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WAbedroomponics
10-13-2010, 05:27 PM
Hi I am just starting aquaponics and know very little other then the basics. I live in washington near bellevue. I am currently thinking of whether I should build a tank or if there is something cheap that can be used as a tank. I am also wondering if I need to do anything special about heating because my plan is to have the tank in the garage but the garage isn’t insulated and can get as cold as 15F some winter nights but mostly is around 50F. I am hoping to raise tilapia and any good tasting plants that I can grow. If anybody can help it will be appreciated. Thank you

JCO
10-13-2010, 05:58 PM
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. :mrgreen:

WAbedroomponics
10-13-2010, 06:12 PM
so what folder should I go to to ask about tanks? This seems like the place that has answers I looked all over and no place seemed to know anything about what I needed and here in like 10 minutes I found most of my answers.

jackalope
10-13-2010, 06:41 PM
Welcome to the forum, glad to have you here! Questions are always welcome, don't be too skeeered to ask, we don't bite (well, maybe one or two of us, but not all of us :lol: :lol: ) We love questions, and we especially love photos ;) Please be sure to put where you live in your profile so we know what part of the country/hemisphere/planet you are in ..... someone who lives nearby may be able to help you out personally as well.

We have a great FAQ (http://diyaquaponics.com/forum/faq.php) button for navigating the website controls, etc. at the top of the page, next to the "Members" button, please check it out if you haven't already done so.
We also have another FAQ (http://diyaquaponics.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=93) section which contains many of the hints and tips that have been collected along the way ..........

Before posting any URLs or emails, please take a look at the Forum Rules (http://diyaquaponics.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=103) .....
If you see something that you would like added to these FAQs, please let a moderator or admin know, and we'll discuss it and possibly add it to the list!

BTW, we have a special section for off-topic conversations called "The Sump" (http://diyaquaponics.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=102) to hopefully avoid crapping threads and keeping things on topic ;)

Once again, WELCOME TO THE FORUM :!: :!:


Without more information, it's hard to know exactly what you want in the way of 'tanks.' I don't know how big you want to go for tanks, but we can get a 300 gallon Rubbermaid stock tank with a bottom drain here at Ace hardware for $209.00 - you can get a small 50 gallon one for less than $100, and there are a couple in-between -YMMV! In Montana, because of the idiots that make some laws, I have to raise my tilapia in glass aquarium tanks if I want to avoid going to jail or having huge fines. As far as heating, you will need to heat the water ..... Niles will need 60f+, Mossies 55+, and Blues 45+ - These are 'dying temps' not living temps :!: The ideal temps will be upwards of 70f ..... I keep mine at 85f for faster growth, maturity, and breeding; but plants do best at more like 70f, so if you are going to do aquaponics, rather than fish farming, the 70f range will benefit your veggies rather than the higher temps. Badflash has posted some info about heaters - the best one I have had is the bucket heater he recommends Clik ;) (http://www.jefferslivestock.com/ssc/product.asp?CID=2&mscssid=RHU6RUGA175F9JXCKK2NK7T1KFU63R05&pf_id=16047) - if you get that one, I recommend you get the thermostatic controller he has linked to in this thread Clik ;) (http://www.diyaquaponics.com/forum/showthread.php?33-My-700-gallon-basement-system/page2) - I controlled mine with a clock/timer and it was near impossible to get it perfect, I had to tweak it every so often to get it right and keep it right.

Just my 2 centavos .........

WAbedroomponics
10-13-2010, 07:49 PM
Thanks that is most of what i was trying to figure out. so where would i get the tilapia? I was on another post and saw people talking about using frides and other things as tanks and was wondering if just about any thing could be used as long as it has a sheet of vinyl put in to make sure it is safe for the fish?

keith_r
10-14-2010, 05:54 AM
i'm using a rubbermaid "stock tank", 110gallons, bought at a "Farm and Tractor" supply store. IBC's (those big plastic bulk carriers in a metal cage on a pallet) are used (check out "Big Al's" system) and can usually be found fairly cheap, just make sure it was used for food items, not chemicals..
i've seen a couple of systems using swimming pools..

it sounds like it would be to cold for you to raise tilapia, most can't handle below about 55f, i think blue tilapia can tolerate cold a little better, you might want to go with a fish that can take the cold water, like yellow perch, bluegill, catfish, etc.. check for pond suppliers near you, they can tell you what fish are available in your area.. i found a couple of online sources for tilapia that will ship to you, if you want the links, let me know

best of luck!

urbanfarmer
10-14-2010, 09:58 AM
I just wanted to say HELLO!

I have found this forum to be a cornucopia of knowledge. The members here are friendly and wise! Your stay will be a pleasant one, WELCOME.

jackalope
10-14-2010, 10:59 AM
Thanks that is most of what i was trying to figure out. so where would i get the tilapia? I was on another post and saw people talking about using frides and other things as tanks and was wondering if just about any thing could be used as long as it has a sheet of vinyl put in to make sure it is safe for the fish?

Yup! just about anything can be used for a tank ..... I'm not sure I'd use vinyl sheet, if you go on eBy, you can find pond liner very cheap - I got some for $25.00 for the 475 Gallon tank I'm building - and pond liner isn't toxic to the fish, whereas some vinyl sheeting may be (I don't know this for sure, so that's why I'm hedging). For fish, take a look at the DIY Classifieds first - we like to support our own, so-to-speak ...... then Google "Tilapia" if you can't find any here. Also, if you are planning to go with bass, perch, trout, etc., you can try Zetts or if you give me a holler, I'll hook you up with a private trout hatchery here in Lewistown, MT! Keep in mind that most of the cold-water fish are a two-year grow-out, whereas Tilapia are usually less than a year ;) It's usually a choice between the cost of the heating bills, etc.

Say hi to Bill for us :lol: :lol: :lol: (I can remember when Redmond was just another sleepy little town like Carnation or Duvall - of course, they've probably grown a lot in the past 40 or 50 years too!)

If you go to the Zetts website, download their catalog ....... very interesting! Clik ;) (http://www.zettsfishhatchery.com)

davidstcldfl
10-14-2010, 02:20 PM
Hi WAbedroomponics...welcome to the forum.... :D

WAbedroomponics
10-14-2010, 10:28 PM
in a 200-300 gallon tank how many blue gill, sunfish, yellow perch, or catfish would fit? and how warm would the tank have to stay for them to grow? i started looking into aquaponics as a challenge to entertain me with a 40 gallon fish tank and random supplies that i have laying aroung to grow herbs and tametoes on my dresser.... but like always i end up going big or going home because over kill is when the rope is to big to tie the boat on to the dock lol

davidstcldfl
10-15-2010, 02:35 AM
A safe rule of thumb would be......1 POUND of fish per 5 gals.
Of course, you have to have the correct amount of growbeds to support the fish also.
You could start with less GB's , but you'd have less fish too.

Cats can survive even if there is ice on the water. I'm not sure about the others, but they are game fish too, they might be able to go pretty low.

Might find some info here....

http://aquanic.org/publicat/usda_rac/fact.htm

WAbedroomponics
10-15-2010, 09:32 PM
ok i am going to start out with tillapia before i move on to the other fish. im going to raise just about 10 mozambique tilapia in a 100 gallon sea clear show tank that my freind sold me for 300 bucks with a heater, gravel, airator, and i get to keep it in her green house as long as i teach her when i figure it out. im growing tamatoes, oregano, green beans, and carrots but im not sure if they will grow. im trying a water temp of 73-76ish. i was wondering how long it takes the mozambique tilapia till they are ready to mate? i think im starting with 3-5 inch ones. i have heard any where from3-4 months to 2 years till they will mate

urbanfarmer
10-16-2010, 03:23 PM
ok i am going to start out with tillapia before i move on to the other fish. im going to raise just about 10 mozambique tilapia in a 100 gallon sea clear show tank that my freind sold me for 300 bucks with a heater, gravel, airator, and i get to keep it in her green house as long as i teach her when i figure it out. im growing tamatoes, oregano, green beans, and carrots but im not sure if they will grow. im trying a water temp of 73-76ish. i was wondering how long it takes the mozambique tilapia till they are ready to mate? i think im starting with 3-5 inch ones. i have heard any where from3-4 months to 2 years till they will mate
Definitely not 2 years. Those could be ready to mate in the next few months.

You can grow anything you want! Take us some pics. :mrgreen:

WAbedroomponics
10-17-2010, 04:31 PM
ok i thought 2 years seemed long for a fish lol. i will take a few pics when i get the fish and the plants are over the grow beds last time i checked which was friday i had 4 tamatoe plants with two healthy looking leaves and the green beans were just about to grow their first 2 leaves so it shouldnt be long :D i should have my fish by thursday if everything goes as planned :D i have had a dirt garden before and i helped my uncle with his bass pond and this is much more fun. although catching 10-30 pound bass out of his pond was fun. though some say that feeding alive feeder rats to bass is messed up but big fish gotta eat

urbanfarmer
10-17-2010, 11:50 PM
Some cultivated hybrids are said to grow to plate size in 4 months, but I won't know until I try it. I'm expecting 6-8 months on average with closer to 8 months for my first few batches. The fish can only grow so fast, but if you optimize their feed, water quality dissolved oxygen levels, and water temperatures... perhaps you can get some amazing results. Heck, try singing to your fish. Maybe that will make them happy, and maybe happy fish grow faster than unhappy fish! :lol:

WAbedroomponics
10-18-2010, 12:27 AM
its proven to work with the plants atleast lol :) i am going to try mid too upper 70s and 2 airators because my airator is made for a much bigger tank and i have seen fish die from lack o oxygen and have never heard of to much as long as they are in water that is :)

Oldandfound1
10-21-2010, 02:11 PM
Welcome to the forum.
I am Dennis, and I live in Maple Valley, Wa. Early this Summer I found aqauaponics. The early stages of greenhouse building were under way when The AP bug bit.
So I read and studied almost endlessly for weeks at this forum, YouTube, University studies, The Australian Forum, the information, techniques, science, hardware, and regional climates - all of it seemed confounding.
Some of the participants here are 30 pages or more deep in their system builds. Seeing one develop from idea to fruition and beyond helped to settle the dust.
Tilapia were eliminated because of our NW temperatures. Koi are radically expensive initially (hearty however), costly to replace if a major failure happens. Yellow Perch grow slowly, I am moving toward trout. TroutLodge (google it) raises them, available in the Puyallup neighborhood.http://www.troutlodge.com/?pageID=422F2ECC-3048-7A03-392223712C0EA1BF
I have a tentative date of 01/01/11 to have a system running. This week will be posting up progress on the greenhouse build.
Dennis
Oldandfound1

WAbedroomponics
10-21-2010, 07:44 PM
WELCOME :D im getting my fish in my main tank tomorrow or monday depends on when they arrive i cant wait

JCO
10-22-2010, 04:50 AM
A PLACE TO SAY HELLO is just that; a place to introduce yourself and tell where you are from in case there are other members close to you and whether you have some experience or that you are new to AP. After you introduce yourself, please pick a topic of interest and start your own thread there. This way when someone is looking to see how others have done things, they can search the topic of their choice and see items of interest to them whether it be grow bed info or how to fillet a Tilapia. :mrgreen:

urbanfarmer
10-22-2010, 08:55 PM
A PLACE TO SAY HELLO is just that; a place to introduce yourself and tell where you are from in case there are other members close to you and whether you have some experience or that you are new to AP. After you introduce yourself, please pick a topic of interest and start your own thread there. This way when someone is looking to see how others have done things, they can search the topic of their choice and see items of interest to them whether it be grow bed info or how to fillet a Tilapia. :mrgreen:
I 2nd the motion! :mrgreen:

WAbedroomponics
10-22-2010, 09:01 PM
ok sorry and thanks for telling me because that makes so much sense because its like going on bing and searching for f-350 info or going to wiki might not always be right but people can say something about it and itss organized