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.