Carey Ma

Hi Carey,

I'm afraid I don't have much in the way of curriculum materials for aquaponics. Even though I have included it as part of the  Advanced Biology class for the last 3 years, I've been sort of winging it as we go along. The first year we spent a lot of time building the system. The past two years have been dedicated to improving it  and raising as many vegetables as possible. The real goal of the project is to provide students with a real research project that requires planning, teamwork and careful record keeping. It also provides a vehicle for teaching public speaking as I have students give an oral Research in Progress (RIP) report to the the class once every 4-6 weeks. In this RIP they must tell the class what they have accomplished and what their plans are for the next 4-6 weeks. This must be accompanied by pictures, graphs, data tables, etc. Each team of 2 students is responsible for 1 aspect of the project. For example one group is in charge of tomatoes and must learn all they can about tomato culture and then grow them. (We use only heirloom tomatoes). Another group will be in charge of leafy vegetables. Another is in charge of water quality. Etc. Our system worked quite well in spite of some design weaknesses. We had about 600 gal of water in the system with 50 bluegills  and 5 largemouth bass in a 4ftX8ft. rubber-lined, wooden tank. We pumped water 8 times per day over three 4ftx4ft plastic grow trays.  These trays were filled with about 3 inches of Hydroton. We also had a gravel filled stream made of plastic rain gutter mounted along the inside of the fish tank. Water circulated in this stream continuously. It was a good place for growing water-cress. I'm at the end of my allowed 2000 characters so maybe we can continue this another way.  

Yes- Honor & Pride! As this industry is in its infancy - It is quite amazing to see how fast the momentum is gaining... The collective thought is very natural & positive and all about the Pura Vida (pure life)! 

Keep up the awesome work- Imagine where you will be in 5-years!!!

Nice photos and setup.

I especially like the wall mat, you definately have a nice area to work with.

Hi Carey Ma, bicycle, I think it's to hot here. But you did a great job if I see the pics. If you are interested what we do in Thailand, please visit http://www.facebook.com/pages/Aquaponics-Thailand/170218083004597

Have a nice day

Werner

Hi Carey,

I think you know already where this will lead. You must be careful what you mention here on the forums, with addicted people like me I'm sure to "obey" your instructions................... Self Sustaining for sure, and just so you know it'll be your fault

I'd be happy to help you.  What do you have in mind?

Thanks a bunch Carey...Appreciate it.

Yeah, I'm probably already overdoing it with the "just in case" factor on the electrical side, but better now than later...looking forward to those new blogs you mentioned... 

Hi Carey,

Janaia Donaldson of Peak Moment TV is scaling back on her library and is interested in helping you out with your info shortage, but she needs your email address.  You can find her at www.peakmoment.tv or I can pass it along if you prefer.

Hey Carey.  Thanks for your two thumbs up over on our Green Acre page.  Means much coming from you!  :)

Hi Carey,  I sent you a message rather than trying to put the whole comment here.

Talk to you soon.

Carey,  Glad to hear you will be stateside for a bit.

Will you be able to take some heirloom seeds back to Beijing with you??

I do hope so.

Hi.

Go to the website" alcohol can be a gas.com"

Purchase the book, it will give you the best advise about how to do it. Obviously you will need a good plummer to do it 

Hi i live in Australia. My parents are from China.

Terrible, one person said add hydroponic nutrients and that almost killed it, another person recommended me use ammonia which I finally found. Its slowly coming back but I cant see it multplying twice in one day.

You are giving me some great ideas on much bigger, fully integrated systems. I especially dig the 'big greenhouse'. Ever since I started with the AP, it has been my intention to integrate it as completely as possible into a much more durable living arrangement than what we now have. Have you considered a TEG type power source for aeration, etc?

Genetically Modified - yes I'm aware of what that is and Patrick is working with someone that already produces organic and, I do believe, non GMO feeds for other livestock.  They are in the process of determining what the demand will be for organic, non-gmo fish food. 

I will mention to him that if it is non-gmo then he needs to include that in his description. 

And yes, the company is one of those terrible capitalist companies that want to make the dreaded "M" word.

Hello Carey, thanks for the reply.

Thanks for sharing your project. I wlll read all your post in you blog.

I do post on BYC but I have a different picture there, I don't know if you've ever been on the Valley Permaculture Alliance website-- I post there the most frequently. :)

Carey,

I am still in development. I spent 10 months experimenting on a small scale (100 fish). I have finalized my plans for sizing in the 40ft hoop greenhouse we are currently building. I am developing some alternative energy pumps and aeration devices. I will post them when they are "out of the oven". I need to do some more tests yet.

You might be interested in seeing the website of the group I am part of

http://www.sustainlife.org We teach homesteading and sustainability. There are at least 4 aquaponics systems being built currently with several more families considering.

Hi Carey,

I will be returning to China in April. I would like to meet with you then, if that would be possible. I am thinking I will be in Beijing on the 12th. I don't have a set agenda yet.The place where we would be setting up the system would be on a mountain in Shandong Province about 50 KM west of Rizhao. I look forward to meeting you.

HI Carey, unfortunately evilAG has been working over time (esp. the last 3 years) here, and will probably be shutting down our seed institutes the way they already have in in many of the surrounding countries. The situation is probably similar (more or less) just about everywhere. But some people have begun a grassroots heirloom/open pollination seed-exchange mostly through net/facebook. I have personal access to very limited quantities of a variety of (mostly vegetables) seeds from friends and neighbors here, but would be more than happy to try and obtain for you what I can. (In all likelihood small quantities of each cultivar, but I'm sure that you are already prepared for spending a season or too building up your seed stocks. Let me know exactly what you need most, and I'd be happy to try and help.

No problem. Yeah Alfalfa and grains/grasses are probably what you need most I imagine. I'll look into it. There should be some good local open pollinated grasses if that is what you need. Should you need Basil seeds (which I highly doubt) I've got you covered for like the next 5 lifetimes :) I've actually started putting the seeds in our homemade soaps as a peeling/scrub effect...hehe... I have some local hot pepper varieties too if you're into that kind of stuff...and some Yugoslavian heirloom red-green salads and lots of different medicinal herbs seed. (NOT pot but actual various traditional/folk medicine plants). Onions, potatoes, various old time garlics as well, but that kind of stuff is probably harder to ship I guess. I commend all of your work and would be glad to help out in any way I can (provided that you pay for the shipping of course :) 

Hi Carey, 

You never said what seeds you needed most exactly? 

Check out this grow rig, like a totally super hi-tech-space looking version of the Colossuem system...Might not grow plants any more efficiently than the Colosseum, but hey...it looks so damn cool. (Everything but the price that is)...(I'm a sucker for the kind of stuff that looks like it belongs in a C. Arthur Clark space station...just not that big of a sucker to fall for the price tag :) http://www.hg-hydroponics.co.uk/eco-system-300-plant-vertical-syste...

Hope all is well...

Namaste Carey my friend,

At present, I have numerous system designs and concepts that I am playing around with. Not being an engineer or a graphic designer, I am limited to document my thoughts. Further, at present, I am working on a few pressing matters and developments locally. It looks like that soon I will be able to, God willing, have use of some land where I will actually try to build a "small" demo of what my thoughts are and get it operational. If a picture paints a thousand words, what about a working and operational real life view?

Carey, your design that you posted (and past), plus our previous discussions are all around the same basis and theme...total integration and use of as many natural resourses as possible...using Aquaponics as the principal ABC's in the growing and establishing of sustainable Ecosystems...living food jungles :-)

God bless,

Sahib@sahibaquaponics.com

Hi there Carey, It seems as though I am able to get my hands on some open pollinated Lucerka (a type of clover/grass). Let me know if you are interested...Inner Mongolia huh? I hear the fishing is great in those parts :) Hope all is well.

Much Respect.

Carey, I'm not real knowledgeable about grasses/grains and what they are called in serbian, but this "Lucerka" appears to me to be Alfalfa in english? So, if the pic below is of Alfalfa,  you may be in luck...Sorry the img is so small...

Hello,

Your knowledge and experience is greatly appreciate if you can help. I'm in limbo land right now, still trying to figure out what exactly that I need to accomplish my dream.

Thanks

HI Carey

I have interest in your proposition about CHINA, I need information of your offer.  my email is jgongora@cicese.edu.mx, josema996@hotmail.com

cheers

Very interesting proposal. I have never considered it, and I'm not one to speak a foreign language.... I am moving with my wife and 5 yr old child as well. I have no experience in aquaponics yet, however I feel that I would fit in quite well. I would however consider the option in the future...currently need to stay within the US for the next 2 years, but it does sound interesting and I am always looking for new places to experiance. I will keep this in mind, please feel free to forward information to works.2011@gmail.com.

Thanks for the Offer! Best of Luck to finding assistance. 

ola Carey Ma..posted a couple of drawings of our project on my wall since you were unable to open the blog.. Thanks for the 'feed' thread- you answered several questions I had re tilapia eating greens..etc. Our ponds are growing lots of green stuff these days..Wondering how much of it the fish eat..Seems to mostly grow in the shallows- maybe warmer water? Tested with PH strips the other day-about 6.5-if the ponds have heavy ammonia would they test out at 6.5?

Question ? Between the work you do on your farm(s) etc, the mail you do re this site etc,when do you sleep? Went thru your photos- like wow it appears you have many 'irons in the fire'- 

am amazed that your digesters have enough internal pressure to force out the sludge..Have you tried the sludge mixed with other plant waste in a cold (worm) compost?

Take your point re the billions eating veggies grown from sewage sludge..Lotta prejudice to overcome unfortunately. When we get hungry enough we'll get beyond that sorta thinking..

Cheers..rick

Hey Carey,

Thanks for checking up on me. I miss you guys and the site very much. I glance through every once in a while. See you are staying active, I'm happy for that. Very busy here and don't get the time really. Still trying to get some land to practice/teach AP. Im making some progress and could be sooner than later. Hope youre doing well with the AP over there. Bye for now.

Thanks, your pioneering efforts in China are an inspiration

Would be great to exchange information and experience while I develop a multi-story AP complex here in Boston.

Hi Carey. Yeah, I can relate to that. Most of the busy-ness here amounts to me robbing Petar, to pay Paul, but I can think of worse things to be doing with my time. (Sorry this reply is about a month late, I don't much check my page). Hope all is well. Cheers.