FishinRod, have you done tilapia in KS? I've been very interested in tilapia and shrimp but have yet to pull the trigger on trying either one.
I have not - because my three old ponds have too much water level variability for active fish management.
(I am rehabilitating them and digging new ponds when I can afford heavy equipment on site, but that is another story.)
However, I have followed lots of the tilapia discussions on the forum, and they certainly are an interesting "tool" to add to the pond management toolbox for Kansas ponds.
From what I remember about your pond goals, they might help out in your pond. The tilapia take their sustenance for growth out of a different food chain than the existing forage and predator fish utilize in your pond. I believe in Kansas, the tilapia offspring could in one season provide significant additional forage for your 1-3# bass, and the stockers would provide some additional forage (especially in the fall) to your 5-8# bass.
(I think you would enjoy/learn reading some of those threads when you are stuck at the computer this winter!)
P.S. Good to see you posting in the forum. I was a little worried about you ending up stuck beneath a concrete culvert in 5' of water.