What Are They Thinking...??

[Denim Deb]

If you don't want to use a regular hot tub, you could always use a big stock tank, or even an old bath tub. It would make it easy to drain, too.

 

[Dunkopf]

How feasible is it to put a big stock tank as in a 10' by 2' round one, in a hoop style green house. Cover it with 1/4" hardware cloth and allow chickens to walk around on it and poop in the water and raise Tillapia in it?

 

[Farmfresh]

I think the main thing with Tilapia is the temperature of the water. They like it warm. We went to Colorado Gator farm this summer and saw a HUGE Tilapia farm in the high plains of Colorado. The farm is on top of a geothermal heated water source.

 

[Shiloh Acres]

If you don't want to use a regular hot tub, you could always use a big stock tank, or even an old bath tub. It would make it easy to drain, too.

Not a bad idea. I looked at the cutest unfinished rustic home earlier this year, and the master bath had a big ole water trough for a tub. I thought it was great!

I'd have to figure out how to get really hot water into it. Not going the heat-it-on-the-stove and haul it route! I had to do that for a couple weeks last winter in a huge bathtub just to clean up (well, the stove was out too!) and that is NOT my idea of relaxing, LOL. Hard to believe I grew up like that. Hand pumped well water heated on the stove poured into a washtub in front of the wood stove for weekly baths as a kid ...

 

[Dunkopf]

DW was thinking along the same lines but putting some meat on top of the wire screen and letting maggots fall in the water.

It gets about 15 degrees warmer in the hoop house than the outside temperature. Right now we have water barrels in there and it is getting down to 21 at night. The water is cold but is not freezing. I wonder what the growing time is for the fish. I bet I could raise catfish. I hate buying fish at the store anymore. I just don't trust the sourcing.

 

[Farmfresh]

Catfish or even Bluegill! You could definitely raise those. Or even regular carp. I have heard that they are plenty tasty when raised in clean water.

I even read something a while back about people pond raising SHRIMP as far north as Oklahoma. Also crayfish are mighty tasty.

 

[Denim Deb]

If you don't want to use a regular hot tub, you could always use a big stock tank, or even an old bath tub. It would make it easy to drain, too.

Not a bad idea. I looked at the cutest unfinished rustic home earlier this year, and the master bath had a big ole water trough for a tub. I thought it was great!

I'd have to figure out how to get really hot water into it. Not going the heat-it-on-the-stove and haul it route! I had to do that for a couple weeks last winter in a huge bathtub just to clean up (well, the stove was out too!) and that is NOT my idea of relaxing, LOL. Hard to believe I grew up like that. Hand pumped well water heated on the stove poured into a washtub in front of the wood stove for weekly baths as a kid ...

I wonder how well covering it w/black plastic would work? After all, when I want to get a shower when camping, unless it's cold out, I use a solar shower to heat the water. (I don't use it for the shower though, I've found it's a pain to try and get it to work properly. :/) It will get so hot at times that I've had to add cool water to it!

 

[Blackbird]

How feasible is it to put a big stock tank as in a 10' by 2' round one, in a hoop style green house. Cover it with 1/4" hardware cloth and allow chickens to walk around on it and poop in the water and raise Tillapia in it?

http://gardenpool.org/

 

[Dunkopf]

Thanks, I bookmarked it. Perused it and it looks pretty cool.

 

[Emerald]

there are a couple of places that grown and sell the fresh water prawn/shrimp here in MI.
And on the matter of a hot tub Mother Earth News had an article about making your own wood fired hot tub from one of the big $100 stock tanks.
But I am not sure if it is online yet.