a couple)? If so any recommendations?Any other simple water heating options for a fully covered 20 mil greenhouse in winter in Virginia/Carolina? Having control over water and air temp I feel will give me the greatest odds in Winter. I would like to keep the fish in the system year round to grow winter able crops, and will probably keep some goldies in there due to hardiness as well. If I convert my indoor breeding and fry sets from typical aquarium setups to a small indoor aquaponic setup, are there any recommendations on cheaper light systems?

Thanks for all the help, I will be sure to unveil the final system when completed, and hopefully in time will be able to give quality information to others since so many have helped me.

Hey mharmon0011, welcome to the forum!

I have several of the glass aquarium submersible heaters if that is what you mean. I have not had good luck with the thermostats on them, several were junked because they stuck on, they still heated up though.

I had a single 300 watt I think to get my water to 45 (was hoping for 50) a couple of years ago in a system with an in ground FT and a mild Winter in PA. Would have taken more to get higher but this was uninsulated in the ground so it would have been pointless to try to get it higher.

Sounds like you have your stuff together, be sure to start a Members Thread whenever you want!

I dropped the money and got the J&J 1000W heater and control thermostate (ranges from 35-95 at 360 gallons. Definitly high end, but I read everyone has had issues with the glass ones, this is titanium and got backed by a good warranty.

GROW MEDIA: I found a good source for hydroton but its gonna be over 400.

Anyone used Permatill?? got a local place that supplys and states made for aqua gardening. I have read to stay away from peralite, is this different?