Nate Storey

Male

Laramie, WY

United States

Profile Information:

How did you find us?
other
If you found us through a referral or a newsletter, which was it?
Sylvia's newsletter
Are you an aquaponic gardener already?
Yes
If so, what type of system? (pick all that apply)
vertical, I develop hydroponic and phytoremediation equipment. I've done NFT, various gravel bed hydroponic techniques and vertical aero and vertical hydroponic production. Right now I'm using vertical tubes of my own design. They contain a polyester matrix material medium and the plants grow out of one face of the tubes. They work wonderfully for high-density production. I'd be happy to send pictures to anyone interested. I'm currently culturing common carp and several types of tilapia. I'm running two 2000 gallon+ systems .
How old is your system?
2 yrs or more
What type of fish do you grow with? (select all that apply)
Tilapia
How big is your fish tank?
4,000 gallons
Please tell us something else about yourself.
I'm a University of Wyoming researcher. I did my masters degree on aquaponic component comparisons and I'm currently working on a PhD looking at high density production, marketing systems, cost reductions and impacting local markets. I also own Bright Agrotech, LLC, and equipment development and manufacturing company specializing in aquaponic equipment. My goal is to make commercial aquaponics as sustainable, profitable and accessible as possible.

Comment Wall:

  • Sylvia Bernstein

    Wow, Nate, you have been doing some fascinating work. I would love to see your master's thesis, if that is at all possible. Is your PhD work also related to aquaponics? Would you post some photos and/or video of you systems?

    Thank you so much for joining our little forum. We are pretty new still, but are already having some fascinating conversations. I'm asking the more experienced people such as yourself to please check in with the Newbies site once and a while to see if you can help with their questions - we have a mix of about 2/3 newbie to 1/3 experienced aquapons in here.

    I'm really looking forward to getting to know you!

    Sylvia

    Feb 28, 2010

  • Sylvia Bernstein

    The photos are wonderful! thanks for sharing. They seem to be in channels with slits instead of the usual holes. Didn't the plants bunch up into each other? You've got some wonderful growth going on there in most of them, and I love the root shots! Is this what your PhD is on as well? I just had a chance to interview Dr. Rakocy at UVI a couple weeks ago for an article in BYAP magazine I sent off today, so it is ironic that you joined us today!

    Feb 28, 2010

  • TCLynx

    Nate, Please tell us more about the media you are using in the vertical towers you are using? I'm interested in that design, looks really cool.

    Feb 28, 2010

  • TCLynx

    Where do you find that media? If you can't tell, I'm kinda tempted to try it out for a few uses. Have you used if for any purposes other than your vertical growing towers? If so, what did you try and how were the results compared to other media.

    Have you tried direct seeding into it or only with seedlings? What are your seed starting methods for the seedlings going into the towers.

    I'm thinking up all sorts of questions here for you...
    Hum, I wonder it this might all be better put into a discussion about your vertical hydroponics system.

    Mar 1, 2010

  • TCLynx

    Hay Thanks for starting the discussion about the media and your vertical growing methods. I've been trying to send you a message but for some reason I can't get several functions on this site to work for me. Anyway, I'd love to play with some samples of the stuff. If it is as useful as all that, it could be a great handy filter media and grow media for aquaponics. I don't know if a media business was really what you had in mind though.
    Thanks

    Mar 1, 2010

  • Emma Lysyk

    Hi Nate! Definitely keep me posted if you want to work something out for a small-scale test. I think you've really got something good going there :)

    Mar 22, 2010

  • M Cosmo

    Hi Nate. Very interesting Vertical towers. I live only 30 mins from Vertigro. They ship most of their products. The towers run 4.50 each and hold up great. www.vertigro.com. Price list at I am getting my fish in a month. They will be coming from www.morningstarfishermen.org. I just finished scanning and digitizing all of the New Alchemy Journals. Let me know if you want a copy. There is a lot of research of the solar aquaponic tanks and pond culture. I would be interesting in conducting some side by side tests of your tower designs and the Vertigro. I really like your design. I will have my tanks in before the fish are ready. 5 tanks 280 gal each.
    I have a good relationship with Tim at vertigro and just took the all day class there last week. He focuses on u-pick strawberry farms but there are a lot of small farm vegetable farmers using his systems for many years. I am using coconut Coir and Vermiculite. I am thinking of not having a bio-filter and let the pot media act as the biofilter. I have looked at your pics many times and have lots of questions. Let me know if you can help me out with some media and we can conduct some tests.

    Mar 22, 2010

  • M Cosmo

    I grow almost exclusively lettuce, Several Reds and some greens. Arugulas, Watercress, Spinach I will post some more pics later in the week. High nutrient value Greens. I am testing some Tomato towers. I get my seeds from Johnny's selected seeds. I will have to ship a CD with the Journals - they are 140 mb each. Do you grow your lettuce seedlings for 4 weeks and then how long until you harvest? Are you doing whole heads or pick and grow. I do both. The next 3 months are our best lettuce growing season until november. I do grow all summer with shade. It really depends on how well I can cool the greenhouse. I am thinking of a solar chimney-passive system to help cool it when the wind dies in the extreme summer. Working with Bioshelters has given me some ideas on how to cool and heat the greenhouse. Eventually with excess energy to help with the habitat space.

    Mar 22, 2010