# Fish people.



## KandCfamilyfarm (Nov 4, 2017)

I want to set up a above ground pool with fish in it in that is a balance ecosystem so I can set it up and let it run with out messing with it. Is this possible and how? I live in zone 6.


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## secuono (Sep 28, 2011)

Crapton of plants, aquatic that are submerged and bog plants, good amount of shade, limited feed and don't overstock on fish. And luck.


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## KandCfamilyfarm (Nov 4, 2017)

secuono said:


> Crapton of plants, aquatic that are submerged and bog plants, good amount of shade, limited feed and don't overstock on fish. And luck.



What kind of fish tilapia, bass, catfish?


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## Oregon1986 (Apr 25, 2017)

I been really wanting to experiment with aquaphonics


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## KandCfamilyfarm (Nov 4, 2017)

Oregon1986 said:


> I been really wanting to experiment with aquaphonics


it works great with tomatoes I did it once under a 1000w hps


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## Oregon1986 (Apr 25, 2017)

KandCfamilyfarm said:


> it works great with tomatoes I did it once under a 1000w hps


I think this next summer I'm going to have to give it a try


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## rininger85 (Feb 29, 2016)

What are your coldest temps and how long do they last? That will determine the fish you can use. Also on the flip side what is warmest in the summer? I raised rainbow trout last winter... blue tilapia this summer, now channel catfish and bluegill. The rainbow trout like cold water (mid 50's, but will survive close to freezing... they die at about 70F). Blue tilapia like warm water... grow best around 80F... die around 50F. The channel catfish and bluegill should be fine either season since they survive our local waters all seasons... although I'm not positive how high my water temp made it this summer... they might not like it at 80F because that is warmer than our local waters ever get. 

So it all depends on what your temps are. As already noted to have a fully sustainable ecosystem would require a lot of plants to process waste. Most aquaculture is going to require some kind of filtration. Aquaponics works quite well for filtration depending on how many fish you want to use. If it is heavily stocked you would need mechanical filtration, grow beds won't keep up, they'll fill full of poo and overflow.


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## KandCfamilyfarm (Nov 4, 2017)

rininger85 said:


> What are your coldest temps and how long do they last? That will determine the fish you can use. Also on the flip side what is warmest in the summer? I raised rainbow trout last winter... blue tilapia this summer, now channel catfish and bluegill. The rainbow trout like cold water (mid 50's, but will survive close to freezing... they die at about 70F). Blue tilapia like warm water... grow best around 80F... die around 50F. The channel catfish and bluegill should be fine either season since they survive our local waters all seasons... although I'm not positive how high my water temp made it this summer... they might not like it at 80F because that is warmer than our local waters ever get.
> 
> So it all depends on what your temps are. As already noted to have a fully sustainable ecosystem would require a lot of plants to process waste. Most aquaculture is going to require some kind of filtration. Aquaponics works quite well for filtration depending on how many fish you want to use. If it is heavily stocked you would need mechanical filtration, grow beds won't keep up, they'll fill full of poo and overflow.


I have seen it go as low as -15F on rare occasions and I want to say 110F I know it sounds nutty but I live on top of a mountain the winter time it gets nasty sometimes we get freezing fog which will drop a grown man I've seen it happen while cutting wood in the winter and the summer it feels like the sun is in your face. I have had 250 lb hogs just drop and die if the do not have proper shade but in all likeliness the hog probably die because we introduced a new male and I think he ran her to death when we were not home. 

I have done aquaponics before and had great result its a great ideal but I was going to take the extra fish poo and build a filter to recover it so I could just shuvel it on the garden. The soil here is poor and lots of clay and mineral rock but that's it. No nitrates. The fish I would eat or feed to the hogs and cats. How do you get your fish all I have been ever to find is the pet store fish? Our feed store and co-ops dont carry fish here.


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## rininger85 (Feb 29, 2016)

With such large temperature difference you will either want to decide on doing two species like I did my first year, trout in the winter, tilapia in the summer, or you will want native fish that are used to the temps of both seasons, which is what I'm doing now. 

I am running my system in what I had hoped would be a passive solar greenhouse. The north wall is lined with 55 gallon drums full of water, the greenhouse is designed so my southern glazing is at a 90 degree angle to the sun at winter solstice since it is when the sun is at its weakest. If the sun is at an angle other than 90 degrees some rays of sun hit the glass and bounce off. In the winter the sun heats the barrels which stores the heat in the water to stabilize the temps. In the summer the barrels are in the shade, therefore they are colder than the surrounding air so they help cool the air. I think in climates that have such drastic swings you need to have a similar setup to help level the temps out. Otherwise just plan on one species and do it for whatever your longer season is. 

I got my trout from a trout farm that is about 30 miles from my house. The tilapia I ordered online, I got some from Tampa aquaculture and some from Lakeway tilapia. My catfish and bluegills and the perch I first started with (all died before my system was cycled) I got from a fish farm that does a "fish days" at co ops and farm stores around the state. They come to my co op twice a year spring and fall, they sell the fish as pond stock. My tilapia I am breeding myself now after I raised the first batch they became my broodstock.


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## KandCfamilyfarm (Nov 4, 2017)

rininger85 said:


> With such large temperature difference you will either want to decide on doing two species like I did my first year, trout in the winter, tilapia in the summer, or you will want native fish that are used to the temps of both seasons, which is what I'm doing now.
> 
> I am running my system in what I had hoped would be a passive solar greenhouse. The north wall is lined with 55 gallon drums full of water, the greenhouse is designed so my southern glazing is at a 90 degree angle to the sun at winter solstice since it is when the sun is at its weakest. If the sun is at an angle other than 90 degrees some rays of sun hit the glass and bounce off. In the winter the sun heats the barrels which stores the heat in the water to stabilize the temps. In the summer the barrels are in the shade, therefore they are colder than the surrounding air so they help cool the air. I think in climates that have such drastic swings you need to have a similar setup to help level the temps out. Otherwise just plan on one species and do it for whatever your longer season is.
> 
> I got my trout from a trout farm that is about 30 miles from my house. The tilapia I ordered online, I got some from Tampa aquaculture and some from Lakeway tilapia. My catfish and bluegills and the perch I first started with (all died before my system was cycled) I got from a fish farm that does a "fish days" at co ops and farm stores around the state. They come to my co op twice a year spring and fall, they sell the fish as pond stock. My tilapia I am breeding myself now after I raised the first batch they became my broodstock.


So it sounds like I need to just go fishing Sounds GREAT!! Work related fishing trip.


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## rininger85 (Feb 29, 2016)

Where are you from? Might be able to help find fish.


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## rininger85 (Feb 29, 2016)

Lakeway tilapia is I'm Rutledge TN


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## KandCfamilyfarm (Nov 4, 2017)

rininger85 said:


> Where are you from? Might be able to help find fish.


Spring city TN most the good fishing is right down stream of the watts bar dam.


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## rininger85 (Feb 29, 2016)

It looks like TWRA holds the licensed commercial hatcheries close at hand... Have to mail them to get a list... Michigan DNR posts a full list on their website... Here is TWRA contact info https://www.tn.gov/content/tn/twra/fishing/ponds-small-lakes.html#stocking


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## rininger85 (Feb 29, 2016)

They do lost hatcheries though..
https://www.tn.gov/content/tn/twra/fishing/twra-hatcheries.html#eagle 

Looks like eagle bend is about an hour from you...


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

This thread title reminds me of some of the old Saturday night horror movies.


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## KandCfamilyfarm (Nov 4, 2017)

Bearfootfarm said:


> This thread title reminds me of some of the old Saturday night horror movies.


like the blob


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## fireweed farm (Dec 31, 2010)

Above ground? That will enhance temp fluctuations. 
How big of a pond?
And will trout actually be large enough to harvest if raised from fall through early spring? How big? Never tried raising trout for same reason, the pond gets too warm in summer.


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## rininger85 (Feb 29, 2016)

fireweed farm said:


> Above ground? That will enhance temp fluctuations.
> How big of a pond?
> And will trout actually be large enough to harvest if raised from fall through early spring? How big? Never tried raising trout for same reason, the pond gets too warm in summer.


I bought my trout when they were in the 5 to 6 inch range in September or October then harvested them in May they were 10 to 12 inches. If I build a raceway in a hoop house it will be partially underground however far I feel like digging out by hand and then probably three or four feet above ground.

The quantity of water I'm talking about will stabilize temperatures, not increase fluctuations. It takes longer to warm the house up and takes longer to cool the house down because the water slows the temperature fluctuations down. The more water you have the better this works. There are plenty of examples of this on other forums. I follow a couple of threads in backyard aquaponics that have enough water they were able to grow their trout to two years old before they harvested them. Mine were in a 330 gallon ibc inside a small greenhouse so it warmed up too fast, which is why I have now switched over to channel catfish to see how fast they grow. Hoping they will grow close to a pound per year, in which case if I do a larger system I will just use local fish so they don't have an expiration date having to switch between summer and winter.


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

A loop of pipe buried as deep as you can will help cool your water, just make it part of your filtration system.


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## RNinTN (May 31, 2018)

KandCfamilyfarm said:


> I have seen it go as low as -15F on rare occasions and I want to say 110F I know it sounds nutty but I live on top of a mountain the winter time it gets nasty sometimes we get freezing fog which will drop a grown man I've seen it happen while cutting wood in the winter and the summer it feels like the sun is in your face. I have had 250 lb hogs just drop and die if the do not have proper shade but in all likeliness the hog probably die because we introduced a new male and I think he ran her to death when we were not home.
> 
> I have done aquaponics before and had great result its a great ideal but I was going to take the extra fish poo and build a filter to recover it so I could just shuvel it on the garden. The soil here is poor and lots of clay and mineral rock but that's it. No nitrates. The fish I would eat or feed to the hogs and cats. How do you get your fish all I have been ever to find is the pet store fish? Our feed store and co-ops dont carry fish here.


Hey Neighbor!! I am in Fort O, GA now but lived on Luminary for a while and down in Spring City for a long time thru nursing school. 
I still have my property up there on the mountain and it has a roughed in/dried in cabin with a wood stove and a camper. I have drifted tho and am going to sell it.

On to your question. 
If you talk to Lakeway Tilapia they will ship to you but its just on the other side of Knoxville so you can also pick up.
They have an arive alive guarentee and they are local. They also have a lot of education on their site so take advantage of that learning opportunity.

Just an opinion but if I were doing an above ground pool for a pond I would berm it. Id doesnt take much to bury it and capitalize on the earths best insulation available!!


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## KandCfamilyfarm (Nov 4, 2017)

RNinTN said:


> Hey Neighbor!! I am in Fort O, GA now but lived on Luminary for a while and down in Spring City for a long time thru nursing school.
> I still have my property up there on the mountain and it has a roughed in/dried in cabin with a wood stove and a camper. I have drifted tho and am going to sell it.
> 
> On to your question.
> ...


Thank you!


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