Permaculture + Aquaponics = Self Sustaining

By bringing Permaculture Design principles and practices into Aquaponics, we are closing many loops, inefficiencies, and energy drains that exist in more conventional systems, as well as integrating the system appropriately into the larger landscapes and ecologies it is a part of, making it a much more holistic and sustainable enterprise. 

Closed-Loop Aquaponics focuses on designing aquaponics systems that that produce as much of the system’s needs (water, energy, fish, feed, heat, gas, etc.) on-site and within the system itself as possible. 

Products of the systems can include; solar electricity, solar heated air, solar heated water, fish, prawns, vegetables, fruit, aquatic plants, algae, minnows, snails, worms, dry and liquid fertilizers, methane gas, and more. By using the Permaculture Design process, we learn to design systems appropriate to diverse climates and unique ecological niches to meet various needs, dreams, and desires.

Aquaponics + Farm Towers

Vertical Farms 
(credit to: http://www.verticalfarm.com )


Problem Statement

By the year 2050, nearly 80% of the earth's population will reside in urban centers. Applying the most conservative estimates to current demographic trends, the human population will increase by about 3 billion people during the interim. An estimated 109 hectares of new land (about 20% more land than is represented by the country of Brazil) will be needed to grow enough food to feed them, if traditional farming practices continue as they are practiced today. At present, throughout the world, over 80% of the land that is suitable for raising crops is in use (sources: FAO and NASA).

Potential Solution

The concept of indoor farming is not new, since hothouse production of tomatoes, a wide variety of herbs, and other produce has been in vogue for some time. What is new is the urgent need to scale up this technology to accommodate another 3 billion people. An entirely new approach to indoor farming must be invented, employing cutting edge technologies. The Vertical Farm must be efficient (cheap to construct and safe to operate). Vertical farms, many stories high, will be situated in the heart of the world's urban centers. If successfully implemented, they offer the promise of urban renewal, sustainable production of a safe and varied food supply (year-round crop production), and the eventual repair of ecosystems that have been sacrificed for horizontal farming.

Vertical Farms' Advantages

• Year-round crop production; 1 indoor acre is equivalent to 4-6 outdoor acres or more, depending upon the crop (e.g., strawberries: 1 indoor acre = 30 outdoor acres) 
• No weather-related crop failures due to droughts, floods, pests 
• All VF food is grown organically: no herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers 
• VF virtually eliminates agricultural runoff by recycling black water 
• VF returns farmland to nature, restoring ecosystem functions and services 
• VF greatly reduces the incidence of many infectious diseases that are acquired at the agricultural interface 
• VF converts black and gray water into potable water by collecting the water of evapotranspiration 
• VF adds energy back to the grid via methane generation from composting non-edible parts of plants and animals 
• VF dramatically reduces fossil fuel use (no tractors, plows, shipping.) 
• VF converts abandoned urban properties into food production centers 
• VF creates sustainable environments for urban centers 
• VF creates new employment opportunities 
• We cannot go to the moon, Mars, or beyond without first learning to farm indoors on earth 
• VF may prove to be useful for integrating into refugee camps 
• VF offers the promise of measurable economic improvement for tropical and subtropical LDCs. If this should prove to be the case, then VF may be a catalyst in helping to reduce or even reverse the population growth of LDCs as they adopt urban agriculture as a strategy for sustainable food production. 
• VF could reduce the incidence of armed conflict over natural resources, such as water and land for agriculture

Vertical Farms' Designs

Courtesy of: http://archdezart.com/2011/09/25/loft-london-farm-tower-competition/

 Courtesy of: http://axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/Article_59707.shtml

Courtesy of: http://www.inspirationgreen.com/vertical-farms.html

Comment:

Farm Towers are nicely suited for Aquaponics system. The fish tanks would be located on the ground floor since it is where the sunlight is most deficient. The hydroponics will then occupy all the floors above it. Using minimal pumps, the water flow would be highly energy efficient since it travels back to the fish tank using gravity. In addition to that, the tower could also be energy independent if renewable energy sources such as wind and solar are tapped.

Aquaponics Facts

Aquaponics uses up to 90% less water than conventional farming does

Aquaponics is energy efficient: It requires up to 1/3 of the energy
other farming systems use.

Aquaponics can have up to 8 to 10 times more vegetable production in
the same amount of time and area than conventional gardens or farms.

Labor can be reduced as much as 40%, while useful byproducts are
created that can be used to farm other crops, trees, soil, water, and
energy.

Credit to 'fukuoka_farming'

Greenhouse growers and farmers are taking note of aquaponics for several reasons:

• Hydroponic growers view fish-manured irrigation water as a source of organic fertilizer that enables plants to grow well.
  
  
• Fish farmers view hydroponics as a biofiltration method to facilitate intensive recirculating aquaculture.
  
  
• Greenhouse growers view aquaponics as a way to introduce organic hydroponic produce into the marketplace, since the only fertility input is fish feed and all of the nutrients pass through a biological process.
  
  
• Food-producing greenhouses — yielding two products from one production unit — are naturally appealing for niche marketing and green labeling.
  
  
• Aquaponics can enable the production of fresh vegetables and fish protein in arid regions and on water-limited farms, since it is a water re-use system.
  
  
• Aquaponics is a working model of sustainable food production wherein plant and animal agriculture are integrated and recycling of nutrients and water filtration are linked.
  
  
• In addition to commercial application, aquaponics has become a popular training aid on integrated bio-systems with vocational agriculture programs and high school biology classes.

Credit to 'attra.ncat.org'

In addition, i've updated the Aquaponics Extra page's Special Topic: Permaculture.
Permaculture and Aquaponics can combine and focuses truly sustainable closed-loop
systems that provide all the needs for the system with in the system itself.