# Raising fish in a swimming pool



## dk_40207 (Jun 23, 2005)

I have been thinking about this for some time. Maybe raising tilapia and maybe catfish? We were just at Target and they had their swimming pools on clearance for $50 with a pump and i was wonder if that would be possible? They are 1100 gallon pools a lot cheaper than a stock tank. I was thinking about if you had say 2 or three you could have one empty to drain into and harvest the fish out of one pool then clean it. What do you think of that? 

DK


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## HillsideHouse (Sep 12, 2005)

I am considering Red Claw which can be grown in pools. Try this website for pics & you can even buy some to start raising:

http://atlaspub.20m.com/rcfarm1.htm

I purchased the information (book & CD's) on aquaponics off this website in Austrialia. Well worth every penny:

http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/

I know it's not what your asking but ah heck, just a thought, I leave it with you.

Regards;

Hill


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## donsgal (May 2, 2005)

dk_40207 said:


> I have been thinking about this for some time. Maybe raising tilapia and maybe catfish? We were just at Target and they had their swimming pools on clearance for $50 with a pump and i was wonder if that would be possible? They are 1100 gallon pools a lot cheaper than a stock tank. I was thinking about if you had say 2 or three you could have one empty to drain into and harvest the fish out of one pool then clean it. What do you think of that?
> 
> DK


It's a great idea. There have been some recent posts about this (you can search for it). I have been thinking about this as well. Talapia is a tropical fish, though, they will die if the water drops below 70 degrees, so it looks like I will be raising catfish or crappie, myself.

donsgal


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## DrippingSprings (Sep 22, 2004)

plenty big enough for prawns


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## sugarbush (Jul 15, 2007)

You might need to alter the pump a little so it draws from the bottom of the pool instead of the top. If you buy crushed oyster shell and rinse it well; you can lay the pump intake on the bottom and cover with the shell.....the polutiants will be drawn into the shell to filter it out and than the water will run through the pump and discharge back to the surface..... working like an under-gravel filter in a fishtank.


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## peter nap (May 14, 2007)

I knew fellow who raised Rainbow Trout in several pools. He'd move them as they grew. Made fair money selling fresh trout to the local restaurants.


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## tamsam (May 12, 2006)

When you drain the pool to get the fish a cat fish may punch holes in the liner with thier fins. Just a thought as I once had a sea bass flopping around in the boat and put a hole in a plastic gas tank. Sam


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## pheasantplucker (Feb 20, 2007)

Unless you lived somewhere it doesn't freeze in the winter...seems like you'd have to cull all your fish each year...otherwise, since a pool is so shallow, they're going to freeze. Maybe I'm missing something here.


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## radiofish (Mar 30, 2007)

Well years ago, I worked at a fisheries rearing site that used above ground pools for raising trout here on the coast. It can be done: 1st you have to place sand in the bottom with a smooth surface. We used a center drain/ filter hooked to a discharge pipe. Our inflow was tapped off of the stream with a good head for sufficent water pressure and flow. Are you going to recycle the water contionusly with a pump? Then you have to filter the water with oyster shells or another method. At 1 fish hatchery I worked at, they used oyster shell beds along with UV lighting to filter the water for reuse, and that was for several large concrete raceways full of tens of thousands of fish.

Depending on the species that you raise will depend on the enviromental conditions that you produce. Indiana - it does snow and freeze there right? Watch your water temperatures over the year.. So you may not be able to do it year round if it freezes your rearing pond (unless you heat it). Look at the above post!! See if there are any fish hatcheries in your area and see what they do for winter conditions.


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## Shinsan (Jul 11, 2006)

Fish produce vast quantities of ammonia, which rapidly makes the water in a tank toxic. If you're intending to raise enough fish for a regular supply for the table, you're going to need a _lot_ of water, and a very efficient filtration system, which can work out to be pretty expensive. An alternative to the traditional filter systems is to use grow-beds for vegetables: you save water, have good filtration, and get a good supply of healthy vegetables, (without the need to fertilise or weed).
Try www.backyardaquaponics.com for a lot of good information and advice. (I'm a member there, and two members of the group are listed as being located in IND.)
I recommend this site to anyone who has similar ideas - If you check it out, could you please give me some feedback on what you think of the site? Thanks.

Shin.


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## ruby_jane (May 15, 2007)

Not that it's much help, but my Reader's Digest 'Back To Basics' book has a section on raising fish in a pool :shrug: ...


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## sugarbush (Jul 15, 2007)

ruby_jane said:


> Not that it's much help, but my Reader's Digest 'Back To Basics' book has a section on raising fish in a pool :shrug: ...


That has got to be one of the best books ever printed......wish I could find a new copy.....mine is old and run down......


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## dk_40207 (Jun 23, 2005)

There are a lot of good things to consider. Reading "Back to the Basics" and "the Owner Built Homestead" was when i first started thinking it about it. I had thought about freezing and culling every year and was thinking about if you could create a solar heating such as using black plastic or tarps to raise the temperature just enough? Maybe even putting up a hoop house over the pools when the temperature begins to drop and filling black 50 gallon barrels with water as a thermal mass to raise the temperature? The grow beds sounds like a great idea for filtration Thanks for all responses.

DK


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## wdchuck (Jun 24, 2007)

Above ground type pools will work, it's been done often enough, but an inflatable type pool may not be worth the risk if you get a puncture on the inside.

Indiana, keeping the water warm enough for any species, in that small of a container will be expensive, possibly cost prohibitive versus buying from a small aquaculturist for your table. You could keep the pool in your basement, then heating it would not be an issue, and you can raise the fish from fry to sale size in one container of water, it's pretty easy. 

Filtration, of solids and nitrates will be your biggest problem, followed closely by DO, dissolved oxygen content of the water, which can be addressed by capable aeration. A UV filter, and ozonater will aid greatly in sterilizing the water and maintaining clarity, both important aspects for the health of the fish. 

The biggest issue with soft sided surfaces, getting them clean between batches of raised product, crevices or wrinkles that will trap solids are no fun either, after the setups and owners that I've talked with, solid surface is the way to go. 

Will you have backup power? Depending on how many fish per gallon you stuff into this pool, it only takes 24 hrs without aeration/filtration to wipe out an intensive operation, I'd recommend, for your first attempt, no more than, one fish per gallon, while you are learning.

Good luck, let us know how it all works out if you take this forward.


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

Shinsan said:


> Fish produce vast quantities of ammonia, which rapidly makes the water in a tank toxic. If you're intending to raise enough fish for a regular supply for the table, you're going to need a _lot_ of water, and a very efficient filtration system, which can work out to be pretty expensive. An alternative to the traditional filter systems is to use grow-beds for vegetables: you save water, have good filtration, and get a good supply of healthy vegetables, (without the need to fertilise or weed).
> Try www.backyardaquaponics.com for a lot of good information and advice. (I'm a member there, and two members of the group are listed as being located in IND.)
> I recommend this site to anyone who has similar ideas - If you check it out, could you please give me some feedback on what you think of the site? Thanks.
> 
> Shin.


 Shin, great site, really enjoyed it and feeling inspired! LOL Because of the fire ant problem I've been thinking of doing hydroponics and would love to grow some prawns as well.


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## james dilley (Mar 21, 2004)

I have A book Titled Backyard Fish Farming Printed by Prism Press. 1980. Its A British Publication, But has A lot of Very good information. The Authers are Paul Bryant Kim Jauncey and Tim Atack. Its 170 pages and covers trout, carp channel cats tilapia The U S price was$10.00 Might find it At A book store or Liabrary. It covers site prep Pond sizes Filtration and Feeds ,As well as Water Quality. And theres A Chaspeter Telling HOW to breed the fish and Over winter the Fry and brood stock in COLD climates. And NO you can't have my copy!


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## Silvercreek Farmer (Oct 13, 2005)

Water hyacinths can do a lot to keep the water quality good, just saw a program yesterday where they were using them on sturgeon ponds (for caviar). Just don't put them in any water were you can not contain them. (They are invasive...)


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## Guest (Aug 28, 2007)

They showed on the local news about a guy who raises fish here in Oklahoma. He somehow has a continuous supply of fresh water intering the pools and the water drainning empties into these grow beds full of chives which he harvest and sells at the local farmers market and resturaunts. 

That should solve your ammonia problems. However, you might have a water problem now. I've been pondering on this subject for quit sometimes. I live next to a spring fed garden and have been figuring out how to raise fish with the creek water. Filter it through chives, etc. and then empty back into the creek. 

"Hmm", now I'm gonna hafta get off of this pc and get my paper and pencil out and do some more figuring.


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## Guest (Aug 28, 2007)

Well I remember the story a little better now after consulting with my wife who watched the same news story. The man had catfish ponds. He would pump the water out of the ponds and filter the water by running threw grow beds of chives and then the water would empty back into the ponds, cleaner, and aerated. He harvested fresh chives everyday and sold to restuarants and one day a week he would take some to the farmers market. 

And that's the truth!


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

sugarbush said:


> That has got to be one of the best books ever printed......wish I could find a new copy.....mine is old and run down......


Reader's Digest Back to Basics is still in print and was revised some time ago. 

I just checked Amazon and the have the old ones starting at $4+. Since I have an old version I'd like to see the new one.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Tilapia should do well in Indiana summers. Just raise them in batches so that each fall you harvest, drain your tank and start over each spring.

They grow like weeds and are tough as nails. Remember though that they can jump very well. A clear plastic cover should hold them as well as cranking up the water temp. They take 95 degrees easily. They can also survive below 70 degrees as long as you don't handle them. We had a pond full in school and when it came time to seine them for market I was holding part of the seine up above the water and at any given moment there were 50-100 in the air. One landed on top of my head and slapped me a few times before flopping back into the pond. Another time we were unloading a hauling tank full. One flopped out and stuck it's dorsal spine through the tip of my thumb. The spine broke off and it took 12 months for it to finally work out.

If you feed a good feed and purge them in fresh water before slaughter they taste like bluegill.


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## kabri (May 14, 2002)

Shinsan said:


> Try www.backyardaquaponics.com for a lot of good information and advice. (I'm a member there, and two members of the group are listed as being located in IND.)
> I recommend this site to anyone who has similar ideas - If you check it out, could you please give me some feedback on what you think of the site? Thanks.
> 
> Shin.


Oh my gosh, I spent HOURS on that site, wonderful!!!! DH is already thinking about how we can incorporate a small system in our new house when we build. Thank you for the link!!!!!


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## sunflower-n-ks (Aug 7, 2006)

Maybe a bit off subject, but - many years ago I was at a house that had, what I thought, was a great small scale system going. They had a wood frame, plastic covered lean to on the south side of the house. Inside that they had concrete vats filled with water that contained fish to grow for their table. The water was circulated through a base board hot water heat system to help warm the house. And, of course, there were all kinds of veggies growing in the "green house" also. 

Being inside of a covered area would also help keep the water temps up in the winter for the fish.


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## Shinsan (Jul 11, 2006)

Kabri,
Great isn't it? 
Before you build your dream house, maybe you could practice by having a small aquarium, and pump the water through a small herb-garden grow-bed on the kitchen window-sill. (The plans for the kitchen of my mud-brick dream house feature an 8' wide bay window containing a herb garden - aquaponic of course.)
Let me know when you get started on your first project!

Shin

P.S. There's a member in the west of your state, and another in the north east corner.


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## Shinsan (Jul 11, 2006)

sunflower-n-ks,
Not off subject at all, and it's a great idea - often adopted by permaculture people.
Have a look at my previous post(s): maybe you could try something similar?!

Shin


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## RegOklahoma (Jul 8, 2015)

I have 200 talapia I am raising in a old inflated ring type Wal Mart pool. I've had them for several months and grown them from about an inch to just over 6 inches. The pool was given to me by my dad. The issue - keeping air in the ring. Litterally - the ring has 15 to 18 patches and we are still adding air twice a day. If we miss - the water runs over the side. To offset this issue, I decided to go and purchase a new one from WalMart. Its 12 feet wide and 36 inches high. I filled it with water, added a chlorine and heavy metals remover and allowed the water to sit for 3 days. I then placed 10 gold fish into the pool thinking they would find joy and happiness. They all died - in about 30 minutes. That's very toxic. I then emptied all the water and sprayed out the pool and emptied. Repeating the process three times. Then filled, added the chlorine remover and waited three days. Today I placed two fish - a small local silver fish and a goldfish (figure if the goldfish can survive, so can my talapia). They both died in under an hour. I am only guessing - the pool my dad gave me was used for 3 summers, which may have "seasoned" the plastic. I believe the pool I purchased last week is releasing from the plastic walls something which is very toxic to the fish. I would suspect this Chinese made pool is the the culpret and I would be very, very careful about using these pools to raise fish - specially something you plan to eat. I found a 1,100 gallon food grade stock water tank for $350 locally. Each tank will raise about 80 to 90 fish to "eating size" with my filtration system and these tanks are said to last about 10 years - so in time I will recoup my investment. A 12 inch talapia will run about a pound. Our local grocery store sells fresh talapia on ice at $8 a pound. We don't plan to sell ours - but it does give an idea of the value of 200 - one pound fish. Hope someone finds this information helpful.


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## Terry1954 (Jul 3, 2015)

Yes thanks. I have dug a pond about 10000 square feet. Have had it now for three years. I have thought about the same thing. What type of filtration system would you suggest


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