Missouri is alive and fishin'

[RonHodges]

Built this dandy greenhouse and aquaponics system last fall. I've been waiting all winter and spring for water temps to come up. Ordered my first 100 blue nile tilapia a couple weeks ago and got about 80 1/2" fry instead of the 2" fingerlings I ordered. Disappointing but not fatal. If I don't locate suitable tilapia fingerlings soon I'll have to go with the local favorite, blue catfish.

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Vertical stacked tanks for fish, gravity fed flood and ebb grow beds, bottom sump tanks for dwc and duckweed, 400 watt pump through a sand filter pumps back to the top tank. Works well at 800 gallons but will hold 1000 gallons total. Lots of falling water and well ventilated surface area for gas exchange. Should work.

[ColdWeatherAquapon]

Looks great! Love to see pics of the larger greenhouse design?

Why did you go with blue tilapia vs. another strain? I've heard they grow slower but can handle lower temperatures.

[RonHodges]

Fish monger in TN talked me into blues with the idea that fish acclimated to TN would do well in MO. Then he shipped me fry from south FL. 70-80 tilapia fry just aren't enough to even get an amonia reading on 800+ gallons so I went over to Osage Catfisheries and they hooked me up with a fat count on 100 2-3" hybrid bluegill for $35.

I'm nursing the tilapia fry in the top tank and bluegill in the bottom tank. Pete at OC said enough for 15 minutes feeding twice a day. After a night in the tank to settle down I fed what I thought would be about right and they cleaned up every last morsal in just under a minute and a half. Fed some more and same thing. More food, same thing. More food, same thing. These guys were born to poop.

My primadona tilapia are timid and fussy eaters. I have to shut down all the waterflow to their tank before they even pay attention to the food. Even with small pinches of fry powder, most if it goes to waste. Right now that tank is at about 70 deg so it may just be the cold water.