How Many Tilapia Should I Get?

[Chef Dave]

I've been tinkering with aquariums for over twenty years and fresh water ponds for the past eight years.

I've given some thought to now going one step further by starting a home based aquafarm. The kit I'm looking at includes a 400 gallon heavy duty plastic tank, air pump, water clarifier, biological filter, hydroponics tank for 24 plants, and sun grow light. Just in case anyone is interested, these kits are available through Aquatic Eco-Systems at: http://www.aquaticeco.com/subcategories/2181/The-Mini-Fish-Farm

Does anyone know how many tilapia I could raise in a 400 gallon tank? Please keep in mind that these would be food fish, not pets.

The entire concept of aquafarming is pretty cool. A covered tank holds the fish. The filter cleans the water and the fish waste products mixed with iron become food for the hydroponics stand

The stand is basically a shallow tank with a floating tray that accommodates Rockwool Cubes. Each cube is seeded with one vegetable. The roots grow down through the foam like cubes into the nutrient rich water.

An aquafarm can raise bass, bream, catfish, tilapia, and freshwater prawns (though not in the same tank) as well as organic vegetables and herbs.

I'm interested in raising tilapia because they mature pretty quickly. They go from fry to plate in just 11 months. Bream take about 1 1/2 to 2 years to mature and I've heard that trout take even longer.

One of the neat things about this is that I live in Arizona where the summer temperature has been reaching or exceeding 110 degrees. Even with mulch and heavy watering, a lot of my vegetables have been dying.

A hydroponics system would allow me to grow vegetables without having to worry about watering them or mulching them. For that matter, if I assemble this aquafarm indoors, I could enjoy fresh vegetables and fish throughout the year.

Modern commercial fisheries are now using vastly expanded versions of the Aquatic Eco Systems Kit to build fish farms in metropolitan areas. Instead of using space intensive ponds, the fish are bred and raised in tanks that sit in racks. On YouTube, I've seen entire floors of these tanks in high rise units. I've also seen warehouses adapted to aquafarm development.

I've found a source that sells 100 tilapia fry for just $20.00. Does anyone know whether 400 gallons would be sufficient for 100 tilapia?

 

[DrCase]

No i dont ...but that set up would be like having a store in your own yard :icon_mrgreen:

 

[JohnR]

I would say starting with 100 fry would be fine. At full size you would only want about half that. Considering you will be eating them I dought they will ever get to full size. Seems like a cool idea.

 

[DrDave]

Hi Dave, welcome back! What part of Arizona did you finally wind up at?

I would go for it and if the 100 proved to be too much, start eating them until you find the balance that is right. The small ones are likely very tender.

Got a recipe you want to share?

 

[Chef Dave]

Hi Dave, welcome back! What part of Arizona did you finally wind up at?

I would go for it and if the 100 proved to be too much, start eating them until you find the balance that is right. The small ones are likely very tender.

Got a recipe you want to share?

I'm still where I was. I was fortunate enough to receive a job offer from a district in the northeastern part of the state about a month after I was laid off. Unfortunately when the building principal belatedly called my former administrators for a reference check, he got an earful about my alleged insubordination, my tendency towards being "argumentative," and my "unsanitary kitchen."

I have retained an attorney to begin civil action against my former employers.

Although it is true enough that I have been argumentative and insubordinate, this only occurred because I was issued unlawful instructions by my administrators. They wanted me to apply a chemical cleaner to my commercially licensed kitchen to eliminate hard water stains. When I told them that this would violate the state health code since the residue of chemical cleaners are defined as toxic and may not remain in contact with food preparation surfaces, I was written up for being "argumentative" and "insubordinate."

Even though my kitchen had always passed our biannual county health inspections with a perfect score and even though the superintendent countermanded the administrative directions regarding the mandatory use of lime away on food preparation surfaces, I was also written up for having an "unsanitary kitchen."

Not only am I suing my former district for defamation that cost me a job, but I am also suing them for violation of the state's whistle blower law.

In Arizona, as it is in many states, it is illegal for employers to require their employees to break the law. When employees appeal to higher authority, it is illegal for employers to then engage in punitive action against these whistle blowers.

Telling another employer that I was "argumentative," "insubordinate," and complaining that I had an "unsanitary kitchen" is both punitive and defamatory. Both are actionable.

In the meanwhile, I have a line on another Culinary Arts job in a remote mining town. Since the land is owned by the company, all residential and commercial properties are leased. I can lease a 2 bedroom home for a mere $100. If I do this, I will maintain my current home, returning here for weekends and holidays. The aquatic farm could easily be set up in the 2nd bedroom.

If I am successful in maintaining and operating my aquafarm and hydroponics garden, I may eventually start a commercial aquafarm with an attached storefront. The aquafarm concept readily lends itself towards raising tilapia, bream, catfish, wide mouthed bass, trout, salmon, and fresh water prawns. A large concrete pond could even support freshwater blue crabs!

If I coupled this with hydroponics, I'd have a nice little business supplying organic freshwater fish, crustaceans, and vegetables to a local market. Tilapia are readily available because these fish only take 11 months to mature. If I could bring other varieties of fish to market - especially in a hot landlocked place like Arizona, I think I could do quite well.

A large outdoor pond stocked with game fish could even become a local attraction. Planting bogs with water chestnuts, water mint, and cattails would make the pond rather scenic. Fishermen could pay a modest admission fee, fish to their heart's content, and then pay for their catch by the pound.

I could even operate a modest pond nursery filled with aquatic plants. Edible aquatic plants could also be sold in the store. Koi and goldfish could be raised for sale to local pond enthusiasts.

Having a store front would even allow me to sell some of my hobby items. In addition to an interest in freshwater ponds and aquariums, I make soap and candles, handcrafted to look like food.

Pictured here is a hamburger soap, crafted to look like a flame grilled burger with condiments.

Here are some more soaps, crafted and scented to resemble pies, cakes, and cookies:

The possibilities of starting a commercial aquafarm with an attached store, pond nursery, and game fish pond are all quite interesting.

In terms of funding this, I own property in Pennsylvania that I'm in the process of selling. If I win my legal action, any settlement or jury awarded compensation will simply contribute to this aquafarm investment project.

But first things first. if I pursue this plan I need to know that I can successfully maintain and operate a small aquafarm project. If I am successful, a business venture would simply involve scaling up. Successful operation of a small aquafarm would also provide me with useful information for the development of a business plan should I decide to pursue an SBA loan.

 

[Chef Dave]

In terms of recipes, I'll share a simple Cantonese sauce with you.

As a chef, I think that tilapia is rather bland and boring. A good sauce can make it much more flavorful.

Try mixing some canola oil with a bit of flour to make a roux. The flour will help thicken the sauce. The roux should still be a bit oozy and if it becomes a paste, you've put in too much flour.

Before cooking, grate and mince some fresh ginger in a separate bowl. Crush and mince a clove of garlic.

In a third bowl, add some oyster sauce, sesame seed oil, brown sugar, soy sauce, and chicken broth. If you like heat, add a bit of cayenne pepper or crushed red chili peppers.

If you'd like a simple garnish, chop some green scallions. Green scallions can also be made into decorative garnishes by the simple expedient of slicing several parallel strips on either end of inch long cut scallions. Putting these scallions in ice water will cause the split ends to curl so that they look like this.

Another simple garnish would be to mince some cilantro.

Cook the roux over high heat with the ginger and garlic. Stir frequently. If the roux starts looking like a paste, add some more oil. Once the roux becomes lightly golden, add in the other ingredients.

Simmer until the flavors are blended. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Pour some sauce on a serving platter. Top with cooked fish. The fish may be grilled, poached, steamed, baked, or broiled. Ladle some more sauce over the fish. Top with your garnish.

 

[Chef Dave]

Here is a picture of some cod that was cooked up using this recipe. Notice that the sauce is not particularly thick.

A dish like this goes well with steamed white rice, though in northern China they would eat this with wheat noodles. Chinese wheat noodles should be available in the ethnic food section of your local supermarket.

 

[DrDave]

Wow
Good luck on the litigation. Sounds like they are in deep poo poo. The photos are great. Can't imagine why anyone would bath with a scented hamburger bar of soap but then it takes all kinds. More power to you if it sells. Great art work as well.

Thanks for the recipe. I'll save it in my recipe folder for future use.

It's good to have you back. Do you have to start over again on your pond and Koi?

 

[BBK]

Good luck raising largemouth, not many people like to eat them.

 

[Chef Dave]

Wow
Good luck on the litigation. Sounds like they are in deep poo poo. The photos are great.

Yes, I've pretty much got them by the you-know-what.

If I hurt their precious feelings by standing up to them and not giving in on following their illegal instructions, they should have been happy enough to have me leave at year's end. Since their defamation cost me a perfectly good job, they're liable.

What makes this situation particularly bad for them is that my attorney referred me to a website: badreferences.com. Defamation is apparently such an issue in this country that there's a company that helps build defamation lawsuits.

For a modest fee, a trained investigator will call a reference posing as a potential employer. Unknown to the person being called, there's a certified court recorder listening in and transcribing everything. This transcription is as legally admissible as a tape recorded conversation.

When the defamation company called my former administrators for a "reference check," oh my ... the things that were said.

Although the defense could argue that one instance was a "misunderstanding," two or more instances represent a pattern of behavior.

It's good to have you back. Do you have to start over again on your pond and Koi?

If I wind up taking the job in this mining town, I'll keep my present home and will set up a model aquafarm in the leased house.

In time my present home will go on the market and I'll relocate to the outskirts of a large metropolitan area - the better to sell my fish. I'll probably wind up in the greater Phoenix area since the large population will certainly have a larger potential target market of fine dining chefs and health oriented gourmands.

 

[Chef Dave]

Good luck raising largemouth, not many people like to eat them.

You're right, bass has a limited market. It is however wildly popular in the Asian market. Chinese in particular enjoy this fish when steamed and topped with a sauce made with oil and soy sauce ... and if nobody else was supplying live bass, I'd have a small local niche within this particular market.

At this time, Chinese restaurants that prepare bass in Arizona have to order their fish from California.

 

[koikeepr]

Are you interested in raising them to eat yourself?

Because I think if you plan on selling them to others to eat you are then subject to your state's laws regarding fish, beef, etc. You know, whatever your fish/agriculture agency is.

 

[Chef Dave]

Are you interested in raising them to eat yourself?

Because I think if you plan on selling them to others to eat you are then subject to your state's laws regarding fish, beef, etc. You know, whatever your fish/agriculture agency is.

Yes - state requirements would require a biannual county health inspection. Raising fish and prawns for sale would also require a HACCP plan, hazard analysis of critical control points. This is actually fairly standard and would not pose a problem.

For that matter, construction of an aquafarm would have to meet state and county health inspection codes which means that building plans would have to be submitted to the county health office prior to breaking ground. I would imagine that at the very least, there would have to be floor drains with a back flow preventer, a crushed ice dispenser, a refrigerator display unit with a temperature above freezing but below 40 degrees, a stainless steel work surface, a sanitizer dispenser, three tiered sink, and a separate hand wash station with soap and disposable paper towel dispensers.

Staff handling fish for public sale would have to wash their hands and wear aprons with disposable food handler gloves.

A written HACCP plan would detail every phase of food operations from killing and cleaning the fish to putting it on ice for refrigerated storage. Provision would also have to be made for disposing of melted ice as well as fish that hadn't sold, as well as cleaning and sanitizing all work surfaces as well as tools and equipment.

Yep - I'm well acquainted with HACCP plans. It helps that I've spent a few years in the food service industry.

 

[y2kdejesus]

Welcome Chef,


I am in western Arizona (Buckeye). As well my younger brother is a very popular chef in Miami Florida. Good luck in your business ventures. Let us know how it goes.