3 tote set up

[DJ Wambach]

I just got 3 IBC totes to build the 3 bed 1 sump 1 large fish tank system. However, if I want to harvest more fish would it be better to set up 3 individual systems so I can have have small, med and large fish? 



It would mean 3 pumps instead of one but other than that is there a down side?

[Harold Sukhbir]

Hi DJ,

Or you can pipe all the tanks together/singly and draining into a sump using a single pump. Three systems means 3 times the work.

[Chris MIller]

just plumb the tanks together, I use 2" pipe for cross connects to overflow just make sure to suck off the bottom...

[Keith Rowan]

i use half totes for growbeds, and an 8' pool for a ft.. lots of filtration potential you have there..

[DJ Wambach]

Thanks for the input from you both. Keith how big is you fish tank and how many fish do you stock? how many grow beds do you have?

[Keith Rowan]

ft is 8' diameter, i've harvested 45 fish and have close to 100 left

[DJ Wambach]

Keith how deep is your tank? I am wondering how many gallons do you have per pound of fish and if you need to separate the larger fish from small fish? 

Thanks for the info.

[Keith Rowan]

base your fishload on the amount of filtration, not the size of the fish tank... so for every 100 gallons of growbed, you can grow out 20 to 25lbs of fish (grow 20 fish from juvenille/fry to 1lb or so)  this is a really good "starting" point and will help you avoid the "help, my fish are dying" questions

my ft is around 30" deep, it fluctuates a little though, somewhere around 800 to 900 gallons counting the sump

i have yellow perch, bluegill and tilapia.. the yellow perch and bluegill have kept the tilapia fry in check, but depending on species you can have some canabilism..i harvest by hand and take larger fish

[DJ Wambach]

Thank you very much for your info.  Right now I am setting up for a 1/2 tote size  sump 3 4X4X12 grow beds and one full tote fish tank that should hold about 250 gal at all times.  l am in UT and not sure if state will let me have tilapia and was thinking about catfish because they can withstand greater temp movement from winter to summer. How do your bluegill fish handle temp change? Here in winter over night lows can get below freezing and summer temps are 110* or more.

Keith Rowan said:

base your fishload on the amount of filtration, not the size of the fish tank... so for every 100 gallons of growbed, you can grow out 20 to 25lbs of fish (grow 20 fish from juvenille/fry to 1lb or so)  this is a really good "starting" point and will help you avoid the "help, my fish are dying" questions

my ft is around 30" deep, it fluctuates a little though, somewhere around 800 to 900 gallons counting the sump

i have yellow perch, bluegill and tilapia.. the yellow perch and bluegill have kept the tilapia fry in check, but depending on species you can have some canabilism..i harvest by hand and take larger fish