# searching for perch fingerlings



## keith_r (Jun 18, 2010)

I'm looking for 30 to 40 yellow perch fingerlings, I'm located in Fairport Harbor.

I started an Aquaponics experiment in my backyard, and already have 15 bluegill (hybrid) and 2 dozen crayfish. Started cycling the system with 2 dozen minnows, still quite a few of those left. - recirculating the water through gravel/clay agg growbeds, growing all kinds of stuff

Anyways, if anyone could point me in the right direction to find some yp fingerlings?

I appreciate any assistance
k


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## [email protected] (Feb 29, 2008)

ATAC currently has YP in stock @ 2-3" for $1.10 and 4-6" for $1.65. 513-932-6529


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

Go fishing at Mosquito. A plain hook with a splitshot with a piece of nightcrawler. You should have your limit in an hour or two.


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## timmyv (Apr 26, 2006)

Keith..I would love to hear more about this experiment and see pics. Sounds really cool to me!


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## keith_r (Jun 18, 2010)

i have some pic's of my system on another forum..

i'm thinking i'll be taking a drive this weekend to find my perch

found out i have to have 2 posts before posting a link


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## keith_r (Jun 18, 2010)

http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=7340


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## bountyhunter (Apr 28, 2004)

just a though ,won;t t5he perch eat everything in site? ,hungrey little guys


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## keith_r (Jun 18, 2010)

i'm hoping they eat the minnows, the bluegill seem like they can take care of themselves, and i'll be feeding a high protein fish food (same food aquaculturists use for trout)
i found all the breeding info i could handle online, and plan on bringing some indoors over the winter, i already have a 55 gal fish tank for that, and found 330 gal ibc's for a reasonable price for next year's bigger system
oh, and those smaller pond insert things make great little tanks, using one for duckweed (perch will eat this as well) and plan to get another one for an isolation tank
low electric usage, the pump i think is 40 watts, and 2 small air pumps - i get lots of aeration from the growbeds


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## [email protected] (Dec 22, 2006)

You'll want to get feed trained perch from farm. Watch the water temps.


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## [email protected] (Feb 29, 2008)

Feed trained YP are the way to go, they will eat the same food as your gills for much less cost than minnows. 


"duckweed, perch will eat this as well"

Do you have any references on this?


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## keith_r (Jun 18, 2010)

regarding the food, yeah, i'm looking for feed trained, and may have some available to be overnighted, if not i will wait until the local fish farm gets his

regarding the perch eating duckweed, i coulda sworn i read it, but in my search to find it again, i haven't had any luck.. i've been known to be mistaken

i'm looking forward to a little bigger system next year, may get a few tilapia, both to control algae, and hopefully breed some little buggers that would be food for perch/bg... along with some crays to provide food and tank cleanup duties


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## rustyfish (Apr 27, 2004)

Yellow perch will not eat duck weed, ever, for any reason. lol They are not to hard to feed train when small. If larger just mix up feed and (choped,diced,ground) fish and slowly use less fish over time, thats how we do it.


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## keith_r (Jun 18, 2010)

got my fingerlings from "Fin Farm", they are feed trained, 

they did eat some duckweed that was floating in the tank.. but i don't think it would work as part of their diet


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## Ripley (May 10, 2010)

did you get all the plans to build this off of the backyard aquaponics site?

is there an equation to figure out what things need to be what size .... according to the scale you want to build....or what fish you want to grow.... 

where can i go to get started and to get an idea of sizes/scale i can build?

i've read through the aquaponics site... i must have missed this info if it is there...


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## hang_loose (Apr 2, 2008)

keith_r said:


> I'm looking for 30 to 40 yellow perch fingerlings, I'm located in Fairport Harbor.
> 
> I started an Aquaponics experiment in my backyard, and already have 15 bluegill (hybrid) and 2 dozen crayfish. Started cycling the system with 2 dozen minnows, still quite a few of those left. - recirculating the water through gravel/clay agg growbeds, growing all kinds of stuff
> 
> ...


Just curious, Where is Fairport Harbor? Thanks


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## keith_r (Jun 18, 2010)

I used Travis Hughey's "BarrelPonics" manual and slightly modified it;

http://www.fastonline.org/content/view/15/29

this system is based on using 3 Food Grade 55 gallon barrels. I basically doubled the growbed and am using a rubermaid type 110gal "stock tank"

from what i have found, you can raise 25lbs of fish (grow out size) for every 100gallons of growing "media". my media is a mix of 1/2 river gravel, and 1/2 hydroton - an expanded clay product made in germany. some people raise ornamental fish like koi, good poop producers

an ideal ratio is 2 gallons of growbed to 1 gallon of fishtank but you would probably need a sump tank as you wouldn't want your water level changing that much
always base the number/qty of fish on the growbed as this provides your filtration

most common ratio is 1gal of growbed to 1 gal of fish tank. it's important to get a system "cycled" prior to adding to many fish"

the Backyard Aquaponics site is a treasure trove of information about aquaponics, with many posters all over the world - they are based out of Australia. I have been checking "aquaponics" systems sellers in the states, and they look more like they are out to make a fast buck. 

now i'm looking for a bigger tanks and growbeds
fairport harbor is about 30 miles east of cleveland, at mouth of the Grand River on Lake Erie

after i added the perch, the plants really started growing, wish i coulda had them sooner (the fish that is)

there is a guy in orwell that is using "IBC" tank totes in a greenhouse for year round production of plants and fish, he's got one system done, using 18 barrel growbeds, 1 330gal ibc for ft, and i think another 330 IBC for sump tank, he's adding 2 more systems identical to first

you are only limited by what you have to use for tanks and growbeds..

oh, and avoid galvanized tanks unless they are coated or you want to paint them, zinc will become toxic to fish


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## Ripley (May 10, 2010)

thanks keith for the info... it will be awhile before i start on this project... but i'm very interested...

i know where fairport harbor is.... i work in painesville .... so i'm up there almost everyday from sept. thru start of may... and just a few times in the summer months... 

and i know where orwell is... just don't know my way around there as good... 

sometime in sept or so i'd like to see what you have done.... if you don't mind...

also... every once in awhile i make it up to the short pier in the harbor ... and shore fish the grand there by the bridge at grand river bait and tackle....so maybe we can do some fishing sometime...

thank you!


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## keith_r (Jun 18, 2010)

you're welcome to stop by and check it out, we're home most evenings, i'll pm you contact info
starting vacation friday, my youngest son is moving and wants to build a system next week.. he's going to use a couple of 55gal fish tanks and a 2 blue barrels i think.. we'll see what he scrounges together..
i have a 55 gal fishtank as well and will use it in the basement over the winter with 1 pair of growbeds and a single grow light, just to keep a system cycling and maybe get the perch to breed, and the crays.. (then i'll have fingerlings to sell!)

now i just have to find big (cheaper) tanks/growbeds

oh, and september 10th-12th is the anual Fairport Harbor Perch Fest (last year they introduced the "bucket o' perch"! yum!


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## Tommy (Jul 21, 2010)

Here is a place in WI that sells Yellow Perch real cheap. I was told $.10 each for 2-4.


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## Tommy (Jul 21, 2010)

Sorry I can't post the link yet


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## Tommy (Jul 21, 2010)

http://buyyellowperch.com/contact.html

Ok take 3.


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## Lightman (Jul 22, 2008)

Ok no offense, but is this an overglorified jr high science experiement, or what is the point of this thing? Sure seems like a lot of work.


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## keith_r (Jun 18, 2010)

the point is to be able to walk out my back door and harvest a "complete" meal..
i've always enjoyed dirt gardening, but by making a system, i'll use less water over all,, and i'm learning a lot about both hydroponics and aquatics. i consider this a "test" system, and will be hopefully building something bigger next year, when i will raise mostly perch but will have tilapia as well
i met a guy in orwell that just finished his "first" system with 450 perch adn 18 barrel growbeds, he's building 2 more to have a total of 3 inside his greenhouse. he'll be selling fish and produce, where mine is more for personal consumption


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

hang_loose said:


> Just curious, Where is Fairport Harbor? Thanks


I'll take this one-FH is where the Grand river enters Lake Erie maybe
15(?guessing) miles east of Cleveland. Also hometown of Hall of Fame NFL coaching legend, DON SHULA!!(How bout that for trivia!??)


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