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Aquaponic PDF
Aquaponic PDF
By Steve Diver Aquaponics is a bio-integrated system that links recirculating aquaculture with hydroponic
NCAT Agriculture vegetable, flower, and/or herb production. Recent advances by researchers and growers alike
Specialist have turned aquaponics into a working model of sustainable food production. This publication
Published 2006 provides an introduction to aquaponics with brief profiles of working units around the country.
Updated by An extensive list of resources points the reader to print and Web-based educational materials for
Lee Rinehart, NCAT further technical assistance.
Agriculture Specialist
© 2010 NCAT
Introduction
Contents
A
quaponics, also known as the integra-
Introduction ..................... 1 tion of hydroponics with aquaculture,
Aquaponics: is gaining increased attention as a
Key Elements and bio-integrated food production system.
Considerations ............... 2
Aquaponic Systems ...... 3 Aquaponics serves as a model of sustain-
Organic able food production by fol low ing
Aquaculture .................. 11 certain principles:
Evaluating
an Aquaponic • The waste products of one biological
Enterprise ........................ 12 system serve as nutrients for a second Aquaponic vegetable bed in Australia.
Photo by Joel Malcolm, Backyard Aquaponics.
References ...................... 13 biological system. www.backyardaquaponics.com
Resources ....................... 13 • The integration of fish and plants
Appendix I: results in a polyculture that increases into the fish tanks. The nitrifying bacteria
Bibliography diversity and yields multiple products.
on Aquaponics ............. 20
living in the gravel and in association with
Appendix II: • Water is re-used through biological the plant roots play a critical role in nutrient
Dissertations ................. 25 filtration and recirculation. cycling; without these microorganisms the
whole system would stop functioning.
• Local food production provides
access to healthy foods and enhances Greenhouse growers and farmers are taking
the local economy. note of aquaponics for several reasons:
In aquaponics, nutrient-rich effluent from • Hydroponic growers view fish-
fish tanks is used to fertigate hydroponic manured irrigation water as a source
production beds. Th is is good for the fish of organic fertilizer that enables
because plant roots and rhizobacteria remove plants to grow well.
nutrients from the water. These nutrients
ATTRA—National Sustainable • Fish farmers view hydroponics as
Agriculture Information Service – generated from fish manure, algae, and
(www.attra.ncat.org) is managed
decomposing fish feed – are contaminants a biofi ltration method to facilitate
by the National Center for Appro-
priate Technology (NCAT) and is that would otherwise build up to toxic levels intensive recirculating aquaculture.
funded under a grant from the • Greenhouse growers view aquapon-
United States Department of
in the fish tanks, but instead serve as liquid
Agriculture’s Rural Business- fertilizer to hydroponically grown plants. ics as a way to introduce organic
Cooperative Service. Visit the
NCAT website (www.ncat.org/
In turn, the hydroponic beds function as a hydroponic produce into the market-
sarc_current.php) for biofilter – stripping off ammonia, nitrates, place, since the only fertility input is
more information on
our sustainable agri-
nitrites, and phosphorus – so the freshly fish feed and all of the nutrients pass
culture projects. cleansed water can then be recirculated back through a biological process.
• Food-producing greenhouses – yield- all of the nutrients supplied to the crop are
ing two products from one produc- dissolved in water. Liquid hydroponic sys-
tion unit – are naturally appealing for tems employ the nutrient film technique
niche marketing and green labeling. (NFT), f loating rafts, and noncirculat-
• Aquaponics can enable the produc- ing water culture. Aggregate hydroponic
tion of fresh vegetables and fish pro- systems employ inert, organic, and mixed
tein in arid regions and on water- media contained in bag, trough, trench,
limited farms, since it is a water pipe, or bench setups. Aggregate media used
re-use system. in these systems include perlite, vermiculite,
gravel, sand, expanded clay, peat, and saw-
Related ATTRA • Aquaponics is a working model of dust. Normally, hydroponic plants are ferti-
Publications sustainable food production wherein gated (soluble fertilizers injected into irriga-
Aquaculture Enterprises:
plant and animal agriculture are tion water) on a periodical cycle to maintain
Considerations and integrated and recycling of nutrients moist roots and provide a constant supply
Strategies and water filtration are linked. of nutrients. These hydroponic nutrients are
Agricultural Business • In addition to commercial applica- usually derived from synthetic commercial
Planning Templates tion, aquaponics has become a popular fertilizers, such as calcium nitrate, that are
and Resources training aid on integrated bio-systems highly soluble in water. However, hydro-
with vocational agriculture programs organics – based on soluble organic fertiliz-
and high school biology classes. ers such as fish hydrosylate – is an emerg-
The technology associated with aquaponics is ing practice. Hydroponic recipes are based
complex. It requires the ability to simultane- on chemical formulations that deliver precise
ously manage the production and marketing concentrations of mineral elements. The con-
of two different agricultural products. Until trolled delivery of nutrients, water, and envi-
the 1980s, most attempts at integrated hydro- ronmental modifications under greenhouse
ponics and aquaculture had limited success. conditions is a major reason why hydropon-
However, innovations since the 1980s have ics is so successful.
transformed aquaponics technology into a Nutrients in Aquaculture Effluent: Green-
viable system of food production. Modern house growers normally control the delivery
aquaponic systems can be highly successful, of precise quantities of mineral elements to
but they require intensive management and hydroponic plants. However, in aquapon-
they have special considerations. ics, nutrients are delivered via aquacultural
This publication provides an introduction effluent. Fish effluent contains sufficient lev-
to aquaponics, it profi les successful aqua- els of ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, phosphorus,
ponic greenhouses, and it provides extensive potassium, and other secondary and micro-
resources. It does not attempt to describe nutrients to produce hydroponic plants. Nat-
production methods in comprehensive tech- urally, some plant species are better adapted
nical detail, but it does provide a summary to this system than others. The technical
of key elements and considerations. literature on aquaponics provides greater
detail on hydroponic nutrient delivery; espe-
cially see papers cited in the Bibliography by
Aquaponics: Key Elements James Rakocy, Ph.D.
and Considerations Plants Adapted to Aquaponics: The selec-
A successful aquaponics enterprise requires tion of plant species adapted to hydroponic
special training, skills, and management. culture in aquaponic greenhouses is related
The following items point to key elements to stocking density of fish tanks and subse-
and considerations to help prospective grow- quent nutrient concentration of aquacultural
ers evaluate the integration of hydroponics effluent. Lettuce, herbs, and specialty greens
with aquaculture. (spinach, chives, basil, and watercress) have
Hydroponics: Hydroponics is the produc- low to medium nutritional requirements
tion of plants in a soilless medium whereby and are well adapted to aquaponic systems.
T
ilapia is a
dissolved solids. Tilapia produces a white- gravel). Further, when shallow bed systems
warm-water
fleshed meat suitable to local and wholesale only three inches in depth are employed for
markets. The literature on tilapia contains the production of specialty greens such as species that
extensive technical documentation and cul- lettuce and basil, the square footage of grow grows well in a
tural procedures. Barramundi and Murray space will increase four times. Depending on recirculating tank
cod fish species are raised in recirculating the system design, the component ratio can culture.
aquaponic systems in Australia. favor greater outputs of either hydroponic
produce or fish protein. A “node” is a con-
Water Quality Characteristics: Fish raised figuration that links one fish tank to a cer-
in recirculating tank culture require good tain number of hydroponic beds. Thus, one
water quality conditions. Water quality test- greenhouse may contain a multiple number
ing kits from aquacultural supply compa- of fish tanks and associated growing beds,
nies are fundamental. Critical water quality each arranged in a separate node.
parameters include dissolved oxygen, carbon
dioxide, ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, pH, chlo-
rine, and other characteristics. The stocking Aquaponic Systems
density of fish, growth rate of fish, feeding Profiles of several aquaponic greenhouses are
rate and volume, and related environmental highlighted below as models of commercially
fluctuations can elicit rapid changes in water viable systems. Most of these operations are
quality; constant and vigilant water quality featured in magazine articles and conference
monitoring is essential. proceedings. Some operations offer techni-
cal assistance through short courses, design
Biofiltration and Suspended Solids: Aqua- manuals, and on-site tours. Please refer to
culture effluent contains nutrients, dissolved articles in the Resources section, and the
solids, and waste byproducts. Some aquaponic Bibliography, for in-depth descriptions and
systems are designed with intermediate filters technical details.
and cartridges to collect suspended solids in
fish effluent, and to facilitate conversion of
ammonia and other waste products to forms
The North Carolina State
more available to plants prior to delivery to University System
hydroponic vegetable beds. Other systems Water consumption in an integrated aqua-
deliver fish effluent directly to gravel-cultured vegeculture system amounts to 1 percent
hydroponic vegetable beds. The gravel func- of that required in pond culture to pro-
tions as a “fluidized bed bioreactor,” remov- duce equivalent tilapia yields. In the 1980s
ing dissolved solids and providing habitat for Mark McMurtry (former graduate student)
www.attra.ncat.org ATTRA Page 3
and the late Doug Sanders (professor) at with benefits to both nitrifying
North Carolina State University developed bacteria and plant roots.
an aqua-vegeculture system based on tilapia • Dissolved and suspended organic
fish tanks sunk below the greenhouse floor. materials accumulate rapidly in aqua-
Effluent from the fish tanks was trickle-irri- culture systems and must be removed
gated onto sand-cultured hydroponic vege- for efficient fish production.
table beds located at ground level. The nutri-
ents in the irrigation water fed tomato and • Previous integrated fish-vegetable
cucumber crops, and the sand beds and systems removed suspended solids
plant roots functioned as a biofi lter. After from the water by sedimentation in
draining from the beds, the water recircu- clarifiers prior to plant application.
lated back into the fish tanks. The only fer- Removal of the solid wastes resulted
tility input to the system was fish feed (32 in insufficient residual nutrients for
percent protein). good plant growth; acceptable fruit
yields had previously only been
Some f i nd ing s a nd h ig h l ig ht s of achieved with substantial supple-
McMurtry’s research: mentation of plant nutrients.
B
iofilters • Benefits of integrating aquaculture • Aqueous nitrate concentrations in
(sand beds and vegetable production are: recirculating aquaculture can be
with 1. conservation of water resources adequately regulated when fish and
vegetable production are linked via
vegetables) that are and plant nutrients
reciprocating biofilters.
alternately flooded 2. intensive production of fish protein • Tomatoes may have also assimi-
and drained with lated nitrogen in organic amino acid
3. reduced operating costs relative to
nutrient-laden either system in isolation. forms. In 1950 Gosh and Burris
fish tank water are (Utilization of Nitrogenous Com-
• Water consumption in an integrated pounds by Plants. Soil Science. Vol.
called reciprocating
aqua-vegeculture system amounts 70: 187-203) found that tomatoes
biofilters. to 1 percent of that required in utilize alanine, glutamic acid, his-
pond culture to produce equivalent tidine, and leucine as effectively as
tilapia yields. inorganic nitrogen sources.
• Such low-water-use symbiotic • Research to determine the optimum
systems are applicable to the needs ratio of fish tank to biofilter volume
of arid or semi-arid regions where on fish growth rate and water quality
fish and fresh vegetables are in found that stocking density of fish
high demand. and plants can vary depending on
• Organic vine-ripened, pesticide-free desired goal. The component ratios
produce and “fresh-daily” fish can of the system may be manipulated
bring premium prices, particularly to favor fish or vegetable production
during winter months in urban areas. according to local market trends or
• Biofilters (sand beds with vegetables) dietary needs. Fish stocking den-
that are alternately flooded and drained sity and feeding rates are adjusted to
with nutrient-laden fish tank water are optimize water quality as influenced
called reciprocating biofilters. by plant growth rate.
• Reciprocating biofilters provide See the Bibliography on Aquaponics in the
uniform distribution of nutrient- appendix for a of list articles that resulted
laden water within the filtration from the North Carolina research.
medium during the flood cycle, and Aqua-vegeculture research at NCSU has
improved aeration from atmospheric been discontinued because the technology
exchange during each dewatering had evolved to the point where it is ready
J
Bioponics – Revolution in Food Growing: ames Rakocy,
greater than field-grown, while yields of
Missouri Aquafarmer Discovers Huge Ben- aquaponic okra were 18 times greater than Ph.D., and
efits in Trace Elements by David Yarrow field-grown. Based on a market price in the associates at
Remineralize the Earth, December 1997. U.S. Virgin Islands of $22 per kg for fresh the University of
basil with stems, researchers calculated gross
the Virgin Islands
The University of the Virgin income potential. The aquaponic method
would result in $515 per cubic meter per (UVI) developed a
Islands System
year or $110,210 per system per year. Th is commercial-scale
James Rakocy, Ph.D., and associates at the Uni-
compares to field-produced basil at $172 per aquaponic system
versity of the Virgin Islands (UVI) developed
cubic meter per year or $36,808 per year for that has run
a commercial-scale aquaponic system that has
the same production area. When fish sales continuously for
run continuously for more than five years. Nile are included, the aquaponic system yields
and red tilapia are raised in fish rearing tanks, $134,245 (Rakocy, et al, 2004). more than five years.
and the aquacultural effluent is linked to float-
ing raft hydroponics. Basil, lettuce, okra, and Like McMurtry, researcher Rakocy sees inte-
other crops have been raised successfully, grated water reuse systems as a viable solution
with outstanding quality and yields. to sustainable food production in developing
countries and arid regions – such as the Carib-
The system components include: Four fish bean Islands – where fresh water is scarce.
rearing tanks at 7,800 liters each, clarifi-
ers, filter and degassing tanks, air diffusers, To provide in-depth technical support, the
sump, base addition tank, pipes and pumps, UVI research team offers a week-long short
and six 400-square foot hydroponic troughs course on aquaponics each year at the UVI
totaling 2,400 sq. ft. The pH is monitored agricultural experiment station. The UVI
daily and maintained at 7.0 to 7.5 by alter- short course is the premier educational
nately adding calcium hydroxide and potas- training program available to farmers in the
sium hydroxide to the base addition tank, world. In addition to aquaponics, UVI spe-
which buffers the aquatic system and sup- cializes in greenwater tank culture, a recircu-
plements calcium and potassium ions at the lating aquaculture system.
same time. The only other supplemental Rakocy has published extensive research
nutrient required is iron, which is added in a reports and several Extension Service bulletins
chelated form once every three weeks. on recirculating aquaculture and aquaponics.
T
rials at the Aquaponics
www.uvi.edu/sites/uvi/Pages/ integrated hydroponic-fish culture systems.
Freshwater
AES-Aquaculture-Aquaponic_Systems. Trials at the institute’s greenhouses showed
Institute’s that nitrogen, phosphorus, and other nutri-
aspx?s=RE
greenhouses showed ents in aquaculture effluent can be effectively
that nitrogen, Especially see: removed by plants grown in NFT hydropon-
phosphorus, and Update on Tilapia and Vegetable Production ics or constructed wetland systems.
other nutrients in the UVI Aquaponic System In the mid-1990s, the institute implemented
in aquaculture James E. Rakocy, Donald S. Bailey, R. an aquaponic demonstration program based
Charlie Shultz and Eric S. Thoman. Page 676- on a Speraneo-style gravel-cultured system.
effluent can be
690. In: New Dimensions on Farmed Tila- Tilapia is raised as a warm-water fish species.
effectively removed pia: Proceedings of the Sixth International Hydroponic crops include basil, lettuce, and
by plants grown Symposium on Tilapia in Aquaculture, held wetland plants.
in NFT hydroponics September 12-16, 2004 in Manila, Philippines.
or constructed Proceedings paper: 15 pages (PDF/254 K) To provide technical assistance to farm-
http://ag.arizona.edu/azaqua/ista/ista6/ ers and high school biology teachers, the
wetland systems. institute published a series of publications
ista6web/pdf/676.pdf, PDF Presentation:
49 pages (PDF/1.47 MB) http://ag.arizona. on recirculating aquaculture and aquaponics.
edu/azaqua/ista/ista6/ista6web/presentation/ The Freshwater Institute Natural Gas Powered
p676.pdf Aquaponic System – Design Manual is a 37-
page manual published by the institute in
Aquaponics: Integrated Technology for Fish 1997. Included are diagrams and photos,
and Vegetable Production in Recirculating details on greenhouse layout and aquaponic
Systems, James Rakocy, University of the production, parts list with suppliers and
Virgin Islands USDA Ministerial Confer- cost, estimated operating expense, and fur-
ence and Expo on Agricultural Science and ther informational resources.
Technology. PowerPoint Presentation; 69
slides, www.fas.usda.gov/icd/stconf/session2/ Please note the institute no longer provides
session%202d/02-rakocy_j-2D%202nd_files/ direct technical assistance to farmers on
frame.htm aquaponics. Instead, it has made some of
their publications on recirculating aquacul-
The Freshwater Institute System ture and aquaponics available online. Contact
The Freshwater Institute in Shepherdstown, The Freshwater Institute for information
West Virginia – a program of The Conser- on obtaining design manuals and other pub-
vation Fund, an environmental non-profit lications not available as Web downloads.
I
System Installation Guide n warm climates,
The Green Center hydroponic
• Linking Hydroponics to a 880
28 Common Way, Hatchville, MA 02536 vegetable beds
Gallon Recycle Fish Rearing System
www.thegreencenter.net may be located
• Operators Manua l for 880 – Especially see: outside.
Recycle System
An Integrated Fish Culture Hydroponic Veg-
etable Production System (PDF/6.57 MB)
The Cabbage Hill Farm System by Ronald D. Zweig, Aquaculture Magazine,
Cabbage Hill Farm is a non-profit organi- May-June 1986. www.thegreencenter.net
zation located about 30 miles north of New Listed under the heading: New Alchemy Institute
York City. The foundation is dedicated to the Publications Online
preservation of rare breeds of farm animals, Summary of Fish Culture Techniques in
sustainable agriculture and local food sys- Solar Aquatic Ponds (PDF/815K) by John
tems, and aquaponic greenhouse production. Wolfe and Ron Zweig. Journal of The New
Cabbage Hill Farm designed and continues Alchemists, 1977. www.thegreencenter.net
to operate a simple recirculating aquaponic Listed under the heading: New Alchemy Institute
system. Cabbage Hill Farm promotes edu- Publications Online
cation on aquaponics and hosts greenhouse
interns. Tours are available. Miscellaneous Systems
Instead of locating the fish and vegetable
Tilapia fish and leaf lettuce are the main
components in separate containers inside a
products of the Cabbage Hill Farm system,
greenhouse, fish production can be located
though basil and watercress are also grown in outdoor tanks or adjacent buildings.
in smaller quantities. In addition to hydro- The effluent simply needs to be delivered to
ponics, water passes through a constructed hydroponic vegetable beds.
reed bed outside the greenhouse for addi-
tional nutrient removal. In warm climates, hydroponic vegetable
beds may be located outside. As an example,
Cabbage Hill Farm the Center for Regenerative Studies at Cali-
115 Crow Hill Road fornia State Polytechnic University - Pomona
Mount Kisco, NY 10549 implemented an outdoor integrated bio-sys-
914-241-2658 tem that links: (a) a pond containing treated
914-241-8264 FAX sewage wastewater stocked with tilapia and
www.cabbagehillfarm.org carp; (b) water hyacinth – an aquatic plant
A is one
method of
hydroponics, and
tion, see the ATTRA resource list Green-
house and Hydroponic Vegetable Production
Resources on the Internet. Complementary
ATTRA publications include Organic Green-
Web Resources listed below provide quick
access to reading material, diagrams and
images, and related details. The Bibliog-
raphy in the appendix provides access to
hydroponics is
one method of house Vegetable Production and Integrated Pest in-depth research and technical data.
greenhouse Management for Greenhouse Crops. 4. Visit an aquaponic greenhouse to gain first-
production. Building and equipping a commercial-sized hand observations. Take lots of pictures to
aquaponic greenhouse can cost $10,000 to document the system components and how
$30,000, depending on the system design they relate to one another. Keep in mind
and choice of components. Due to the that aquaponic growers are busy people
highly technical nature of aquaponics and with a considerable investment in time and
the expense associated with greenhouse pro- resources to establish their businesses.
duction, prospective growers are advised to 5. Attend a short course. There are three
thoroughly investigate production methods prominent aquaponic short courses in
and market potential. A sequence of consid- North America, offered by University of
erations and learning opportunities geared to the Virgin Islands, (University of the Vir-
evaluating an aquaponic greenhouse enter- gin Islands, No date) Aquaculture Inter-
prise are listed below. national (Aquaculture International,
1. Aquaponic greenhouses yield two food No date) in North Carolina, and Grow-
products. To evaluate greenhouse profit- ing Power (Growing Power, No date)
ability, obtain typical yields and market in Wisconsin. Cornell University co-
prices for hydroponic vegetables and fish, hosts a recirculating aquaculture short
and investigate local and regional mar- course in association with The Freshwater
kets and related point of sales. Retail sales Institute (Cornell University, No date).
directly out of your greenhouse or road- In addition, Nelson and Pade, Inc. has
side stand might be an ideal situation, but a list of training courses on their web-
this will depend on your location. site accessible at www.aquaponics.com/
infoCourses.htm.
2. Aquaponics is one method of hydropon-
ics, and hydroponics is one method of 6. Obtain one or two aquaponic training
greenhouse production. Consider lower- manuals to acquire detailed technical
cost and simpler alternatives. Bag cul- specifications. The book Aquaponic Food
ture of greenhouse vegetables – raising Production: raising fish and plants for food
plants in polyethylene grow bags fi lled and profit; the Desktop Aquaponics Booklet;
Page 12 ATTRA Aquaponics—Integration of Hydroponics with Aquaculture
and the Introduction to Aquaponics DVD have become the modern town square.
from Nelson and Pade, Inc. are good start- This is where practitioners, scientists,
ing points. When you are ready to explore specialists, and business people all share
a commercial system, the design manuals resources, supplies, and production meth-
from S&S Aqua Farm in Missouri and ods. The e-mail list is hosted by Paula
Joel Malcolm’s Backyard Aquaponics in Speraneo with S&S Aqua Farms. The
Western Australia contain in-depth tech- archives are publicly accessible, and serve
nical specifications, illustrations, and parts as a treasure trove of technical informa-
lists (S&S Aqua Farm, Joel Malcolm, tion and farmer-to-farmer exchange.
no dates). The Web Resources section
lists additional training manuals and 9. Lastly, avoid the “inventor’s urge” to re-
technical documentation. invent the wheel. Successful aquaponic
7. Hire an agricultural consultant to acquire greenhouse operators have already figured
expert advice and consultation, and to out the system components and methods of
shorten the time and risk involved getting production, based on years of research and
started. A few consultants with expertise experience. Pick one of the existing models
in aquaponics are listed in the Agriculture and duplicate it insofar as possible. The old
Consultants section below. saying, “Get the engine running first, then
8. Participate on the Aquaponics E-mail adjust the carburetor,” can be aptly applied
Discussion Group. E-mail discussion lists to aquaponic start-up greenhouses.
References
1. Rakocy, James E., Donald S. Bailey, R. Charlie 7. Joel Malcolm – Backyard Aquaponics Design Manual
Shultz and Eric S. Thoman. 2004. Update on Western Australia joel@backyardaquaponics.com,
tilapia and vegetable production in the UVI www.backyardaquaponics.com
aquaponic system. p. 676-690. In: New Dimen-
sions on Farmed Tilapia: Proceedings of the
Sixth International Symposium on Tilapia in
Resources
Aquaculture, Held September 12-16, 2004 in E-mail Discussion Lists for
Manila, Philippines.
Aquaponics - Hydroponics - Aquaculture
2. University of the Virgin Islands – International
Aquaponics and Tilapia Aquaculture www.uvi. Aquaponic E-Mail List
edu/sites/uvi/Pages/AES-Aquaculture- Paula Speraneo of S & S Aqua Farm in Missouri
International_Aquaponics.aspx?s=RE hosts the Aquaponics E-Mail list on the Internet. Th e
Aquaponics List is a prominent source of technology
3. Aquaculture International – Short Course on
transfer and resource sharing on all aspects of
Aquaponics www.aquacultureinternational.org
aquaponics: hydroponics, aquaculture, fi sh species,
4. Growing Power – Short Course on Aquaponics supplies, practical solutions, and resources. The
www.growingpower.org e-mail archives are a key source of information.
5. Cornell University – Short Course on Recirculating To subscribe, send an email request to:
Aquaculture www.bee.cornell.edu/cals/bee/ snsaquasys@townsqr.com
outreach/aquaculture/short-course/index.cfm To view Web e-mail archives, go to:
6. S&S Aqua Farm – Design Manual www.jaggartech. Aquaponics List – Before 2002
com/snsaqua www.i55mall.com/aquaponics
Page 28 ATTRA