Andrew Watkins

Thank you all for your information, I really appreciate it!!

It's funny how this conversation went. To start, yes I have taken some commercial aquaponic training, and thank you for you concern I truly appreciate that. My original question, I apologize for framing it so poorly, has to do with my decision to change to channel catfish. I am starting out with two IBC containers as fish tanks (I will be building a large tank in phase II) and they would work just fine for Tilapia but I have decided to go with channel catfish instead. I realize that they are bottom dwelers and because IBC tanks are somewhat tall and narrow, I was hoping to get some input from someone who has experience with channel catfish in a tank. I would like to determine if I will be loosing a considerable amout of fish volume due to them being bottom dewllers. Thanks again for you time and words of wisdom.

I will have 186 feet of grow bed 4 foot wide at about 10" deep. The water flow will be based on gravity feed. I will have the fish tanks higher than the grow beds with the water flowing from tank to beds by gravity and pumped back into the fish tank. So I am not sure at this point what the actual gal per hour will be until it is running. I have a large enough air pump that I can add air stones if necessary, I have a DO (dissolved oxygen) meter and will monitor that closly. I have everything I need to monitor amonia, nitrites and nitrates as well as Do. I was just wanting to make sure that my tanks weren't too narrow (because cat Fish tend to stay on the bottom, at least that is what I have read). I do appreciate your assistance, thank you!!

I had planed to start my system with Taliapi and had purchased two IBC's for fish tanks. I have since dicided to use channel cat fish, and because they tend to stay on the bottom I am wanting to figure out how many 4 - 6" catfish I should start with per tank. The tanks are 45" X 36" wide. Does any one have some experience with this, I am in need of advise. Thanks!

Thank you William, that was good to know.

I am building a small fish house for my fish tanks. I am planning on using a rock stove for heat and want to run it through the floor under the platform the tanks will be sitting on. I have read a lot about using rocket stoves and all that I have looked at the builder is using cob. Is there a reason I should choose cob over cement? the tank will NOT sit directly on it. Thanks for your time!!