Oklahoma Aquaponics - Heat question for the fish

[avoidthe9to5]

Hey guys, we're getting started on our system (much more to come later) and are concerned about the heat index during the months of july-august here. It can get up to around 105 and stay there for multiple weeks here.

How do you deal with the heat (keeping the fish alive?) From what I've been told Tilapia like sub 85 degree temps.

For the winter months, we're just going to get a heater.

[Ravnis]

105f is no sweat for tilapia, plants won't care for it though. I had it hit 115F here last summer and they got through it. If you are going to do a small setup, maybe you could overwinter in the house in an aquarium? A large setup will require heating. Tilapia will handle temps down to 50 depending on the breed. They wont grow or eat much below 72F. I heated them in the 2009-2010 winter in a green house with a tankless water heater and using pex tube as heat exchangers. It worked well, but was expensive around $300 US a month for propane to keep them at 67F. Had to heat from november to march at my location, your farther north so I would expect it to be higher.

This year I set up an indoor setup in a window and overwintered 100 or so in ~ 150 gallon setup. One of the main reasons that I am considering giving up on tilapia and switching to catfish or bluegill, they will handle the temp swings better.

[kellenw]

Like Ravnis said, it's usually more about keeping the fish warm in the winter rather than cool in the summer.

Hey Ravnis - Ever considered texas cichlids? In many ways they are a lot like tilapia.

[avoidthe9to5]

Thanks for the replys! We're going to be heating to keep them above 72F during the winter. Eventually the setup will be in a greenhouse once we get through the prototyping.

Is there a temperature that the fish don't do so well over? e.g. keep them between 72F-xxF for optimal eating/growing.
What temperature will the water actually get to during our 105F summers? No one has to cool the water off?

Thank you guys SO MUCH for your help, a billion questions over here. Just diving right in!

[kellenw]

Each tilapia strain will vary a bit on temperature requirements, but most can handle temps up to 105F alright. They will grow fastest in the low to mid 80's.

Hope that helps. :-)

[pki]

A couple weeks ago we stayed about 105 for a week, both my beds are in ground, I shade FP, have Styrofoam growing sheets in GB, water got a little over 90, fish stopped eating, but survived ok, I have Red Tilapia. Also have hoses out of sunlight, lettuce doesn't like the heat though. Have considered burying return hose several feet down to get earth cooling.