Bluegill Aquaculture and Bog Filter

[PaterfamStead]

Hi Everyone!!!

I have always been interested in aquaculture and aquaponics and being a little more self reliant for food sources. One of my next projects I'm interested in starting is a bluegill fish pond w/ a bog filter and maybe some floating aquaponics veggies. I've been researching everything I can but some questions I've posted to Google are too specific and I'm not pulling up answers.

First, here is my plan:

Fish pond made from an old above ground pool. I would start with 75-100 fingerlings. In the pool I'll make sure to have some plants and spawning areas for reproduction. Then on the side I was planning a 275 ibc tote bog filter. Bottom approximate 1 ft of ibc tote will be a false bottom with multiple dispersal pipes for the inflow and I'll have a valve on the bottom of the tote for the clean out. Then about 1.5-2 ft of lava rock for plenty of room for a healthy bioculture and to take up some space. Then the top will be gravel to put all my plants in.

My questions are:

"What can I do better?"
"Should I add a second bog filter? Maybe a 55 gallon drum?"
"Also, I live in Southern Utah. My temperatures range from 100-23 depending on the season and day. What bog plants are good with temperature variations like that?"

 

[j.w]

@PaterfamStead
I know nothing about Bluegill, sorry.

 

[jimbo]

Hi Everyone!!!

I have always been interested in aquaculture and aquaponics and being a little more self reliant for food sources. One of my next projects I'm interested in starting is a bluegill fish pond w/ a bog filter and maybe some floating aquaponics veggies. I've been researching everything I can but some questions I've posted to Google are too specific and I'm not pulling up answers.

First, here is my plan:

Fish pond made from an old above ground pool. I would start with 75-100 fingerlings. In the pool I'll make sure to have some plants and spawning areas for reproduction. Then on the side I was planning a 275 ibc tote bog filter. Bottom approximate 1 ft of ibc tote will be a false bottom with multiple dispersal pipes for the inflow and I'll have a valve on the bottom of the tote for the clean out. Then about 1.5-2 ft of lava rock for plenty of room for a healthy bioculture and to take up some space. Then the top will be gravel to put all my plants in.

My questions are:

"What can I do better?"
"Should I add a second bog filter? Maybe a 55 gallon drum?"
"Also, I live in Southern Utah. My temperatures range from 100-23 depending on the season and day. What bog plants are good with temperature variations like that?"

 

[jimbo]

I don’t know how big your pond is but 75 to 100 fingerlings is a lot of fish. You need to balance the size of your pond to the number of fish. that formula is available online.
Otherwise, it sounds well thawed out

 

[PaterfamStead]

I don’t know how big your pond is but 75 to 100 fingerlings is a lot of fish. You need to balance the size of your pond to the number of fish. that formula is available online.
Otherwise, it sounds well thawed out

Good call out. I don't think I did my math right at first. The pools I'm looking at are roughly 2900 gallons. So I should reduce my starter number of fingerlings to 30-40. Does that sound better to you? Am I mathing right? LOL