Raising Tilapia in plastic tanks

[Jotham79]

I would like to have a few plastic tanks (approximately 1000 lit) to raise Tilapia and maybe Pla Let at a max density of 50 kg per cubic meter.  I will have aeration; and have a solid waste filter and bio filter similar to the ones in these links:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N45FP6ctLes?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVzNcU8EnwU

 

I am wondering what kind of maintenance will need to do and how often to do things like checking for ammonia.  Any help would be appreciated.

 

cheers

[jmicaelk]

Hi, where did you find your tanks ?? and how much you paid for them ??

You should be able to go up to 60-66 kg/ cubic meter

 

Regards Micael

 

[Jotham79]

I bought one today at Thai Watsadu.  It is circular with a 1.4 meter diameter and 45 cm depth.  Rated for 800 liters, but  will probably be lucky to get 700.  It was 2900 which is a little pricey. They had several sizes and shapes.

[Pseacraft]

You may want to start a dialog with this canuck connected in the links.   He was been dabbling with catfish in similar tank me thinks: 

http://www.mythaihomestead.com/

 

 

[Jotham79]

I used to watch hi videos a lot when we were doing frogs.  He has a lot of fun but is not really as concerned with expenses as I need to be.  I have the same tank as in the video.  He is running about 60 Pla Duk which probably total around 20 kg and he has some water issues.  Catfish can breath air so O2 is not much of an issue and they are several times more tolerant of ammonia.  I don't think 20 kg of tilapia would make it in his set up.  I will have a larger pump that should recirculate all water every 15 minutes.  My swirl filter will be 2 times as big and my bio filter will be 4 times as big.  I will also have a small pump that will provide aeration.  I am still not sure that will handle 50 kg of tilapia (60kg per cubic meter) but will find out.

I need to find some test kits for water quality too.

[Smithson]

I am doing aquaponics in 1,000 liter IBC. The plants are doing well, but the fish are slow despite plenty of food and decent water quality. I've been told it could be the small tanks.

Water test kits are available from Thailand Aquaponics in Samut Prakarn. Google for the address.

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[jmicaelk]

Thanks Jotham79, I saw them there as well and found a company online that sell tanks up to 1600 L, same you can get at ThaiWatsadu for about 5500 B

[CLW]

Anyone knows the price for a new 1,000 Liter IBC?
Thanks

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[Smithson]

Anyone knows the price for a new 1,000 Liter IBC?
Thanks

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No, but second hand ones with single use can be found, the label on the side shows what they once contained.

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[Smithson]

No, but second hand ones with single use can be found, the label on the side shows what they once contained.

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Price is 2.5k up

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[CLW]

Price is 2.5k up

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Thanks

[CLW]

What do you guys feed the Tilapia?

[Smithson]

I am feeding pellets, but a lot of people use the 'green water method'.

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[CLW]

If you use green water isn't there the risk the fish meat gets the typical off flavour?

[Smithson]

I'm really not sure, but I think a large percentage of market fish are raised in green water.

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[CLW]

I'm really not sure, but I think a large percentage of market fish are raised in green water.

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I'm not sure either. But I heard if you raise them in green water in natural pond or river, when you put them into a cage (Happa) to prevent eating from the ground, they don't develop that off taste.

[Jotham79]

Sorry I've been slow.

 

I will be using a purpose made tilapia feed starting with 32% protein.  I can't really use the green water method in a small tank.

 

The "Green Water Method" basically has the fish getting most of their food from the algae in the water.  Fertilizer is added, but there is a limit on the carrying capacity which depends on the surface area that sunlight hits.  It also takes a little longer for the fish to grow out and some feed may be given.  As I understand most tilapia are not green water fish.  A lot of tilapia are raised in floating nets in rivers and large lakes and are  fed intensively.  I know some is done in Phitsanoluk, up at Nong Khai, and around Nonthiburi .   Some are raised in lakes with aeration and intensive feeding, but to be sure there are some raised green water.  On my farm I use green water (small scale) and do not use nets.  My fish taste better than most I have had through the local market.  I think over all water quality and amount of silt in the water makes a bigger difference in the taste.

 

Cheers

[canuckamuck]

Please keep us updated on your progress, and especially rate of growth if possible.

Also, what brand and number is the Tilapia feed you mentioned?

[Jotham79]

Well I finally got my tank up and running.    I started with 300 fry and a very small pellet feed that I think is 40% protein.  It will take the bio filter a while to work so I think I will take half of the fry out to the farm and to water changes for a few weeks.  Till not happy with my pumps, but will play with them a while.

 

Here are some photos:

 

Full set up

Tank with pumps off

Tank with the pumps on

Bio filter

Swirl filter

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ozzydom]

On 10/5/2016 at 7:31 PM, Jotham79 said:

Sorry I've been slow.

 

I will be using a purpose made tilapia feed starting with 32% protein.  I can't really use the green water method in a small tank.

 

The "Green Water Method" basically has the fish getting most of their food from the algae in the water.  Fertilizer is added, but there is a limit on the carrying capacity which depends on the surface area that sunlight hits.  It also takes a little longer for the fish to grow out and some feed may be given.  As I understand most tilapia are not green water fish.  A lot of tilapia are raised in floating nets in rivers and large lakes and are  fed intensively.  I know some is done in Phitsanoluk, up at Nong Khai, and around Nonthiburi .   Some are raised in lakes with aeration and intensive feeding, but to be sure there are some raised green water.  On my farm I use green water (small scale) and do not use nets.  My fish taste better than most I have had through the local market.  I think over all water quality and amount of silt in the water makes a bigger difference in the taste.

 

Cheers

With Tilapia farming,nothing is set in stone.

There are so many variables to try to take into account,and then there are the uncontrollable factors such as water quality and availablity, weather conditions,feed costs ,local economic conditions (which have a big say in your potential price and market).

We have been farming Pla Nin in 5 rai of ponds for near 10 years,(green water with some propriety feeds)and have been ,moderately profitable BUT the past year was an utter disaster.

The prolonged drought and hot weather,along with many of the rice growers putting in multiple crops meant that they pumped the Klong (our water source )dry.

This led to extremely high water temperatures and consequent high nitrate levels and disease.

 

We wrote last year off  ,and three weeks ago we received our new seasons fry which we placed in our nursery pond to grow to fingerlings prior to moving to grow out ponds, meantime We treated the ponds to get the phytoplankton levels up and lo and behold ,two weeks ago we copped the mother of downpours which culminated in the biggest flood in living memory and all the fish and green water went down the Klong.

So this week we start again, but the high cost of feed has necessitated a change in strategy for this season.

 

This game is not for the faint hearted