Aquaponics Organic Pesticide

Neem oil
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Neem oil

Neem oil is a vegetable oil pressed from the fruits and seeds of the neem (Azadirachta indica), an evergreen tree which is endemic to the Indian subcontinent and has been introduced to many other areas in the tropics. It is the most important of the commercially available products of neem for organic farming and medicines.

Neem oil varies in color; it can be golden yellow, yellowish brown, reddish brown, dark brown, greenish brown, or bright red. It has a rather strong odor that is said to combine the odours of peanut and garlic. It is composed mainly of triglycerides and contains many triterpenoid compounds, which are responsible for the bitter taste. It is hydrophobic in nature; in order to emulsify it in water for application purposes, it must be formulated with appropriate surfactants.

Azadirachtin is the most well known and studied triterpenoid in neem oil. The azadirachtin content of neem oil varies from 300ppm to over 2500ppm depending on the extraction technology and quality of the neem seeds crushed. Neem oil also contains steroids (campesterol, beta-sitosterol,stigmasterol).

Neem fruit

The method of processing is likely to affect the composition of the oil, since the methods used, such as pressing (expelling) or solvent extraction are unlikely to remove exactly the same mix of components in the same proportions. The neem oil yield that can be obtained from neem seed kernels also varies widely in literature from 25% to 45%.

The oil can be obtained through pressing (crushing) of the seed kernel both through cold pressing or through a process incorporating temperature controls. Neem seed oil can also be obtained by solvent extraction of the neem seed, fruit, oil, cake or kernel. A large industry in India extracts the oil remaining in the seed cake using hexane. This solvent-extracted oil is of a lower quality as compared to the cold pressed oil and is mostly used for soap manufacturing. Neem cake is a by-product obtained in the solvent extraction process for neem oil.

Neem leaves and flowers

Neem oil is not used for cooking purposes. In India, it is used for preparing cosmetics (soap, hair products, body hygiene creams, hand creams) and in Ayurvedic, Unani and folklore traditional medicine, in the treatment of a wide range of afflictions. The most frequently reported indications in ancient Ayurvedic writings are skin diseases, inflammations and fevers, and more recentlyrheumatic disorders, insect repellent and insecticide effects.

Traditional Ayurvedic uses of neem include the treatment of acne, fever, leprosy, malaria, ophthalmia and tuberculosis. Various folk remedies for neem include use as an anthelmintic, antifeedant,antiseptic, diuretic, emmenagogue, contraceptive, febrifuge, parasiticide, pediculocide and insecticide. It has been used in traditional medicine for the treatment of tetanus, urticaria, eczema,scrofula and erysipelas. Traditional routes of administration of neem extracts included oral, vaginal and topical use. Neem oil has an extensive history of human use in India and surrounding regions for a variety of therapeutic purposes. Puri (1999) has given an account of traditional uses and therapeutic indications and pharmacological studies of this oil, in his book on neem.

Formulations made of neem oil also find wide usage as a biopesticide for organic farming, as it repels a wide variety of pests including the mealy bug, beet armyworm, aphids, the cabbage worm, thrips, whiteflies, mites, fungus gnats, beetles, moth larvae, mushroom flies, leafminers, caterpillars, locust, nematodes and the Japanese beetle. Neem oil is not known to be harmful to mammals, birds, earthworms or some beneficial insects such as butterflies, honeybees and ladybugs if it is not concentrated directly into their area of habitat or on their food source. It can be used as a household pesticide for ant, bedbug, cockroach, housefly, sand fly, snail, termite and mosquitoes both as repellent and larvicide. Neem oil also controls black spot, powdery mildew,anthracnose and rust fungi.

Neem seed oil has also been found to prevent implantation and may even have an abortifacient effect similar to pennyroyal, juniper berries, wild ginger, myrrh and angelica. The effects were seen as many as ten days after fertilization in rats though it was most effective at no more than three days. (Sinha, et al., 1984); (Lal et al., 1985). In a study on rats, neem oil was given orally eight to ten days after implantation of the fetus on the uterine wall. In all cases, by day 15, the embryos were all completely resorbed by the body. The animals regained fertility on the next cycle showing no physical problems. Detailed study of the rats revealed increased levels of gamma interferon in the uterus. The neem oil enhanced the local immune response in the uterus.(Mukherjee, 1996) Post coital use of neem oil as birth control does not appear to work by hormonal changes but produces changes in the organs that make pregnancy no longer viable (Tewari, 1989),(Bardham, 1991).

Neem seed oil has also been used as a renewable source for the preparation of polymeric coatings. It has been converted into various polymeric resins, including polyesteramides and polyetheramides. These resins may be utilized further for preparation of polyurethane coatings.

Neem tree

How to Write a Business Plan

credit to http://www.startupdonut.co.uk/

Writing a business plan

Many potential start-up businesses are daunted by the prospect of writing a business plan. But it is not a difficult process - and a good business plan focuses the mind as well as helping to secure finance and support.

The business plan will clarify your business idea and define your long-term objectives. It provides a blueprint for running the business and a series of benchmarks to check your progress against. It is also vital for convincing your bank - and possibly key customers and suppliers - to support you.

This briefing explains:

• What information to include.
• How to present your financial forecasts.

1 Executive summary

The executive summary outlines your business proposal. Although it is the last section to be written, it goes on the first page of the business plan. It will be read by people unfamiliar with your business, so avoid jargon.

1.1 The executive summary highlights the most important points and shouldsum up six areas.

• Your product or service and its advantages.
• Your opportunity in the market.
• Your management team.
• Your track record to date.
• Financial projections.
• Funding requirements and expected returns.

1.2 When deciding whether to back a start-up, bank managers and investors often make provisional judgements based on the executive summary.

The main body of the business plan is then read to confirm the initial decision. The appendices at the back of the plan carry detailed information to support the main text.

2 The business

2.1 Explain the background to your business idea, including:

• The length of time you have been developing the business idea in its present form.
• Work carried out to date.
• Any related experience you have.
• The proposed ownership structure of the business.

2.2 Explain, in plain English, what your product or service is. Make it clear how:

• it will stand out as different from other products or services
• your customers will gain through buying your product or service
• the business can be developed to meet customers' changing needs in the future

It is important to cover any disadvantages or weak points you feel the business may have. Be frank about these - it inspires confidence.

2.3 Explain any key features of the industry (eg special regulations, effective cartels or major changes in technology).

3 Markets and competitors

3.1 Focus on the segments of the market you plan to target - for example, local customers or a particular age group.

• Indicate how large each market segment is and whether it is growing or declining.
• Illustrate the important trends - and the reasons behind them.
• Outline the key characteristics of buyers in each segment (eg age, sex or income).
• Mention customers you have already lined up and any sales you have already achieved.

3.2 What are the competing products and who supplies them?

• List the advantages and disadvantages of all your competitors and their products.
• Explain why people will desert established competitors and buy from you instead.
• Show you understand your competitors' reaction to losing business and demonstrate how you will respond to it.

Unless there is a viable market and you know how you are going to beat the competition, your business will be vulnerable.

You must show you have done the market research needed to justify what you say in the plan.

4 Sales and marketing

This section is crucial. It often gives a good indication of the business' chances of success.

4.1 How will your product or service meet your customers' specific needs?

4.2 How will you position your product?

• This is where you show how your price, quality, response time and after-sales service will compare with competitors.
• Quote minimum order figures, if appropriate.

4.3 How will you sell to customers?

• For example, by phone, through your website, face-to-face or through an agent.
• Show how long you predict each sale will take. Many new businesses underestimate the time involved in winning each order. In year one you may spend up to 80 per cent of your time making contacts and selling.
• Will you be able to make repeat sales? If not, it will be hard to build up volume.

4.4 Who will your first customers be?

• Show which customers have expressed an interest or promised to buy from you and the sales they represent.
• How will you identify potential customers?

Unless you can demonstrate that you have a clearly defined pool of potential customers, starting your business is likely to be a struggle.

4.5 How will you promote your product? For example, using advertising, PR, direct mail or via email and a website.

4.6 What contribution to profit will each part of your business make?

• Most businesses need more than one product, more than one type of customer and more than one distribution channel.
• Look at each in turn. Examine your likely sales, gross profit margins and costs.
• Identify where you expect to make your profits and where there may be scope to increase either margins or sales.

Services and intangible products (eg computer software) are more difficult to market. Start-ups in these areas must pay special attention to marketing in their business plans.

5 Management

People reading the business plan need to be given an idea of why they should have faith in the management of your start-up.

5.1 Outline the management skills within your team.

• Define each management role and who will fill it.
• Show your strengths and outline how you will cope with any weaknesses.
• Describe the background and experience of each team member.
• Clarify how you intend to cover the key areas of production, sales, marketing, finance and administration.
• Management information systems and procedures should be outlined. For example, management accounts, sales, stock control and quality control.
• Show how many 'mentors' and other supporters you will have access to.

5.2 How committed are you?

Banks and any other potential investors will want to be sure you are committed to the business. Show how much time and money each of the management team will contribute, and what your salaries and benefits will be.

6 Operations

Explain what facilities the business will have and how it will deliver the product or service to the customer.

6.1 Show the pros and cons of the location.

6.2 Indicate the facilities you will need to start (eg equipment and machinery). Some start-up businesses only need a desk and a phone.

Consider any potential limits to production capacity.

If you are going to manufacture or distribute products, show how and where you are going to warehouse them and for how long.

6.3 Provide a list of employee roles you need to fill and the skills required to fill them.

6.4 Show how you selected your suppliers.

Keep it real

Sales forecasts produced for start-up businesses are often over-optimistic. Here are some important reality checks.

• How soon can you start selling?
• Will potential customers hold off for a year before they take you seriously and place an order?
• How often will you be able to sell?
• How many days can you spend selling?
• How long will each lead take to line up?
• What percentage of leads will turn into sales?
• How much will you be able to sell?
• What will the average sale value be?
• Will most people give repeat orders, or must you find new customers each time?
• How long after a sale will it be before you can collect payment?
• How much income can you realistically expect each month?

7 Financial forecasts

Your financial forecasts translate what you have already said about your business into numbers.

7.1 A realistic sales forecast forms the basis for all your other figures.

Break the total sales figure down into its components (eg different types of products or sales to different types of buyer).

7.2 Your cashflow forecast shows how much money you expect to be flowing into and out of your bank account and when. You must show that your business will have access to enough money to survive.

• Demonstrate that you have considered the key factors affecting cashflow - eg level and timing of sales revenue, wages.
• Show when there will be more money coming in than going out ('cash-positive').

7.3 Your profit and loss (P&L) forecast gives a clear indication of how the business will move forward. Summarize the annual P & L forecast for each of the first two or three years of trading.

7.4 If you are launching a larger start-up, you will also need projected balance sheets.

These will show you the financial state of your business on day one and at year end, perhaps for the first two or three years.

7.5 Do not get too protective about your forecasts. You may need to revise them.

For every forecast, list all your key assumptions (eg prices, sales volume, timing). Small business advisers at banks and your local business support organisation will often help you put together your forecasts free of charge.

8 Financial requirements

The cashflow forecast will show how much finance the business needs. Your assessment of the risks will determine whether or not you need to arrange contingency financing.

8.1 Say how much finance you will want, when and in what forms.

For example, you might want a fixed-interest loan and an overdraft facility.

8.2 State what the finance will be used for.

Show how much will be for buying equipment and how much for working capital (financing stock and debtors).

8.3 Confirm that you will be able to afford it.

9 Assessing the risks

9.1 Look at the business plan and isolate areas where something could go wrong (eg if your main supplier closes down).

What you would do if it actually happens?

9.2 Consider a range of what-if scenarios (eg what happens to your cashflow if sales are 20 per cent lower or 15 per cent higher than forecast). If there are serious risks:

• you can arrange contingency funding to cover the finance you may need
• you may decide that the business is too risky and abandon the whole project.

Assessing risk will help you minimise problems and help build up your credibility with any investor or bank.

10Appendices

10.1 Detailed financial forecasts (monthly sales, monthly cashflow, P&L) should usually be put in an appendix.

Include a detailed list of assumptions.

For example, the profit margin on each product, debtor collection period, creditor payment period, stock turn, interest and exchange rates, equipment purchases.

10.2 You may want to give other relevant information.

• Detailed CVs of key personnel (essential if you are seeking outside funding).
• Market research data.
• Product literature or technical specs.
• Names of target customers.
• A list of external data sources used in your research will add credibility to the information.

11 Presenting the plan

The more solid information you can gather for your own use, the better the business plan will be. But a banker or other outsider will not have time to read through all the details.

11.1 Keep your business plan short.

Most business plans are too long. Focus on what the reader needs to know.

11.2 Make it professional.

• Put a cover on the business plan and give it a title.
• Include a contents page.

11.3 Test it.

• Re-read it yourself. Would reading your plan give an outsider a good feel for your business and a grasp of the key issues?
• Show the plan to friends and expert advisers and ask them for comments.

What food can be grown in Aquaponics

PLANTS

credit to Endless Food Systems

Naturally, different plants grow under different conditions. Before you get started growing, it’s important to consider which type of growing bed to use. This is determined by the type of root structure that plant tends to have. Plants with no root structure need floating beds, while root vegetables grow better in wicking beds. Most everything else grows best in media beds. 

For plants like lettuce, herbs or leafy greens, floating “raft” style beds are ideal. For root vegetables, wicking beds are a better choice. If you plan to grow tomatoes, peppers, beans or most other types of multiple yield plants, media beds are probably your best option.

Choosing the right environment in which to place your aquaponics farm is another important consideration. The amount of sunlight, ambient temperature, rainfall and wind are all crucial factors in producing a healthy plant. If you decide to grow outdoors, choose varieties of vegetables that will grow best in your climate. In addition, most areas will require the use of a greenhouse, or you can always grow indoors.

It is best to avoid fighting Mother Nature. Even with a greenhouse, it is difficult to control the temperature, and plants thrive better when the temperature ranges match their normal processes. Therefore, in the colder months you should grow cold-weather crops and in the summer, you should grow your warm-weather plants.

It’s important to carefully schedule your planting times. If you’re looking to produce a sustained food supply, you should stagger your projected harvests so that all of your produce doesn’t become ripe at one time. This can lead to wasted food, as well as in-between periods where your aquaponics garden isn’t producing any vegetables. If you plan to grow multiples of the same vegetable, try to stagger growing periods by approximately the amount of time it will take you to consume a batch.

If you are aiming for more variety in your diet, try overlapping the growing times of three or more vegetable types. It can take a while to fine-tune this process to match your own consumption and the decomposition rates of your already picked vegetables. To err on the side of overproduction is never a bad idea, as you can easily donate excess vegetables, share them with friends or preserve them for later by freezing, dehydrating or canning. 

One of the quickest-yield vegetables you can get out of an aquaponics system is lettuce. Reaching peak maturity at around 28 days, lettuce grows ideally in floating beds. It is very forgiving in terms of the minimum and maximum water temperatures and can survive a range from 25-85 degrees Fahrenheit. 

If you’re looking to produce a more nutritious food in a short amount of time, pole, an Italian-style wax bean, can be harvested in around 54 days. Pole grows best in a media bed and is optimal at temperatures between 59 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Beans overall are an excellent investment, as they can be dried and stored for very long periods of time. 

Tomatoes are well worth the wait, taking around three months to reach peak maturity depending on the strain and variety. Like beans, they grow best in a media bed at a temperature of 59-95 degrees Fahrenheit. In order to ensure the highest yield from your tomato plants, be sure to trim off all shoots, leaving just the main vine. This will ensure that the bulk of the plant’s nutrients are delivered to the tomatoes once they begin to form. 

In about 65 days, you can have a full harvest of delicious carrots. They have a very well defined optimal growing temperature, at between 59 and 64 degrees Fahrenheit, although they are capable of growing in extreme temperatures in both directions. Wicking beds provide the perfect growing environment for carrots and other root vegetables.

With an aquaponics system, your ability to grow edible plants is limited only by your own desire to do so. The system does most of the labor that would be required of you in an ordinary in-ground growing operation, so you can spend your time on more pressing issues like scheduling harvests and finding new and interesting applications for your crops. When done correctly, you should be able to maintain a constantly rotating supply of organic, pesticide-free vegetables that can carry on indefinitely in a properly maintained system. 

FISH
credit to Backyard Aquaponics

There are many different species of fish that can be used in an aquaponic system, depending on your local climates and available supplies. Our local climate in Perth, Western Australia, allows us to keep Rainbow Trout through winter, then a warmer species like Barramundi during summer. There are also a few choices for year round fish that we could grow, but they often take a longer time to mature. If you live in a cooler climate you might be looking at growing Trout all year round, or perhaps another locally produced fish species. In warmer areas of Australia people generally grow Barramundi, or Jade Perch year round, in most warm areas throughout the world Tilapia is the fish of choice.

In deciding what is the best species for you to grow, you should take a few factors into account, most importantly is what you want from your system. If you don’t want to eat your fish then you probably won’t want to grow edible fish, or you may want to grow an edible fish that can live year-round in your area, so that you’re not having to harvest fish out seasonally. The second most important factor is ‘What’s available?’ You need to be able to buy fish to stock your system, even with species such as Tilapia that breed readily, you need to get your broodstock in the first place.

Here’s a list of useful aquaponic species with a few details about each

Barramundi: Barramundi are often grown in aquaponic systems through the warmer months of the year. Most growers will buy fairly mature stock so that they can harvest larger fish, at the end of the growing season. Barramundi that is grown in an aquaponic system has an exceptionally clean, crisp taste. Growing your own Barramundi excites guests and is the envy of neighbours. They provide a decent harvest at the end of the season and are one of the more majestic species of edible fish.

Catfish: There are many different species of catfish around the world that are well suited to aquaponics. Channel catfish are the most widely farmed aquaculture species in the United States, and they are available in many areas of Australia. Catfish don’t have scales so they need to be skinned, they are quick growing and have a good food conversion ratio.

Carp: There are many species of carp that could be very well suited to aquaponics, unfortunately because of their reproductive capabilities, their tough nature and ability to readily adapt in many areas of the world, carp have become noxious pests to native waterways and the environment, and as such they are not easily obtainable, and often there are high fines and fees for keeping them. In most western cultures carp also have a fairly poor reputation, as an eating fish, however, carp is still the most widely cultured fish in the world as it’s grown throughout most of Asia.

Goldfish: Although some people may group these with the carp, I’ve decided to cover these seperately as most people refer to them as goldfish, and this is what they will be sold as, at local pet shops or fish suppliers. Goldfish are generally pretty tough and make a great addition to an aquaponic system. In many areas they will breed in a tank, although they generally need plant cover within the tank to breed.

Jade Perch: This Australian fish is worth a special mention here, as it has the highest levels of omega three oils of any fish species in the world. In fact it’s so high in omega three oils that growers are trying to breed the oil out of them, they are trying to breed a less oily fish because they’ve found people don’t like the high oil content. They require warm water and consume an omnivorous diet. Very well suited to an aquaponic system, they grow quickly and fingerlings are readily available in warmer areas.

Koi: Once again, another species of carp, but better known as “Koi” rather than carp. Koi are very common within many Asian communities and they are often found in large ornamental ponds. For those who love Koi, an aquaponic system is a great proposition for stocking the fish.

Murray cod: Murray cod are a magnificent native Australian fish, known to grow to enormous sizes in their native habitats, their tank culture is still in reasonably early days. Murray cod are grown in recirculating aquaculture systems, and can also been grown in aquaponic systems, hopefully this fish will be utilised more over time because they are quick growing, and a great eating fish. One of the downfalls is that they must be kept at high stocking densities, and kept well fed otherwise they cannibalise each other.

Silver perch: Silver perch are a good allround native Australian fish that grow well under a variety of conditions. Perch are omnivorous and will happily eat green scraps as well as Duckweed and Azolla. They grow within a wide temperature range, though they’re not as fast growing as many other fish, taking 12-18 months for fingerlings to grow to plate size.

Tilapia: The second most cultured fish in the world, and extremely popular in Aquaponics systems. They are an ideal species for aquaponics for many reasons. They are easy to breed, fast growing, withstand very poor water conditions, consume an omnivorous diet and are good eating. The only downfall for some people will be that Tilapia require warm water. If you live in a cool area you are far better off growing a fish species that will grow well in your temperature range, rather than trying to heat the water. Tilapia are also a declared pest in many areas.

Trout: Trout are a great fish for aquaponic systems where water temperatures are a little cooler. Trout prefer water temperatures between 10°C and 20°C. They have extremely fast growth rates and excellent food conversion ratios.

Others: There are other fish species which are quite suitable for aquaponics, that might be available in your local area. In Europe many different species of carp are grown, within the United States such species as Bluegill are often available, while in Australia we also have a number of other native species like Sleepy cod which would be suitable.

Other aquatic animals that can be incorporated into an aquaponic system are fresh water mussles, fresh water prawns, and fresh water crayfish. Mussles are a filter-feeder, and do a great job of helping to clean the water, they will happily grow in flooded grow beds, or can be incorporated into fish tanks. Crustaceans make a nice addition to an aquaponic system and there are a few different species available depending on your location and water temperatures.

For those in tropical areas there’s Redclaw, a fast growing  Australian species, and for those in cooler areas there’s Yabbies or Marron.

Yabbies breed readily, given the right environment and the correct water temperature, as well as long daylight hours. They also grow fairly quickly, but they can be prone to fighting and cannibalism when stocked very densely.

  

Aquaponics' Applications [1]

Educational Applications of Aquaponics

credit to Nelson Pade website

Aquaponics and hydroponics are both excellent means of demonstrating many principles of science, agriculture, math and business in all grade levels and for home schooling. Applications of these technologies are only limited by ones imagination.

A unit in hydroponics or aquaponics enforces practical uses of chemistry, mathematics, physics, economics and engineering. The monitoring and care of a hydroponic or aquaponic system by students helps instill a sense of responsibility, inspires creativity and creates excitement in the learning environment.

A small aquaponic garden can sit on a counter top and be used to demonstrate botany, horticulture, hydroponics (soil less plant culture), plant science, nutrition, physiology and care, nutrient and pH testing, pH relationships, plant usage of nutrients, seed germination, photosynthesis and light and plant development.

An aquaponic system combines hydroponics with aquaculture in a recirculating system. In addition to the plant sciences, aquaponics incorporates and demonstrates many of natures natural cycles, nitrification, biology, fish anatomy and nutrition and high-tech agriculture.

A unit in hydroponics or aquaponics can be started at the beginning of a semester and run through the entire semester, allowing the educator to present the individual concepts and lessons as the plants and fish develop and grow. A small hydroponic or aquaponic system can sit on a spare counter top. Larger systems can be placed on the floor of a classroom, in a windowsill or a greenhouse.
  

Different Types of Aquaponics Systems

There are three different types of aquaponics systems that have been developed for use by home gardeners and commercial enterprises. These are media based, NFT and Deep Flow or Raft systems and here is a description of each one.

Media-based: also known as the gravel bed system, the media-based aquaponics system is the simplest type to set up and can be used on a small or large scale. This is why it is the type most commonly used by backyard aquaponics enthusiasts. Containers are filled with small rocks, usually expanded clay pebbles which are porous to absorb water and air, and then seedlings are planted directly into these. Water from the fish tank is circulated through the container to allow the plants to access the nutrients. The rocks act as a biological filter as well as a solids filter, eliminating the need for extra equipment.

You can also use special netted growing pots for your seeds or seedlings. You fill these with perlite, coir, peat moss or the clay pebbles and plant into them. These pots are then placed into a larger container which has been filled with the expanding clay pebbles, making sure the netted sides are covered by the media. Media-based aquaponics systems hold plants firmly and so are ideal for growing fruiting plants.

There are two different ways this type of aquaponics system can be operated. The first method pumps a continuous flow of water through the media bed from the fish tank and back into the tank. The second is a process called flood and drain or ebb and flow, where water is pumped into the bed to a depth of about 10 to 12 inches (20 to 30 cms) and then drained away. A timer controls the flooding and draining sequence.

NFT system: or Nutrient Film Technique is a common method used in hydroponics that is best suited to a large-scale aquaponics production. This is because of the expense of setting up the system of PVC pipes and mechanical filtration needed to operate the system. Because there is not the surface area exposed to the air, as in the media-based system, a biological filter is needed to allow the beneficial bacteria to develop and convert the fish wastes into plant nutrients. Solids filtration is also needed to deal with the solids in the fish waste; this is usually set up in a separate tank through which the water passes before going through the plant pipes.

In the NFT system, plants are held in netted growing pots which are suspended through holes cut in the pipe. A thin film of nutrient-rich water is run along the bottom of enclosed gutters so that the roots can reach it. It is really only suited to plants that have a small root systems, such as leafy green vegetables.

Deep Flow: also called Deep Water Culture (DWC) or the Raft system, this is another commonly-used method in hydroponics. This system involves the use of a foam ‘raft’ that floats on top of the water. It is a popular choice for both commercial and backyard aquaponics because it is relatively cheap to set up and operate.

A container or channel is used to hold the water as it is pumped through from the fish tank, after it has been filtered to remove any solid waste. Plants are held in holes made in the raft, so their roots dangle down into the water. This method uses high volumes of water which provides stable water temperatures for the plants and fish. It is the method most often used in commercial aquaponics operations because of the ease with which the plants can be tended and harvested. Again, it is better suited to growing herbs and leafy green vegetables than plants with bigger root systems and fruiting varieties.

This type of system can easily be adapted for home garden use by simply floating a styrofoam tray on top of a fish tank. Just cut holes in the tray and suspend the plants, or plants in netting pots, through the holes so the roots are in contact with the water. Choose fish varieties that are not voracious plant eaters to avoid having plants’ roots eaten away.

Now that you understand how each of the 3 types of aquaponics systems operates, you will be in a better position to decide which one suits you the best. Whichever method you choose, it is best to start small so you can gradually build your expertise and experience before setting up a large system.

   

How Aquaponics Makes Food Right

Credit to http://www.thecoolist.com

Aquaponics — The farms of the future are growing today. In a valley in the Virgin Islands, in a warehouse in Chicago, on a rooftop in Florida and a greenhouse in Milwaukee, history’s newest and most sustainable form of agriculture has broken out of its seed and has began to take root. In these farms of the future, you’ll find no waste water, no eroding soil and no harsh insecticides, but a mutually-balanced ecosystem that yields fast-growing organic produce– and the freshest, toxin-free fish money can buy. This is aquaponics, a high tech farming technology where vegetables and fish are grown in concert, a next generation symbiotic system that just might change the way we grow, harvest and eat the food of tomorrow.


1. The University of the Virgin Islands: Where the science began

After decades of scientific research, the team at the University of the Virgin Islands successfully grew fish and vegetables in a closed loop system that they ultimately called “Aquaponics”. Aquaponics is a hybrid technology including “aquaculture”, the raising of fish in a controlled system, and “hydroponics”, the farming of plants in a soil-free environment. Both techniques had survived for centuries before being merged, with hydroponics reaching back all the way to the hanging gardens of Babylon, where raised troughs of nutrient-rich water fed plants that hung and cascaded to the grounds below. Aquaculture is a newer technology, most commonly known as “fish farming”, where schools of fish are raised in controlled environments both in the seas and on land.

Both aquaculture and hydroponics produce toxic waste that ultimately harms the environment. In aquaculture, fish produce natural waste that is high in ammonia, resulting in water that must be discarded to maintain the health of the fish. In hydroponics, nutrient solutions degrade in quality and the waste water must be removed from the system or else it will harm the plants. When merged, aquaculture and hydroponics cancel out each other’s waste, providing a closed-loop system where the plants live off the fish waste and the fish live in water purified by the plants. In these aquaponic systems, humans can imitate the precise balance of nature to yield tons of fresh produce and healthy fish with very little effort.


2. Will Allen’s “Growing Power” Urban Farm, Milwaukee, WI

One of the champions of this new food movement is Will Allen, owner of the Growing Power urban farm in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Allen has built a series of greenhouses that use aquaponic technology to raise 10,000+ lake perch and over a 1,000,000 pounds of produce every year. By using their own compost to heat the greenhouses, Growing Power runs year round, making them what might be the most productive year-round farm in the Midwest.

The secret to Growing Power, and many other aquaponic farms, is the vertical nature of their farming practice. Using multiple raised beds that stretch toward the roofs of each greenhouse, farmers can multiply the yield that traditional farmers could expect from a flat land investment. A single pump lifts the nutrient-rich water from the fish tanks to top level growing beds. This water feeds these plants and then cycles down to lower levels before falling back into the fish troughs below.

What makes Will Allen’s achievement so remarkable is that he has grown over 1,000,000 pounds of produce and 10,000 pounds of fish in just a few acres. It is an achievement that has inspired hobbyist and commercial growers alike, and has earned Allen a myriad of awards from some of the most prestigious grant organizations in the world. Allen has received a leadership grant from the Ford Foundation, a Genius Grant from the MacArthur Foundation and another from the Kellogg Foundation. In the world of aquaponics, this humble son of sharecroppers from South Carolina has risen to the most recognizable force in the world of future farming.


3. John Edels “The Plant” Warehouse, Chicago, IL

Not far from Growing Power in Milwaukee, another eco-entrepreneur has taken to the empty warehouses of Chicago’s meat-packing district to produce a new kind of edible product. Amidst a slew of slaughterhouses in every direction, John Edel and his company, “The Plant” yield pristine produce of the vegetative kind. Edel uses advanced LED grow lights to give life to his photosynthetic friends, lettuces and herbs grown in concert with fish. As in other aquaponic systems, fish waste in ammonia form is lifted throughout a series of plant beds, where naturally-occurring bacteria transform that ammonia into nitrites and then nitrates, a rich substance that feeds his produce.

Edel’s plan is to prove that empty warehouse space in cities around the world are ripe territory for future farming. Entrepreneurs like John can occupy this space and apply new age technology to farm vast amounts of food in limited space. Even with sunlight taken out of the equation, farmers can use aquaponic technology to raise produce and protein without breaking soil or wasting the water lost in traditional agriculture.


4.  Green Sky Growers: The Future of Farming

Not far from Orlando, Florida, an organic orange farmer and a biologist with Epcot Center experience have teamed up to build the true farm of the future. On a rooftop above their city center, Green Sky Growers use aquaponics and vertical farming to grow massive yields of produce and fresh, healthy tilapia using less than 10% of the water needed for traditional farming. As much a science lab as a farm, this facility uses a software-controlled greenhouse that ventilates based on local temperature, rotating plant towers that soak up solution from fish tanks, and happy tilapia that consume plant waste to produce nutrient-rich water.

A myriad of vegetables grow in this greenhouse year-round, where lettuces, herbs, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers and more grow in a hydroponic setting while aquaculture tanks complete a biological closed-loop. Every Saturday, their produce is made available at a farmer’s market on the streets below in Winter Garden, Florida, inviting interested foodies up for a tour of the facility. Technology is everywhere in this farm, but the plants it yields are as organic as can be. No pesticides, genetic modifiers or toxic waste occur in this new-aged farm. It is the perfect marriage of technology and nature, where the people who run it understand the delicate balance between sensible agriculture and sustainable business. Visitors to the Orlando area might find more inspiration and fun in this rooftop farm than they would at the area’s entertainment district, where Mickey and Minnie Mouse dominate the environment.

     

Aquaponics' Origin

Aquaponics, with its fancy name, may sound like a trendy new concept developed by environmentalists. But it's actually as old as the hills.

The origins of aquaponics can be traced to ancient Egyptian and Aztec cultures.

The ancient Aztecs developed chinampas, man-made floating islands, which consisted of rectangular areas of fertile land on lake beds.

Aztecs cultivated maize, squas­h and other plants on the chinampas and fish in the canals surrounding them.

The fish waste settled on the bottom of the canals, and the Aztecs collected the waste to use as fertilizer.

Additionally, countries in the Far East like Thailand and China have long used aquaponic techniques in rice paddies.

Aquaponics is Organic

Organic Grown Food

http://www.epa.gov/agriculture/torg.html

"Organically grown" food is food grown and processed using no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. Pesticides derived from natural sources (such as biological pesticides) may be used in producing organically grown food.

Organic Farming

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_farming

Organic farming is a form of agriculture that relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost and biological pest control. Organic farming uses fertilizers and pesticides but excludes or strictly limits the use of manufactured (synthetic) fertilizers, pesticides (which include herbicides, insecticides and fungicides), plant growth regulators such as hormones, livestock antibiotics, food additives, genetically modified organisms, human sewage sludge, and nanomaterials.

Organic agricultural methods are internationally regulated and legally enforced by many nations, based in large part on the standards set by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), an international umbrella organization for organic farming organizations established in 1972. IFOAM defines the overarching goal of organic farming as:

"Organic agriculture is a production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems and people. It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects. Organic agriculture combines tradition, innovation and science to benefit the shared environment and promote fair relationships and a good quality of life for all involved..."

—International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements

Organic Products 

http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELDEV3004446&acct=nopgeninfo

Organic products have strict production and labeling requirements. Unless noted below, organic products must meet the following requirements:

- Produced without excluded methods; genetic engineering, ionizing radiation, or sewage sludge.

- Produced per the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List).

- Overseen by a USDA National Organic Program authorized certifying agent,

- Following all USDA organic regulations.

An overview of labeling the various categories of organic products is provided below.

PRINCIPAL DISPLAY PANEL: portion of the package most likely to be seen by customers at the time of purchase.

INFORMATION PANEL: includes ingredient statement (list of ingredients contained in a product, from highest to lowest percentage of final product) and other product information.

100% Organic

Raw or processed agricultural products in the “100 percent organic” category must meet these criteria:

- All ingredients must be certified organic.

- Any processing aids must be organic.

- Product labels must state the name of the certifying agent on the information panel.

An overview of labeling the various categories of 100% organic products is provided below.

PRINCIPAL DISPLAY PANEL: May include USDA organic seal and/or 100 percent organic claim.

INFORMATION PANEL: Must identify organic ingredients (e.g., organic dill) or via asterisk or other mark.

Normal Organic

Raw or processed agricultural products in the “organic” category must meet these criteria:

- All agricultural ingredients must be certified organic, except where specified on National List.

- Non-organic ingredients allowed per National List may be used, up to a combined total of five percent of non-organic content (excluding salt and water).

- Product labels must state the name of the certifying agent on the information panel.

An overview of labeling the various categories of normal organic products is provided below.

PRINCIPAL DISPLAY PANEL: May include USDA organic seal and/or organic claim.

INFORMATION PANEL: Must identify organic ingredients (e.g., organic dill) or via asterisk or other mark.

Organic Certification

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_certification

Organic certification is a certification process for producers of organic food and other organic agricultural products. In general, any business directly involved in food production can be certified, including seed suppliers, farmers, [food] processors, retailers and restaurants.

Requirements vary from country to country, and generally involve a set of production standards for growing, storage, processing, packaging and shipping that include:

• no human sewage sludge fertilizer used in cultivation of plants or feed of animals
• avoidance of synthetic chemical inputs not on the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (e.g. fertilizer, pesticides, antibiotics, food additives, etc.), genetically modified organisms, irradiation, and the use of sewage sludge;
• use of farmland that has been free from prohibited synthetic chemicals for a number of years (often, three or more);
• keeping detailed written production and sales records (audit trail);
• maintaining strict physical separation of organic products from non-certified products;
• undergoing periodic on-site inspections.

Aquaponics Presentation #1

Hi, its been long since I posted. And guess what I found while going through my previous semesters paperwork; an aquaponic presentation I (and a collegue of mine) did back in 2008! Here is some of its content.

INTRODUCTION

Terminology     :  Spelled                      : aqua·pon·ics

                          Pronunciation            : [ak-wuh-pon-iks]

                        : noun (used with a singular verb)

                        : origin: 1996-97; aqua(culture) + (hydro)ponics

                        : symbiotic cultivation of plants and aquatic animals in a recirculating environment

Brief explanation           : 

1. Fish waste accumulates in water as a byproduct of the keeping them in a closed-tank aquaculture system. The waste rich water becomes high in plant nutrients but is toxic to the aquatic animal.

     2.  Plants are grown in a hydroponic system that utilizes the nutrient rich water. The plants in turn digest the nutrients, reducing or eliminating the waters toxicity for the aquatic animal.

3. The water, now clean, is returned to the aquatic animal environment and the cycle continues. Aquaponics systems do not discharge or exchange water.

The systems rely on the natural relationship between the aquatic animals and the plants to maintain the environment.

  

COMPONENTS OF AN AQUAPONICS SYSTEM

     Fish Tank                   Vegetable Plot                 Water Pump

       
      Filter                                 Piping                         Sump

PRODUCTS OF AN AQUAPONICS SYSTEM

              Fresh Fish 

             Fresh Vegetables



***presentation continues into #2, refer older post***