Aquaponics Farm up and running in Mildura Vic

[Murray]

A commercial scale farm has been commissioned in northern Victoria.
The tanks, grow troughs and filters are designed and manufactured by
Practical Aquaponics for Everyone. www.aquaponics.NET.au (http://www.aquaponics.NET.au)

The farm was commissioned and installed by Martin O'Dee, the Aquaponics Shop at Geebung Brisbane.

Photos of the install can be seen by going to Martin's Aquaponics - Shop website. (http://www.aquaponics-shop.com/commercial-aquaponics/aquaponics-redheeler.shtml)

There are 5 pages of photos.

[DuncanC]

What a ripper system they have there. It's interesting to see that they keep all their bacteria in one place (the nitrification filter) and then just use what is basically NFT for growing the plants. It will be great to see how this system progresses and hopefully hear that it's a massive success!

All the tanks and filters etc looked great, awesome job Murray!

Cheers,

Duncan

[nick]

don't want to be a stickler but they are actually using a DWC ( deep Water Culture) technique, very similar to the Virgin Islands systems I believe. Cheers but am still very impressed with it all, good work all involved

[GaryD]

Hi,



It's interesting to see that they keep all their bacteria in one place (the nitrification filter).....

Nitrogen-oxidising bacteria occur naturally in air and (particularly in aquaculture systems) in water. They will be found in greater numbers in bio-filters because of the deliberate creation of surface area on the filter media.

Gary

[Murray]

using a DWC ( deep Water Culture) technique, very similar to the Virgin Islands systemsThat is correct Nick.
Exactly the same principals involved.
See the University of Virgin Islands system here (http://rps.uvi.edu/AES/Aquaculture/aquaponics.html). The site is a bit slow loading but worth a good look.
There is nothing new really, except that there is now a complete system (hardware) available here for commercial operators.

There is a number very real advantages to this type of system, one being that there is a greater volume of water in use allowing for higher stocking rates than would be possible based on the volume of the fish tank/s alone.
Note the stocking rates the UVI has for it's Tilapia.... 800 fish in 4,500 ltr tank grown out to approx 500g.

This larger volume of water also adds more stability to the system in regard to water temperature and quality.

I reckon I will build a DWC system here at home soon based on using my FG grow beds as the DWC troughs.

[DuncanC]

Questions Time:

So the difference between Flood and Drain and DWC is that the bacteria are in a swirl filter not in the grow bed and that there is no growing media in the grow beds?

Also, it seems to me like it would be a continuous flow system, is that right?

Cheers,

Duncan

[Murray]

Hi Duncan,
the nitrification takes place here in the nitrification filter particularly in the bio-ball chamber, which can be seen in action here

http://www.aquaponics-shop.com/images/mil_install_run_up_6.jpg
Photos imported from Martin O'Dee's WEB site http://www.aquaponics-shop.com

The bio-balls have air injected from below which accelerates the bacteria activity.
Also, bio-film develops on the large surface area of the inside of the grow troughs which adds to the nitrification process.

The water in the nitrification filter passes through up/down chambers before getting to the aerated bio-ball chamber.
This process aids in removing fine sediment and in providing water conditioning .

And yes, it is a continuous flow system.

http://www.aquaponics-shop.com/images/mil_install_run_up_5.jpg

[DuncanC]

They look really well designed and built. Great job Murray.

In regards to the bacteria in the grow troughs, isn't one of the major problems with the bacteria is that it doesn't lke light? This isn't a problem if your rafts are taking up all the space in the tops of the tanks, thus not letting any light in.

Cheers,

Duncan

[Murray]

That is correct Duncan, The floating rafts cut most of the light out of the grow troughs.
Further air is injected into the water in the grow troughs to make sure there is ample dissolved oxygen in the water for the plants and the bacteria resident in the bio-film.

[Adam OR.USA]

Looking for help and advice about building a large Aquaponics system.
I live in the Pacfic NW. Alot of people here think I'm crazy. Some can't seem to think outside the box.

Would enjoy hearing others thoughts and ideas.

[anniefish]

Hi Adam,
I think most of us have composted our boxes long ago! Just keep asking questions and bouncing ideas - you'll get honest responses backed by lots of hands on experience.
Ann

[Adam OR.USA]

Hi Annie,
Thank you for your response,
So here is one of my many questions that I have I'm looking at installing a self rotating filtration system, that self cleaning, when the water rises due to waste blocking the screen it turns on removing the waste before it reaches the plant beds/ plant trofts. whats your thoughts. Do I need some kind filtration of water before it returns to the fish tanks. Yet expose the water to UV, to help maintain parasite's from entering into the fish environment.

What kind of filtration systems do must of you all use.
Dose anyone use UV in their filtration systems.
On a farm size, How do you determine the amount of grown beds, versus the fish tank / tanks. I like turning my water over once to twice an hour

Like to hear your thoughts.

As for myself, It appears you Folks down under are ****her alone with aquaponics then in the USA. So whatever help and knowledge you can share. would be greatly appreciated.

Hopfully you don't mind helping a poor yankee get on his feet with setting up aquaponics system.



Hi Adam,
I think most of us have composted our boxes long ago! Just keep asking questions and bouncing ideas - you'll get honest responses backed by lots of hands on experience.
Ann

[Murray]

Adam,
In a closed loop Aquaponics system filtration of the fish water coming from the fish tank is simply to remove the solids so that they do not adhere to the roots of the plants that are being grown in either DWC or NFT grow systems.

UV light ultimately removes some trace elements from the system , Boron being one of them. So UV is not a wise option.

In a well run recirculating Aquaponics system fish health is almost always excellent.
Recirculation Aquaponics systems do not have the fish health problems that are associated with recirculating aquaculture systems.

There are things at work that are not yet fully understood when plants are grown in the fish water. Fish in recirculating aquaponics systems enjoy much better health than their aquaculture counterparts.

Dr. Nick Salvadov from Canada has done some very interesting work in this area.
Also Dr Wilson Lennord has some work in this area as well. Dr Wilson Lennord worked in Aquaculture for a number of years prior to completing his doctorate.

It would appear that the presence of the plants in a recirculating system has a very beneficial effect on the overall health of the system.

[GaryD]

Hi,


Recirculation Aquaponics systems do not have the fish health problems that are associated with recirculating aquaculture systems.
I agree that the greater the number of organisms in any eco-system, the greater the biological stability. Another explanation, however, is that aquaponics systems are invariably much more lightly stocked than most recirculating aquaculture systems.

I've run modestly stocked conventional recirculating aquaculture systems for the past three years and they have performed no differently than aquaponics systems in terms of fish growth and general health.

Critics of aquaculture often point to the large amounts of water that need to be replaced on a daily basis....to keep nitrate levels in check.

My experience (once again with modestly stocked systems) was that it was much less of an issue than I thought it would be. Not only did I not change water on a daily basis, there were occasions where I went weeks without replacing water. The water that I did change out went to my square foot gardens.

Gary

[Adam OR.USA]

Gentleman,
I have a few question in regerds to diffrent breeds of cold water fish being raised with aquaponics. I have read your websites, and look forward to learning more. I have questions with size's of tanks, and number of grow beds, per volume of the tanks sizes to number of planting beds needed.

Some of my fish get to a much in large size,then what you are both use to dealing with. I raise a few diffrent breeds of fish as well. As for myself I'm getting ready to retire from the my present career. I want to expand on my hobbies, which is raising fish and gardening. My kids and wife at first thought I was nuts, but after sharing and reading up on aqauponics our hopes and desires are to beable to combined both.
My state lacks any knowledge of what I'm trying to explain, or understand why. Major fish farms and others think I'm crazy from wanting to explore the Idea of using Aquaponics.

As for myself, I just want to prove it can be done. whatever help or contacts you can provide would be greatful.

[Murray]

whatever help or contacts you can provide would be greatful. http://www.aquaponicshq.com/forums/images/misc/progress.gif A good place to start would be to buy the book here (http://www.aquaponics.net.au/product/prod5.htm)

and the DVD here (http://www.aquaponics.net.au/product/prod105.htm)

Sorry to be so commercial, but it pays to get some detailed information. It will help you no end in your information gathering. You will be happy you made the investment.

[victor]

Hello all

this is my first posting on your web site. i have been to the UVI course and i am looking to build a system similar to that in trinidad where i belong. However i am interested in the nitrification unit, where can i get them at what cost and what about the efficiency information/data

[Murray]

Hi Victor,
If you are referring to the unit shown in the first page of this thread....It manufactured here in Australia.
Go to my website to see further details of the equipment.

[Jackalope]

Nice looking setup Murray, keep us posted on how it's working, problems they come up against, fixes etc.
Since I'm in the US, it will be invaluable to me to know these things, since there's no one within earshot of me that even knows what aquaponics is ...........
Thanks

[damien little]

I was wondering if this system is still going, and any feedback they have had on plant growth, fish grwoth, sales of produce etc.