Talapia are herbivores and eat both duckweed and plant materials that would be grown in the system. There is a conversion for. Amount of fish and grow bed amounts it can support. I will see if I. Can find it. Won't be a in stone number but get you started.

Remember that in any reaction there is some loss of material. you will not be able to completely grow your plants from fish waste and then feed the fish the food that you grew and at the same time have some for yourself. There must be some method of inputing material.
Also, I posted a question on another gardenweb forum a few years ago asking what one should grow to support themselves and outside of the usual discussion of "have to grow" vs "prefer to grow" the overwhelming concensus was you need to grow something that affords a lot of calories. Other stuff is important but the number one concern was caloric intake. you have to consume more or as much as you burn. and For that, the overwhelming food to grow was potatoes.
While I can appreciate what you're after, just be sure leave some room to grow potatoes. People don't generally grow them hydroponically though.

I have considered caloric intake as a main focus. things such as sweet potatoes, radishes, beets, etc. are all high calorie foods that can be grown fairly dense. I'm thinking I can get potatoes (or any root vegetable) to grow under the main grow paths (think NFT over drip or flood beds) maybe with mylar reflectors to bring more light in.

but obviously one needs other vitamins and such from other plants than potatoes.

Something I've been thinking of is somewhere around 300 plants of a lettuce (romaine, etc.) 200 plants of spinache, as many radishes and carrots i can fit into (2 separate) 4" wide X 12' long troughs, 100 (or so) everbearing strawberries (in vertical towers), and 50 or so Tomatoe vines , also need to add some red cabbage, beens of some type, and a channel of herbs and maybe peppers for variety (last couple are more want obviously than need)

also would like to add, if aquaponics needs to be expanded, that is perfectly fine, or the use of hydroponics on part (probably the lettuce)

What do you think about aquaponics? Good protein source. I can absolutely feed our faimly on the garden. 5000+ plants! but after about a month the thought of eating greens and eggs all the time well, it gets old. Add fish or some home raised beef, then I am good. Just a thought.

Sorry I didn't see your last post before I posted,

So Rio, are you suggesting it would take 5000+ plants to accomplish my goal? for a family of 4 (assuming total of 4 adults) even with the fish additive. I'm guessing I might could add in a chicken community to add eggs to the protein/calorie count along with some meat from time to time, but that would require food for them as well.

Also as I am expanding the idea, I'm thinking the compost could be collected for things not so easily grown in hydro/aquaponics such as trees (citrus, nuts, apples maybe even) which would mean I could potentially grow my food base over time to more than minimum. I would have to figure out how to water them however without loss of too much water. If this project comes into fruition water will probably be scarce but not unattainable.

All in all I don't know if I could get 5000+ plants for each family in a reasonable amount of space. maybe this Idea may have to be adjusted to suppliment

No, we sell produce as we'll what I was getting at is we eat a lot of veggies year round and if it weren't for the chickens, fish and beef I couldn't stand it.

The 5000 plants was referring to what we put in the ground that doesn't count the direct seed stuff. You won't need near that much.

Oh thank goodness, I was about to call it all off. Any guess on how much you would need to feed 4 people (assuming 365 growing and not counting seedlings)? Do assume fish (tilapia) in 6-8 275 tanks worth in amount. I'm not too worried with getting tired of anything as this isn't a want to eat situation.

I am not really sure we have so much I never thought about what it would take. We are trying to get our seedlings ready faster, right now I can do about 100 every two weeks, I need to be able to do 300 in two weeks.