Aquaponic Gardening2024-03-28T16:56:08ZJapan Aquaponics - アクアポニックス 日本https://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/JapanAquaponicshttps://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2796925922?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1https://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/forum/topic/listForContributor?groupUrl=green-acre-aquaponics&user=1nfhlboudqy11&feed=yes&xn_auth=noGreen Acre Update!tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-09-05:4778851:Topic:5134192013-09-05T18:13:40.614ZJapan Aquaponics - アクアポニックス 日本https://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/JapanAquaponics
<p>Hi there! We have been so, sooo busy here at the farm that there is little time to check in here or update about what we've been doing and what has been going on and there has been lots! Our latest blog just shared about our summer or our summertime blues! ;-) Here ya go!</p>
<h1 class="title">Summertime Blues!</h1>
<div class="entry"><p><span>It’s August and at the peak of hot here in Florida. For us that means slow production time on the farm and slow production time on the farm means…</span></p>
</div>
<p>Hi there! We have been so, sooo busy here at the farm that there is little time to check in here or update about what we've been doing and what has been going on and there has been lots! Our latest blog just shared about our summer or our summertime blues! ;-) Here ya go!</p>
<h1 class="title">Summertime Blues!</h1>
<div class="entry"><p><span>It’s August and at the peak of hot here in Florida. For us that means slow production time on the farm and slow production time on the farm means lots of time for projects. Its the cycle of traditional farmers here in the south too. Summer is the time to till under crops and get ready for fall planting. Although we aquaponic farmers don’t have soil to till, summer sure is a great time to clean coconut coir, vermiculite and other organic matter out of the DWC grow troughs. If you too have farmed with net pots and a loose media made of coconut coir with or with out vermiculite and perhaps worm castings, odds are you too have a lot of media residue in your troughs.</span></p>
<p><span>If these large amounts of organic matter are then left unchecked and allowed to remain in the system too long, system health and balance can easily be compromised. This organic matter will eventually create adverse conditions where oxygen consuming heterotrophic bacteria begin to dominate the system. However emptying the troughs and removing the brown sludge at least once a year generally is frequent enough to maintain system health. Water can be easily pumped over to holding tanks and the decaying coir and plant matter can be removed. Just a couple of weeks ago group of volunteers helped clean out our 1200sqft of DWC in the two small hoop houses.</span></p>
<p><span><img alt="" src="https://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs167/1104332423752/img/157.jpg" width="230" height="172" name="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.157" align="right" border="0" hspace="5" vspace="5" id="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.157"/></span></p>
<p><span>This same 1200sqft of DWC is also being converted over to its own independent system and is our second project of the summer season. These troughs used to be connected to the same fish tanks and filtration system as the other systems inside the main greenhouse. Now they are being separated into their own loop or system with a fish tank, radial flow filter, clarifier and degassing tank and is nearly complete!</span></p>
<p><span>Our third and final project for the summer was our nursery conversion. We have renovated our simple hoop style house into <img alt="" src="https://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs167/1104332423752/img/158.jpg" width="223" height="166" name="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.158" align="left" border="0" hspace="5" vspace="5" id="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.158"/>a design that is somewhat similar to a passive solar structure with insulated north and end walls and reduced glazing and we have also added thermostatically controlled vents and an evaporative cooler. Check out our recent article in the Aquaponics Survivalist Communities August 10th magazine edition about the conversion and see this month’s September edition for a follow-up. The last of the construction is finally wrapped up and seedlings are in their new cooled home and cooling action is definitely taking place and we are gaining about 10-12 degrees cooler then the structure used to be.</span></p>
<p><span>Fall crops are started and just as soon as system 2 or the outside system is finished up, they are going in. Summertime blues are over! <a><img src="http://www.bkserv.net/images/Grin.gif"/></a></span></p>
</div> Farmers Market Tips and Tricks!tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2011-12-06:4778851:Topic:2614002011-12-06T04:54:10.203ZJapan Aquaponics - アクアポニックス 日本https://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/JapanAquaponics
<p>Part of being a community connected small farm is having a thriving Farmers Market presence. After a lot of trial and error and also getting some great tips from Ann Forsthoefel's presentation at this year's Aquaponics Association Conference, we are now having an incredible response at our local market. Ideally what we have been striving for is repeat clientele and we now see the same faces week after week and wonderful farmer/client relationships are building. Our customers know they can…</p>
<p>Part of being a community connected small farm is having a thriving Farmers Market presence. After a lot of trial and error and also getting some great tips from Ann Forsthoefel's presentation at this year's Aquaponics Association Conference, we are now having an incredible response at our local market. Ideally what we have been striving for is repeat clientele and we now see the same faces week after week and wonderful farmer/client relationships are building. Our customers know they can rely on us to be there every weekend and can also rely on our product. Here's some of things we have learned that have contributed to our success at the market.</p>
<ul>
<li>Signage, signage, signage! - This is important in not only identifying your stand, but also can help tell your story. Be sure your name is prominently displayed as well as clear signs indicating your products and prices. </li>
<li>Talk your story! - This what people crave at a farmers market, the personal connection. Its all about Knowing Your Farmer, Know Your Food! This is where the trust is developed and the bond that will keep them coming back. Talk about how your product is chem free, naturally grown and why they should eat it. Don't be afraid to throw statistics at them like there is 67 different chemicals in conventionally grown Celery and then ask them if they know what chemicals is in our Celery. That's right, NONE! It works every time. :)</li>
<li>Have plenty of products - As much as we would like to sell only what we grow, we found that we couldn't offer enough different products to have a well rounded selection so we supplement with certified Organic produce we purchase from an Organic distributor. Patrons want to do their grocery shopping at the farmers market and although we have at times several different aquaponically grown items, customers wanted more and they especially wanted items that we cannot grow in our system such as mushrooms, apples, oranges, pears, potatoes, etc. Just be sure to identify your aquaponically grown items and offer the items you purchase and resell at a competitive price compared to the grocery store. This may be contingent upon your area and the availability of organic produce, but here where the local grocery store only has a dozen organic items to choose from and charge $3.99 for one zucchini, reselling at the market is a great option. </li>
<li>Make your booth inviting! - This was something we learned by just trying different set ups. A set up where the customer actually has to come into the tent as opposed to tables set up at the perimeter of the tent made a huge difference. Not only did we now invite customers into our "space" but when there are 10 or so people clustered in your tent, others have to come see what all the fuss is about. </li>
<li>Have appealing produce displays - We built produce displays that sit at an angle and are lined with indoor/outdoor carpet(the fake grass kind) and these sit on folding tables. Each can hold up to four different items. This made an enormous difference as opposed to having the produce in baskets on tables. Now everything is visible and the produce is neatly lined in their displays just like at the grocery store. Make it pretty! </li>
<li>Bring it live if you can! - We will almost always sell out of lettuce when we are able to bring a live product. We often have lines waiting as we pull heads out of large totes and clip the roots and pots free and send folks home with lettuce as fresh as if they just got it out of their own garden. Some want to keep the roots and the pot and that is simply an extra $.20 charge. The only drawback is that this doesn't work in the summer months as it is too warm and the lettuce wilts too quickly. </li>
<li>Have fun! - There is nothing better than being slammed at the market and often we have rushes that will last up to a half hour or more. We laugh and joke with our customers and compare recipes and offer samples. Always thank your customers and tell them see ya next week! Odds are you will.</li>
</ul>
<p>Hope this helps any others looking to go to market and please share your tips and tricks here too!</p> Solids in DWC systems and Gammarustag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2011-11-07:4778851:Topic:2445322011-11-07T14:21:18.841ZJapan Aquaponics - アクアポニックス 日本https://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/JapanAquaponics
<p>Operation of our DWC system over time has lead us to the conclusion that for small scale aquaponic farms that much can be gained from integrating media beds as an efficient mechanism for handling the solid wastes produced in the system. Even with low density, the lack of solids removal as in our small system is still problematic and the deposit of fish waste into the trough over time eventually becomes a substance that needs to be removed. Systems that rely on more effective, but also…</p>
<p>Operation of our DWC system over time has lead us to the conclusion that for small scale aquaponic farms that much can be gained from integrating media beds as an efficient mechanism for handling the solid wastes produced in the system. Even with low density, the lack of solids removal as in our small system is still problematic and the deposit of fish waste into the trough over time eventually becomes a substance that needs to be removed. Systems that rely on more effective, but also somewhat more costly solids removal such as drum and swirl filters seem to manage the waste better in DWC, however there is still the aspect that the valuable solids do not stay in the system. </p>
<p>Systems in Hawaii have tiny crustaceans called Gammarus appear in their aquaponic systems after about 6 months that eat or metabolize the fish waste. We know of several systems in Hawaii where after roughly the same amount of system operation time, the Gammarus just "appeared". Both of our systems have been running well over this time frame and we have not had Gammarus appear in ours. In fact an attempt to populate a small system with them failed. Temperature or pH related perhaps? Or does this crustacean thrive only in certain environments or eco-systems such as Hawaii or with conditions similar to Hawaii? We do know that the mineral content in the water in Hawaii is drastically greater then the mineral content of the water in Florida. TDS tests indicated the particulant content was several hundred times greater. Maybe this is another factor. </p>
<p>Does anyone know of a system outside of Hawaii where Gammarus population has occurred intrinsically or where there was a successful seeding? </p> What Criteria Must be Met to be Aquaponically Grown?tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2011-10-27:4778851:Topic:2383592011-10-27T05:36:31.870ZJapan Aquaponics - アクアポニックス 日本https://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/JapanAquaponics
<p>Is any product that is grown with fish effluent water qualified to be considered aquaponically grown? For instance, a plant in a pot filled with peat and vermicompost or other media and placed in a shallow trough that is flooded with aquaponic water considered aquaponically grown? One could argue that it is being fed with fish effluent water, however it is not necessarily part of the recirculating process. The plant is benefiting from the nutrient rich water but is the plant in its…</p>
<p>Is any product that is grown with fish effluent water qualified to be considered aquaponically grown? For instance, a plant in a pot filled with peat and vermicompost or other media and placed in a shallow trough that is flooded with aquaponic water considered aquaponically grown? One could argue that it is being fed with fish effluent water, however it is not necessarily part of the recirculating process. The plant is benefiting from the nutrient rich water but is the plant in its container adding to the bacterial process and conversion that takes place in an aquaponic system?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>If we examine what would be required to be certified as aquaponically grown, what criteria must be met? Can it be terrestrial crops being watered with aquaponic overflow or must they be cultivated in a recirculating system? Opinions please! </p> Biosecurity in Aquaponic Systemstag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2011-10-17:4778851:Topic:2336042011-10-17T17:32:24.805ZJapan Aquaponics - アクアポニックス 日本https://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/JapanAquaponics
<p>In light of the recent conversation surrounding worms in an aquaponic system and the potential of the introduction of contaminants, I had a discussion with Jim Rakocy about it. After having visited my farm a couple weeks ago and meeting my dogs, horses and cats, Jim commented that in order to be absolutely Biosecure, that before entering the greenhouse we should wash hands and maybe even consider putting on coveralls in the greenhouse and when working around the plants and system.…</p>
<p>In light of the recent conversation surrounding worms in an aquaponic system and the potential of the introduction of contaminants, I had a discussion with Jim Rakocy about it. After having visited my farm a couple weeks ago and meeting my dogs, horses and cats, Jim commented that in order to be absolutely Biosecure, that before entering the greenhouse we should wash hands and maybe even consider putting on coveralls in the greenhouse and when working around the plants and system. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The thinking behind this is that we all know that dogs for instance like to roll in certain things and what if theoretically, the dog rolled in some nasty e.coli laden poo, you pet the dog and presto, you just now transferred e.coli to your system. Probably altogether possible and not too outlandish, but how diligent should we be with our systems to insure nothing can get in? Really only enclosed systems can be that secure. One could never secure an open exposed system with squirrels, possum and other rodents possibly and most likely visiting at night. Ultimately it seems that enclosed AP systems can absolutely boast being the safest way to grow food as it can control sources of outside contaminants. How does this compare to outside systems or conventionally grown produce. Is our concern about e.coli in our systems perhaps a little too drastic? Food has been grown for centuries in the dirt with all kinds of visitors and potential carriers exposing it to risks, yet when we hear of an outbreak, the point of contamination is almost always a human related failure at the processing level. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Thoughts? </p> Will Solids Removal Still be Necessary In DWC with a Media Bed?tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2011-10-14:4778851:Topic:2318102011-10-14T05:37:42.733ZJapan Aquaponics - アクアポニックス 日本https://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/JapanAquaponics
<p>The ultimate goal in integrating a media bed gravel filter with a DWC system is to eliminate the need for solids removal, essentially eliminating the labor factor as well as benefiting from the additional metabolization of those solids by introducing red worms. Is it possible to remove all solids via the media bed or will some degree of solids removal, ie. settling tanks or swirl filters still be needed? JD Sawyer just posed this question to me a couple days ago and quoted this from James…</p>
<p>The ultimate goal in integrating a media bed gravel filter with a DWC system is to eliminate the need for solids removal, essentially eliminating the labor factor as well as benefiting from the additional metabolization of those solids by introducing red worms. Is it possible to remove all solids via the media bed or will some degree of solids removal, ie. settling tanks or swirl filters still be needed? JD Sawyer just posed this question to me a couple days ago and quoted this from James Ebeling's book Recirculating Aquaculture,</p>
<p><i>"Carbon eating heterotrophic bacteria grow significantly faster than the autotrophic nitrifiers do. Their mass can double in an hour, while it takes nitrifiers days to double. This high growth and the associated oxygen demand consequently suffocate the nitrifiers buried deeper in the biofilms, resulting in death and sloughing of the biofilm from the bioreactor surfaces... You must have effective solids removal BEFORE the high ammonia water is transferred to the biofilter. As mentioned above, the heterotrophic growth will compromise the nitrifiers ability to oxidize ammonia, mostly because the heterotrophs consume the oxygen prior to the oxygen being able to diffuse into the biofilm to where the nitrifiers are. This results in nitrifiers being starved for oxygen and then they die off resulting in complete sloughing of the biofilm and loss of nitrification capacity. A recipe for disaster in RAS is to have poor solids removal" (Ebeling, Biofilter design, Recirculating Aquaculture 2nd Ed).</i></p>
<p>My theory is that stocking densities and feed ratios will have a tremendous effect on this and if managed correctly, should minimize the need for solids removal.</p>