Utah System Part 1 - Beginnings

[nwestwood]

For 10 years I have had an 18 x 32' foot (5.5 x 9.75 meters) greenhouse that was moved from our last house, It was never fully setup till this summer, when the plastic finally gave out (10 years was pretty good). So I added new poly, then when my Giant Pumpkins contracted Fuserium Oxysporum and died (I had 200lb (90kgs) baby pumpkins by then, my personal best is 580lbs(265kgs)). I was in a sorry state.

With lots of extra time on my hands, I finally repaired the greenhouse controller, Put Polycarbonate on the end wall, added power vents and thrip screen, leveled the floor, sunk the 50 gallon pond, leveled the floor by adding 2" of sand, and covered it with heavy duty black weed guard. Then filled it up with tropical fruit trees.

Summer and Fall went by with good success, Lemons, Figs, Pineapples, Birds of Paradise and more. Bugs were low, a few fungus gnats, easy to control. Winter came, I filled the propane tank and wired up the propane space heater, keeping the temps above 50F degrees (10C). As our winters get cold and we had a meter of snow piled up, it cost $200 a month during the coldest season to keep the greenhouse going! That's very expensive lemons.


In December, my 10 year old son announced that he needed a science project for school. Having looked at Hydroponics, Aeroponics, Aquaponics, Aquaculture for years, We decide to hook up a floating raft system to the small pond with its 10 Koi and Goldfish. We bought a plastic tote, rerouted the pump line, added an overflow, cut some foam and started some lettuce.

The lettuce is still growing very very slow (the water averages 45-50F degrees (8-10C) the daylight is to short. But it continues to grow. In the meantime, Dad (me) decides its time to join the big time. So the search began for tanks, pumps, fish and information. My system is still not complete, but I thought I would document my searching’s for others to learn from, and for others to comment on. I'll add more posts with my progression.

First item, when growing lettuce in raft, don't fill the net pots with miracle grow. The day we moved them from the nursery to the floating raft, the air bubbles from the airstones, eroded away the media in 1/2 the pots. Now I have 1" by 1" Horticubes, and will just forget the net pots, starting the plants in these, then putting the horticubes directly into the foam board in the floating raft.

[GaryD]

Hi,

Congratulations on your decision to get an aquaponics system underway.

Like many of us, your journey has taken you on a circuitous route before you arrived at aquaponics.

Good luck and keep us posted. Did we mention that we like photos?

Gary

[nwestwood]

Once I decided to make go of it, I then had to get educated. I ordered a bunch of books and videos. I read all kinds of things on the Internet, including great information from the various Aquaponics forums (Yahoo Barrelponics group, Aquaponicshq, backyardaquaponics, S&S Aquaponics and more).

Some of the better information came from Dr. James E Rakocy with his University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) System. While the rest of us have been having fun trying different things out, they have scientifically measured the effects of different ratios, plants, and fish.

The core info I found here.
http://srac.tamu.edu/getfile.cfm?pubid=102

This link contains a number of other good articles on recirculating aquaculture.
http://srac.tamu.edu/index.cfm?catid=24

This link has everything – especially for those in the United States (fish, prawns, ponds, systems, etc).
http://srac.tamu.edu/

Initially I found that general guideline at MAXIMUM density of Tilapia was:
½ lb of Fish per Gallon of Tank
2 Gallons of grow bed per Gallon of Tank
or in metric
250 grams of fish per 4 litres of Fish tank
and 8 litres of bed per 4 litres of fish tank

But if you read further, what you actually find is that the size of the grow beds/raft system at maximum density is tied to the amount of feed fed daily. If your feeding a fish that grows slower such as trout (9 month grow out with 1.1:1 feed conversion), then you have less feed input each day, so you need less grow beds. Conversely if your feeding Tilapia at 1.7:1 and they grow out in 6 months, you need many more grow beds, or you must stock a lower density. A 4 x 8 foot grow bed will remove 0.4lbs (+/- .2lbs) of feed per day (according to the UVI research). Using the UVI data, I found that a 250 gallon fish tank raising trout required 1.37 beds 4 x 8 feet (1.4 to 1 ratio), while the same system growing Tilapia requires 3 beds 4 x 8 (3 to 1 ratio). That’s a big swing. In the end, the 2 to 1 ratio is a good average, especially if fish densities are kept below the maximum, or fish are started with fingerlings and the plant load grows as the fish grow.

So, I calculated the area of my greenhouse I was willing to dedicate to my initial aquaponics trial, and a 250-300 gallon (1000-1200 litre) fish tank with a 2:1 ratio to beds (1/2 gravel 1/2 floating raft) would work.

Then I pondered which fish to grow. Rainbow Trout are easy to get in Utah and easy to obtain permits to raise. Initially, they were my choice, but they like 55-60 degree water (13-16C). Not a problem in the winter, but the rest of the year, the water would need chilled significantly. I looked around for chillers and new commercial 1hp chiller runs $1,000-1,200 USD AND consumes 18amps at startup. Ouch, now it’s getting expensive, I would need a new dedicated electrical circuit AND have to pay the power bill. Furthermore, very few plants do well at this temperature. So I abandon this plan and migrated to a warmer water fish.

My choices were narrowed down to the following:
1st Choice – Silver Perch (easy to raise, tolerate a wide range of conditions and grow fast, not prohibited in Utah, but no U.S. Suppliers that I can find)
2nd Choice – Tilapia (similar, and easy to find in the U.S., however, not permitted in Utah)
3rd Choice – Hybrid Stripped Bass (not as easy to raise, not as much info, but legal in Utah and readily obtainable in the U.S.)

I’m still working to get an Australian supplier licensed to export Silver Perch to Utah (anyone out there that can do this, let me know). If that works, that is what I’ll run with. If I can’t, then I will try and work through the regulations to get an exception to raise Tilapia in Utah, if that fails, then Hybrid Stripped Bass will be it.

Also, I hope to raise a few Red Claw Crayfish in the sump tank or other tanks for variety.

Next I looked at various system options, commercial kits, DIY systems, Barrelponics, Nelson and Pade, Aquaponics Made Easy, etc. I found that in the U.S. a packaged system was very expensive, with fish tanks costing $1 to $2 per gallon of tank. I found lots of recommendations to use 55 gallon plastic barrels, IBC Totes, Stock Tanks and More. Next time I’ll review my search for tanks and beds and what I ended up with.

[Castaway]

I thought silver perch were available in the United States. Ausyfish apparently will ship you silver perch but it could get very expensive if you are only after a small number. We are spoilt in Australia with many excellent fish ideal for Aquaponics. Perhaps thats why its so popular here.

http://ausyfish.com/freight.htm

from their website:

International Shipments
Minimum shipment is ten boxes per consignment. Minimum value each shipment AUD$3,600 product. All shipping and and packing costs are in addition to fish value.

Payment is in full in advance, by direct deposit to our account.

Live arrival is guaranteed at our recommended packing rates. DOA claims must be received immediately upon arrival. DOA claims will be replaced on next shipment, no refunds. It is expected that the receiver is sufficiently skilled to manage the unpacking of freshwater fish which have been in extended transit. Anaesthetists can be used if requested by the customer.

Ausyfish ship to many countries around the world, including, mainland China, Taiwan, Europe, Hong Kong and the United States . We have an FDA number and are licensed to export native Australian fish.

[nwestwood]

I did email aussie fish, I only need enough for a 300 gallon tank (150-175 fingerlings) so the minimum is way more than I could need or afford. I've emailed a couple of others that are looking into it. I'm willing to pay extra for the extra headache and trouble, so I'm hopeful I can get a small quantity, but no commitments yet.

[Jason Palenske]

We have Wipers here in Kansas that are doing well. They may be your best bet as there is more info now. Try looking at

http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us/news/Fis...tto-Bass-Wiper

there is also a link to the hatchery from there. They are only a few miles away so if it was something you decided to try I could help get them sent to you.

[Outbackozzie]

Excellent posts nwestwood - dont discount the trout though (if you like the taste), then grow out in around 6 months too. 750 Gramms.

They will take water from 2 deg c up to low 20's.

[nwestwood]

I'll keep trout in mind, It may be that rotating between trout and warm water fish is the way to go and keep heating costs down. I'm concerned that most Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Peppers will shut down in the cold trout water, but lettuce will continue to do well.

[Ravnis]

check out fishfoods system. He grows trout. Probably be a good one to ask.

[fishfood]

Yep trout over winter and silver perch over summer and i grow collies cabbage ect over winter and tomato corn lettuce over summer
Our temps here hit 40 deg for a few days in summer and last winter dident get over 10 some days