I wanted to start an Aquaponics system that would be able to produce enough Tilapia to feed my family and make raw dog food for 10 German Shepherds and any puppies that come along throughout the year.

From what I have read so far... The Tilapia can be fed crush prawn and vegetables. The Prawn would feed off the waste of the Tilapia. The Vegetables would gain the nutrients from the Tilapia and Prawn. Do I understand that right?

My dogs are fed over 400lbs of dog food each month. Atleast 21% has to be protien or 24% for pregnant mothers and their children. The Tilapia would be the source of their protien and vegetables would be the fill in. I don't want to stock up on fish food, so I thought throwing in Prawn would solve that problem. This system would also be able to breed the fish and Prawn also, so I can have a continous supply. I plan on building this in a green house using solar power as my only source of power. I work at a power plant and have to deal with water chemistry so the water chemistry shouldn't be an issue. I am still trying to figure out a way I can maintain chemistry without having to buy chemicals for the system.

I enjoyed Big Als setup, but I think I am gonna have to go a bit farther because of my goals.

My biggest question..... Can it be done?

I hate doing math, but I need to come up with a system which will provide these minimal factors...

I must be able to produce 125lbs of Tilapia each month once I get the cycle going. 25% protien

I must be able to produce enough Prawn to feed the Tilapia and fingerlings. I know their diet will not be strictly Prawn, but left over vegetables has well.

I need a growth pool for fingerlings, hatching tank, breeding tank and adult tank (4 total) Haven't figured out the sizes yet, but was hoping to get some ideas here.

The Prawn will be able to share a tank (preferable not round for footprint purposes) with floaters(lettuce or someother type). I know they are territorial so screens seperating them will also have to be used. I will probably need another tank to remove the Prego prawn to hatch the young. From what I read... the hatching tank for the prawn is brackish, so I wouldn't be able to grow anything else in them, is this correct? Now I am up to 6 tanks.

The Process....

The Tilapia tanks will be drawn from bottom (fishy poo) then ran into the Prawn tanks(fish poo food).
The Prawn tanks will over flow into a sump continously. (7 tanks now argh)
From sump.... the rest will be pump into the rest of the garden that has river pebbles
Then back to the Tilapia tanks to start the cycle all over again.

I kinda have a deal going with a local farmer. I buy a Steer each year and he raises him, them I slaughter him for 600+lbs of beef. This usually last me for a year for a family of four. The dogs don't get the beef. I really want to be set up to provide my food without having to depend on anyone. I live on 30+ acres with a few ponds and 50,000 acres of gamelands surrounding me.

What would you guys suggest for tank sizes? and if you have any ideas to make this work would be greatly appreciated.