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  1. #1
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    Hello from Raleigh, NC

    Hello all. I've been looking at the forums for quite a few weeks now, and I am trying to setup a small aquaponics system. I have a hoophouse I built out of PVC and 6mil plastic. It worked pretty well since our winters here aren't very cold. My setup included 3 12"x9" mixing tubs about 4" deep with pea gravel and a drain back to the fish tank. My fish tank is a 45gal rubbermaid tote. And then a pump to pump the water once an hour to flood the tubs. This was working great for about 3-4 days, and then I guess it got to hot and all my goldfish died.

    Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can keep the fish alive in the heat/cold? Should I put the fish tank in the ground to keep it cooler? Or just get a larger tank? If the fish couldnt make it throguh 80 degree weather, there is no way they will make it through summer. I am trying to get all the kinks worked out on a small system before I go spend alot of money to build something larger.

    Thanks in advance.

  2. #2
    Moderator JCO's Avatar
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    Re: Hello from Raleigh, NC

    Welcome to the show....pull up an easy chair, relax and stay awhile. New voices are always a welcome addition to our family..! Whatever questions you have on you mind, this is the place to get the answers
    JCO
    Irish eyes are always smiling but
    • "In the eyes of the world, you are only as good as your last success"
    so never forget
    • "MAN IS ONLY LIMITED BY HIS IMAGINATION"

  3. #3
    Moderator davidstcldfl's Avatar
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    Re: Hello from Raleigh, NC

    Hi gigaguy....welcome....

    In order to help you, we will be asking lots of questions. I suggest, going to the section of the forum called... Back Yard Systems ...and start your own thread.
    Some pictures would be great.

    Here's a few questions, just to give you an idea of what we might be asking....Did you test the water...ph, chlorine ,chloramines, water tempt...what were the results ? Do you have any form of aeration in the water? Are you using a sump ?

    How hot did the green house get ? Even on an 80 degree day, they can get 'very hot'.

    The small tubs, would get hot, very fast due to the small water volume. Warm water holds very little oxygen. Most people, use grow beds 'at least' 12 inches deep.
    One of the ladies here, is using the rubber maid 'stock tanks' for her grow beds ( from tractor supply). Some use them for fish tanks.

    You said your FT was a rubbermaid tote...I guess you mean like a storage box ? They too are shallow, which would heat fast.
    The bigger the system and volume, the more stable.

    One thing to really consider is....'what type of fish, would be best for my area of the country ? 'Tilapia are a tropical fish....they need water to be 70 and above. Even in FL, that can be a challenge in winter.

    The 'goldies' could of been sick when you bought them. I have heard of this happening to others.

    Hope I'm not discouraging you....lot's of variables gigaguy. There's plenty of people here with the experience and knowledge to help....
    Looking forward to some pictures and reading more about your system
    "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same." - President Ronald Reagan

  4. #4
    Moderator stucco's Avatar
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    palmbay florida
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    Re: Hello from Raleigh, NC

    Quote Originally Posted by gigaguy
    Hello all. I've been looking at the forums for quite a few weeks now, and I am trying to setup a small aquaponics system. I have a hoophouse I built out of PVC and 6mil plastic. It worked pretty well since our winters here aren't very cold. My setup included 3 12"x9" mixing tubs about 4" deep with pea gravel and a drain back to the fish tank. My fish tank is a 45gal rubbermaid tote. And then a pump to pump the water once an hour to flood the tubs. This was working great for about 3-4 days, and then I guess it got to hot and all my goldfish died.

    Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can keep the fish alive in the heat/cold? Should I put the fish tank in the ground to keep it cooler? Or just get a larger tank? If the fish couldnt make it throguh 80 degree weather, there is no way they will make it through summer. I am trying to get all the kinks worked out on a small system before I go spend alot of money to build something larger.

    Thanks in advance.
    Welcome aboard. From the info you gave…I have the following questions…
    1. Are the dimensions on your growbeds correct?
    2. Is your system cycled?
    3. Have you tested the water? Do you use city water and have you treated it?
    4. Are you aerating the water?
    5. Is your fish tank is direct sunlight?
    6. How is the ventilation in the hoophouse?
    These may seem like basic questions, but they are sometimes overlooked. Pictures help a lot, so post some pics with your response.
    Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not.-- Dr. Seuss, The Lorax
    Simplicity of character is the natural result of profound thought~fortune cookie

  5. #5
    Moderator stucco's Avatar
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    Re: Hello from Raleigh, NC

    Now I see that David beat me to the punch...great job
    Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not.-- Dr. Seuss, The Lorax
    Simplicity of character is the natural result of profound thought~fortune cookie

  6. #6
    Moderator davidstcldfl's Avatar
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    Re: Hello from Raleigh, NC

    Quote Originally Posted by stucco
    Now I see that David beat me to the punch...great job
    I learned from 'you'....
    "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same." - President Ronald Reagan

  7. #7
    Moderator JCO's Avatar
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    Re: Hello from Raleigh, NC

    OK fellas...stop patting each other on the back...you're both great and you know it and if you didn't....I'm telling you now
    JCO
    Irish eyes are always smiling but
    • "In the eyes of the world, you are only as good as your last success"
    so never forget
    • "MAN IS ONLY LIMITED BY HIS IMAGINATION"

  8. #8
    Moderator davidstcldfl's Avatar
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    Re: Hello from Raleigh, NC

    Quote Originally Posted by JCO
    OK fellas...stop patting each other on the back...you're both great and you know it and if you didn't....I'm telling you now
    We're just following 'your' lead JCO....
    "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same." - President Ronald Reagan

  9. #9
    Moderator jackalope's Avatar
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    Feb 2009
    Location
    Montana, USA
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    Re: Hello from Raleigh, NC

    Welcome to the Forum Glad to have you aboard.

    Another thing to consider is the color of the GBs and the FTs .... Black and green are the two colors that absorb the most heat from the sunlight ..... putting the tanks in the ground will help them (in most cases) to be cooler, but it will help more if they are quite a ways down ...... deeper is sometimes better for the GBs too as has been said, I used shallow 5" ones last season, and I think they went anaerobic because of all the rotting roots in the bottom, just not enough growing space for the roots ....... Like the others said, don't be discouraged .... I killed 45 Goldies when starting out, then 200 Guppies, a few crawdads, some Tilapia along the way ..... just keep on keepin on till you get it right, then get the more expensive fish and throw the others in to be the food ..... I raise feeder Guppies for the Tilapia to eat once in a while .... when the Guppy tank gets a few too many, I net out 30 or 40 and feed them to the Tilapia .... it's fun watching them try to escape the Tilapia ..... In one tank, I've got 6 survivors that the Tilapia won't even chase any more ..... I'm hoping they will drop some fry soon for the tilapia to eat - a built-in food source .
    I use the Linux Operating System ...... Free as in beer!
    You're never too old to learn something
    Aquaponics - food'n'fish at your doorstep

    Helena, Montana - Home of the Northernmost Monument to the Confederacy

  10. #10
    Members
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    Mar 2010
    Location
    Raleigh, NC
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    Re: Hello from Raleigh, NC

    1. Are the dimensions on your growbeds correct? They were approx, but couldnt be much off.
    2. Is your system cycled? Yes, I was pumping the water through the GB's once an hour for 20min..
    3. Have you tested the water? Do you use city water and have you treated it? it was a combination 50/50 of rainwater from rain barrels and well water. i did not test it..
    4. Are you aerating the water? yes.

    5. Is your fish tank is direct sunlight? it was under the GB's but in the greehouse. So indirect sun?.

    6. How is the ventilation in the hoophouse? It's about 12'x14' with doors open on both ends. No other ventilation.

    Pics:
    Growbeds


    Fishtank:


    Everything:


    I forgot to take a pic of everything assembled. But the growbeds were above the FT and drained into the FT. There were PVC with holes driled in them as the drains and the GB's and FT.

    I'm guessing the dark colors didn't help much . Also the temp in the greenhouse that 80F day was somewhere in the 90's.

    Thanks.

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