DIY Barrel Fish Farm

A circulating aquaculture system can be a good source of local fish.

As urban gardens become more common in the U.S., a barrel fish farm can be used to raise fish in an urban environment without a natural body of water nearby. Systems like these require preparation and quite a few materials to create the correct ecosystem, but once established can be a source for locally-raised fish nearly anywhere and can also be a source of income. A system like this can be built indoors, but it could leak or become too heavy for floors to support.

Things You'll Need

• 1 transparent, food-grade 55-gallon plastic barrel
• 2 regular, food-grade 55-gallon plastic barrels
• 9 pieces of 3-inch long and 2-inch wide PVC pipe
• 3 pieces of 20-inch long and 2-inch wide PVC pipe
• 6 male adapters, 2-inches wide
• 6 female adapters, 2-inches wide
• 3 T fittings, 2-inches wide
• 3 L fittings, 2-inches wide
• Medium-sized aquarium air pump with double air outlet
• 2 air stones
• 10-foot piece of aquarium air tubing
• PVC primer
• PVC cement
• Plumber's tape
• Silicon sealant
• 6 small pieces of screen
• 40 gallons of gravel or crushed rock
• 4 square feet of course cloth like burlap
• 10 gallons of oyster shells
• Scrub brush
• Sand paper
• Power drill
• 1/4-inch bit
• 2.25-inch large bore drill bit
• Caulking gun
• Pipe wrenches or large pliers
• Scissors
• Lake water
• 1 quart compost
• 1 quart garden soil
• 1 quart soil from a forest
• 1 quart soil from a meadow
• 20 - 30 snails
• Floating plants
• 20 - 30 fish that are safe for human consumption when fully grown

Instructions

Construction

1. Rinse the barrels, then fill them with hot water and let them sit overnight. In the morning, drain the barrels and repeat if there are lingering chemical residues apparent. If the barrels have lids, cut off the lids, leaving the rims intact.

2. Wash the insides of the barrels using warm soapy water. If possible, rinse them using a power washer at a car wash. Fill the barrels with hot water and let them sit overnight again.

3. Place the barrels in a triangle formation on the site where you will set up your aquaculture farm. Mark where the barrels are closest to each other just below the rims, and then mark a second spot on each barrel 6 inches below the original mark.

4. Drill six 2.25-inch-holes in each barrel at both of the marks. Be sure you hold the drill perpendicular to the barrel to get even holes.

5. Attach the male adapters to the ends of three of the 3-inch pieces of 2-inch PVC.

6. Place the male adapter in the lower 2.25-inch hole from the outside of the barrel and gently screw on the female adapter, attaching to it from the inside of the barrel. Do not fully tighten the female adapters yet. Repeat with each barrel to attach all three barrels to each other on both ends of the PVC pipes, forming a triangle. Check before proceeding to make sure everything is lined up properly and none of the pipes or barrels are bent.

7. Remove the female and male adapters and wipe the adapters and PVC pipes clean. Brush PVC primer on the surfaces where the male adapters and the PVC pipe connect and allow it to dry. Once dry, brush on the PVC cement and reconnect the pieces. Allow the connection between the PVC pipes and the adapters to dry for 20 minutes.

8. Wrap the ends of the male adapters with plumber's tape, and cover the tape with silicon sealant. Repeat Step 6 with each of the PVC pipes, only this time tighten the adapters as much as possible. Allow the sealants to dry for 24 hours.

9. Connect a T fitting to one end of each of the 20-inch pieces of PVC pipe so that one branch of the T is perpendicular to the pipe and the second lines up with the pipe. Attach the 3-inch pieces of PVC to both of the branches of the T fittings. Place the three assemblies inside each of the barrels, and position them so the perpendicular part of the T is poking through the higher 2.25-inch hole. Ensure the tanks are properly positioned before moving on to the next step.

Filling the Barrels

1. Fill the first barrel, the filter barrel, with gravel until it is 3/4 full. Place the rough cloth on top of the gravel, and fill the barrel the rest of the way with oyster shells. Fill and drain the barrel with water until the water runs clear. Afterward, add the soils to the top of the filter barrel.

2. Sprinkle all three barrels with slugs and compost and fill them to the top with pond water. Add aquatic plants to any of the barrels you wish.

3. Attach the air stone to the air line, and attach the other end to the air pump. Slide the stone-end of the line down the T pipe of the barrel you plan to store your fish in. Store the air pump so it is above the water-level of the barrels. Turn on the air pump and let the system run for a few days before introducing fish.

4. Place the screens on the pipes that enter and exit the barrel where you will store your fish so fish cannot escape. Carefully place the fish inside the barrel. Based on the species of fish you wish to raise, you may have to modify the water temperatures first. Consult the distributor where you purchase your fish on temperature and food information for your fish species.

5. Monitor the fish for the first few days to make sure they are adapting to the system. Feed them daily, giving them fish food formulated for their species.

Tips & Warnings

• Primer and cement can be dangerous. Read the materials' safety information before using them.

• This system can be too heavy to store inside of a building. Use caution if you decide to keep it indoors.

References

• Web of Creation: A Simple Recirculation System

Resources

• Web of Creation: The Urban Aquaculture Manual