Ok now with the temps dropping I am trying to figure out how best to keep my Tilapia alive just a little longer if I can.

So my question is to help keep my water temps up for the next few days as the air temps get down in the low 30's, should I turn my pump off since it basically pushes the water up through a fountain which I believe would cool it down more quickly. I mainly run the pump 24/7 to help add air to the tank, plus it runs through my bio-filter as well.

Or am I wrong on this idea and actually moving the water keeps it warmer.

I do have a heater in the water now, and from what little I know about it is that the water seems to be 12-18 degrees warmer than the air temps which right now keeps the water around 62 by early morning, it warms back up in the afternoon to around 80+.

So if anyone has experience or ideas to help me get through these 2-3 nights of freezing weather please let me know as I am not ready to take down the tank yet, and would like to get my fish a little larger if possible.

Thanks

How about insulating the tank and putting a lid on it to hold in more of the heat produced by your heater, or picking up a heater with a greater warming capacity and also insulating?

How large is your tank? E-Bay sells some cheap made in China heaters that are up to 500 watts. Depending on the size of your tank, one, two, or three may do the trick.

I think your only viable solution long term is to bring them inside as in a garage or basement, and yes, insulate the tank and use a heater. I use one or two aquarium heaters in my 300 gallon recirculating systems and they do the job keeping temps up in the 70's even without insulation -- even though the air temp in the basement is 64 in the dead of winter -- (water temp will drop two degrees below ambient temp.)

Considering how cold it got in Oklahoma last winter your outside option is finite.

If you use a heater I'm not sure I'd trust a Chinese model inside that is probably not UL listed. Or at least use a name brand heater that is UL listed even if it's made in China.

BTW if you want to consider a recirculating system you could look into an upflow sand filter used for large aquariums. They are not too high in price and have a small footprint. All you need then is a clarifer tank which you can make out of a fifty five gallon drum and some deer fence netting and some PVC and you're good to go on the inside. Of course you will need to cycle your tank first.

Cecil, so you're jumping on the fluidized bed filter bandwagon? (I thought you might after you saw them ) They DO offer a lot for their size, don't they?

I think this winter will be worse in Oklahoma. It is just so dry that the bottom can fall out of the temperature. Much like a desert.

Thanks for the tips as they are helpful, and if I had the option of bringing them in I would but not this year. The size of the tank is about 300 gallons; it is a water hauling tank with the top cut off.

My main concern is with the next few nights, or at least tonight as I think it will drop below freezing so not sure what will happen.

Last night the water only dropped to 62 but tonight will be another story.

Like I said mine was a cheap first time setup just to see what I could do, and for the most part has worked pretty well, just need to add some better filtration next year.


Back to the point as least here are probably the options I have for tonight so please let me know what you think I should do:

1. Leave as is with the pump running. (which basically runs water through a home made bio filter and then sprinkles the water back into the tank adding a little more air as well.

2. Turn the pump off all together so the water does not fall through the cold air (possibly accelerating the temp drop of the water)

3. Pull the hose from the filter and leave the pump running under the water with the hose causing the water to circulate possible warming the water better.


Please let me know which one of these would be the best option and I will try it out. If by chance I can find a tarp or something to put on top I may do that as well.

Now as far as insulating the tank what would be the best thing to use to do so and easiest way to apply the material?

Thanks

We shall see after I set mine up. I may use it for my 100 gallon aquarium I'm putting in the wall in my taxidermy studio. If it all it's supposed to be it sure beats building an RBC and using lots of space for it.

I'd like to try all the different types so I can be knowledgeable on all of them and know which works best for me.

You got me. I'd probably have a fish fry and set it back up new and improved next year.

Well if my thermometer works the water was still at 62 this morning and that is with air temps being below 30 since midnight. So I am thinking my little heater is working pretty good. And I may just have bought me another week or two of time.

I had thought about getting a second one but with them being 1000 watts I am sure they are pulling some juice.

Plus I tossed in a few pellets about 30 minutes ago and I noticed some fish popping them so they must still be active for now.

I'd drain it and have a fish fry this week. You won't gain anything by keeping them alive for another week or so except fund the utility company. It'd be a different story if you were trying to buy a week or so worths of time to get an indoor RAS up and running, but you're not.

You are probably right, but I was just saying a week or so, if I can get another month then that may be good as well.

I have a few other fish I need to keep alive that are going into a pond so the tank has to stay up until I get them out there.

I do want to get the fish out before they do get sick or die as I want to take some pics and post them.

I have a least 3 different types of Tilapia I think or just color variations. Not what I ordered I guess, but that is what you get if you do not go to the true source of what you want.

I made the mistake of trying to over winter tilapia outdoors. My electricity bill was crazy. Now I over winter 3-6 breeders in a 40 gallon tank indoors. Come spring I have enough fingerlings for the outdoor tank. With intensive feeding I can get 1.5 lb fish in 8 months. I harvest when it starts getting cold and start the cycle all over again.

Here is a link to a DIY 2000 watt heater:

http://aquaponicscommunity.com/forum/top...00-watt-element

I was thinking about doing the same thing, overwintering breeders inside. What type of tilapia do you keep? What are their breeding requirements in terms of set-up and substrate?

Deadwood, tilapia are illegal to stock in VA and you have to get permits just to keep them indoors in enclosed tanks. Just keep that in mind before you go through all the effort of sourcing tilapia and consider using them...

That is really interesting. I wonder why tilapia are illegal in virginia. There is no way they could survive the winter here. I did double check however, and you do need a license.



Doesn't seem like that much of an impediment to keeping Tilapia for eating. Stocking for bass forage is another matter. I don't have a moral problem with the idea, as there is no way for the tilapia to get established, but it probably isn't worth the trouble. The farm is in the middle of nowhere. The lake is in the middle of the farm and not visible from any road. Still probably not worth the trouble.

Well my fish are still alive and I plan to clean them this weekend or early next week when it should be in the 40's. I will be curious to see how big some of them are.

I plan to take some pictures as well to see if someone can help me ID the tilapia I have. It appears that I may have at least 4 different types. (Some I am sure are some sort of hybrid), but would still be neat to find out for sure.

Thanks

Ok finally cleaned all my fish and a few were about 10 inches or so which is not bad for a first timer starting with 1/2 fish. They only took 6 months to reach this size and they were crammed in my 300 gallon tank.

We did eat a few as well and we some of the tastiest fish. I was worried about an off flavor since they had been hanging out in the tank without a filter for a few weeks. I will have to admit they are some of the hardiest fish I have seen.

I wish I would have had somewhere to have kept a few of the larger ones for about 3 months before starting the tank up again, I am sure they may have even spawned this year.

I did have 3 females that were full of eggs when I cleaned them.

Can't wait until spring to start again, may even try to hook up some sort of aquaponic system this year to help with filtration and get a few veggies to eat as well.