My fish are not liking the cold

[Chris McMahon]

The weather turned in Palm Springs CA. It's getting down to 45 at night. The Tilapia are not liking the change. The last couple of days they have been hanging around the bottom of the tank. I have a 275 gallon tank with three growbed's 3' by 4'. My system is made from IBC tanks.

I tried turning off the pump last night and tossed in a aquarium heater but it didn't do much and my peppers started to wilt by the morning. 

I am wondering what I can do to make it better for them on the cheep. I have an extra tank I could move them too. Maybe if I put that in the sun it would help. My wife was suggesting we insulate the tank and turn off the water to the fish at night.

My brother in law suggested we build a solar heater with pvc and paint it black. I am not sure it would help if the water isn't sitting in it.

Anyone have ideas?

[TCLynx]

On the cheap.  Switch the beds to constant flood for the winter and insulate around the tank and beds.  If the fish were darting around I'm thinking perhaps you are seeing more extreme temperature fluctuation than the fish like.  Going to constant flood and adding more water to the system will help mitigate the chilling effect that air cooled media will have on your water.

 

Now this might not keep the water warm enough to keep the tilapia really happy but it will reduce the amount of fluctuation you will see and the fish may be able to just go kinda dormant till the water warms back up.

[Chi Ma]

I suggest bringing them indoors until it warms up again in the spring. Then create a grow out schedule. Breed indoors in winter harvest when it gets cold and repeat the cycle.

[Chris McMahon]

That makes sense. I started in July which was way I had no schedule.