Learn what it takes to startup and run a commercial aquaponics facility!

The Lecture Portion Covers:

•   Commercial system design elements
•   Aquaponics system components
•   Environmental and water quality parameters
•   Operations and maintenance activities
•   Pest control and management techniques
•   Marketing, pricing methods, economics of aquaponics
•   Greenhouse or warehouse facility considerations  

The Hands On Portion Covers:

•   Multi-tier growbed stack construction
•   Plumbing, turbulator and bio-filter installation
•   Fish health, quarantining, feeding, stocking and harvesting
•   Water quality testing, adding nutrients, pH adjustments
•   Bio-filter maintenance, solids removal, cleaning
•   Seed starting, transplanting, plant health, harvesting
•   Daily log and other record keeping

Breakout Sessions

A. Hydroponic Stack Construction: build the hydroponic tray and bio-filter stand, install liner
B. AquaCulture Maintenance: stock fish, quarantine, water chemistry tests, nutrient additions, feeding, daily log, solids removal, filter maintenance
C. AquaCulture Tank Construction: build a 1500 gallon fish tank
D. Hydroponics: make rafts, start seedlings, transplant into rafts, harvest, instal lights, records
E. Aquaponics Plumbing: Install turbulator, filter chamber, pump plumbing, bio-filtration

Growhaus Tour (optional)

We will be offering a tour to GrowHaus which is running 2 different community sized production systems and looking to expand aquaponics, build out its shared growing space, and open a fresh market in a food desert. 

Prerequisite:

It is strongly recommended that participants to have completed the Introduction to Aquaponics workshop.