Fish tank

[Nathan]

Hey all,

 

What do you use for your fish tanks and where did you get them? Particularly if you tank is over 300 gallons.  I can't find anything except really expensive ones.

I am currently using an open top 300 gallon poly tank for my fish.  A friend gave it to me for free.  It appears to have been some kind of warehouse container or something.  I would love to find another one somewhere.

 

Thanks!

[George]

What exactly is water lettuce?

Jon Parr said:

The other photo is mine with tilapia under thick cover of water lettuce.



[Jon Parr]

It's a floating plant like duckweed, only bigger, each rosette of my variety is about the size of a quarter. I got mine to give hatching redclaws a place to hang from, and it works great for that. Any algae that manages to grow in the shaded water ends up accumulating on the roots, and tiny redclaws graze on it like cattle. Local koi ponds often have it, and koi will nibble it enough to groom it without wiping it out. I thought tilapia would eat it too, and they do a little, but only if they are hungry. It's also good for tilapia rearing tanks. When my tilapia mamas have held eggs for seven days, I move them to a solitary tank, empty except for an airstone and water lettuce. The plants give shade and security to the fry, algae grazing, and help to prevent ammonia spikes without any other filtration.

[DJ Bisson Jr]

Hey, I think that if you were to dig the pond by, for example 4' at the base and where it comes out to the top of the ground make it 5' wide so that it is tapperd away and might not cave in. Since the liner and water will help keep pressure on the walls. Just a thought.

[George]

Good info.  Thanks.  I plan to have redclaw so that should work for me.  Would water flowing in and out work with water Lettuce?  I expect so since we're talking aquaponics.

Jon Parr said:

It's a floating plant like duckweed, only bigger,

[Jon Parr]

I dont actually recommend water lettuce. It's a good plant for surface cover, but nothing really wants to eat it. I have to scoop it out often and compost it to keep it from blocking surface gas exchange. It's also illegal is some states.