Hi; I have already looked in the archives. Lurkers are encouraged to respond too. I have a 1500 gallon pond/tank that I am raising 200 blue tilapia in.I bought them at about 2" and they are now about 6". In stead of filtering the water I change some of it on the weekends to water the lawn and garden. I live in Fla. so I battle algae because of the intense sun and nutrients. I am going to try the 'raft' method of floating foam with plants(spinach or lettuce for now because it's winter time). Does anyone else raise fish and or veggies this way ? Tradesman

-- Tradesman (tradesman@noaddr.com), October 17, 2001

Answers

Please consider writing up your experience, with photos, and submitting it as a potential article to Countryside. What you are doing seems very unique.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), October 17, 2001.

Tradesman- I am one of the lurkers you mentioned. I am not doing this now, but have done some serious research and plan to try it in the future. I'm sure there are others out there that would love to know more about what you are doing and have done, what has and hasn't worked, etc. I encourage you to submit something to Countryside as well, no matter what stage you are in. Jack

-- jack (atl.jack@excite.com), October 17, 2001.

Mike Sipe (MIKESIPE@aol.com) of Palmetto, FL was conducting free classes on rasing tilapia on the internet. he was selling hybrids at a very expensive price. he has a web site at Tilipia Aquaculture International. my wife & i did a taste test, we bought a live cat fish & a live tilapia of the same size. both were fried the same, we could not taste any difference. can the tilapia take the colder weather here in OK? have they escaped, or been released in out native waters ? good luck with your project Tradesman! Larry in OK

-- Larry in OK (Nuts4bees@aol.com), October 18, 2001.

Larry, here is a great site for information on tilapia. http://aquanic.org/ They are being raised in several states with good success. Hope this helps! Cowgirlone in western OK

-- cowgirlone (cowgirlone47@hotmail.com), October 18, 2001.

Hi; Thanks Ken for the encouragement.I think that I will wait until the fish harvest time to decide if it was a success or not (price of fingerlings,although I will raise my own next time,plus the price of fishfood,pump electric costs etc.It is looking good so far though.Jack and Larry,I have seen Sipes website and agree that his prices are steep.If I were doing it for something other than a backyard meat project I would investigate it further.I believe that most Tilapias do not do very well in temps below 50 degrees.Because Florida's climate is similar to their native climate there is a risk of an escape of exotic species so I am starting with 'common' blue tilapia. No permit is required for Blues ( I think that they are already plentiful in local waters),besides if I am able to breed them (several hundred fry per spawn) I can also sell excess to other locals to stock thier ponds.The going rate is $50 per hundred for 2".They are hardy and should spawn easily in a seperate tank.I hope to rely on their own predation in the main tank/pond to keep them from breeding successfully.I want 200 1 1/2 pound fish (not 200 pounds of 4" fish) I am just starting but will answer what I can,and would like to learn from others as well. Tradesman

-- Tradesman (Tradesman@noaddr.com), October 18, 2001.

The fish are only part of the equasion in aquaculture. Use their droppings as fertilizer and clean up the water at the same time with a drain bed filled with gravel and plants such as tomatoes and herbs. See Tom and Paula Speraneo's site at: http://www.townsqr.com/snsaqua/ for all the details on a very self-reliant closed growing system.

Vern M.

-- Vern M. (modeland@runningriver.com), October 18, 2001.

I had a "successful failure" trying to use catfish in aerated pools last year. Working up my next design. Think I'll try it indoors this time. At least we had some good fish for dinner :>)

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair67@yahoo.com), October 19, 2001.

Hi Jay; Come on and 'share your experience' :) What are you going to do differently ? How many fish,what size to start with,how big did they get,how long did it take.How did you aerate ? what size tank/pond ? cough up the details :) Tradesman

-- tradesman (tradesman@noaddr.com), October 20, 2001.

Epcot has a wonderful aquaponics facility. They use hydroponics the product of which is used in their restruants. Talipia is the fish that is used in their aquaponics. I have tried to find information about their facility after seeing a brief about Epcot on Television to no avail.

-- lurkylu (lurkylu@yahoo.com), October 22, 2001.