heating aquaponics system

[keith douglas lay]

hi all,

I have a newly established aquaponics system based on a s/steel 2200litre dairy tank and 10 flood and drain grow beds. the system is working well with 200 thriving jade perch and bunches of veggies growing very fast. the jade perch are a tropical australian fish that do not tolerate temps that drop below 18 degrees celcius. I want to construct a solar water system to keep temps no lower than 20 degrees. Winter daytime temps here are usually around 22-24 degrees, night time temps can fall to as low as 10 degreees(we are frost free).Our grow beds are located in a greenhouse which receives full sun, the fish are housed in an open sided shed. Has anyone have suggestions? By the way we are located in the Kerry valley approx 75km south of Brisbane.

keith lay

[rob mackin]

with a climate as mild as this i cant see why you couldnt simply coil up some black hose on the roof and cycle water through that and the sun will heat the water during the day and the water body should maintain the heat fairly well overnight. similar water heaters work fine in climates much colder than there. here in canada ive seen similar very simple systems that work ok when encased in glass and insulated and temps here reach -30 easy.