Newbie Questions: Aquaponics

I searched the forum and did not find anything having to do with aquaponics. I searched several others and did not find anything either, but I figured that this would be the best place to ask questions on this specific topic since this included lake/pong management. I am wanting to start an aquaponics system with crappie in it. I plan to start with a male and a few females 2-3. I have an 800 gallon tank and two 450 gallon tanks; because it is aquaponics a pump will filter the water through plants and rock which will clean the water before it cycles back in. Now I have several questions...

1. Does anyone else on here have an aquaponics system with crappie? and if so do you have any tips and ideas?

2. I know they reproduce rapidly, so would you suggest having a large mouth bass or two in the tank to help control population?

3. Do you think feeding minnows would be sufficient as a food source or should I also feed other types of food to them?

Thank you in advance for taking the time to read through and answer my questions!

There's plenty of good ol' info on the Interweb....Crappie are Great for Aquaponics...most everyone I know use Tilapia, because they can be packed together, grow faster than other fish, and are vegetarian!

Don't add Bass, Crappie will eat their own, you will eat the larger fish...if this is an outdoor system, you can use Lowell's free food system....hang a platform over the tank, put rotten meat, roadkill, etc, on the platform....flies will come, then maggots will fall into the water feeding the crappie also!

Thank you! I have very little info on the web about using them in Aquaponics. I found a lot about adding them to ponds but not much else. The information and tips are very helpful, I will have to try the platform! Yes it is an outdoor system. I looked at tilapia but since it is outside and I live in Nebraska I figured they wouldn't do well during the winter. Crappie sounded like a better option (and it is the only local fish we can get the picky eaters in the family to eat also). Thanks again!