How much power does it take?

[Josie]

Hi All,

I'm trying to write a usiness plan for an Aquaponics farm and I need all the help I can get..

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I need to be able to work out the likely cost of power I would need to keep fish (Tilapia) at correct temperature for a whole year.

 

Since I would be farming in a temperate climate (Northern England) I would expect to have to use a good deal of power to keep the temperature up for most of the year but may need to cool things down for ( an all too brief) summer time.

If anyone has kept records of the power input to their system I would be very grateful if you would let me know (especially if you are in a cool temperate climate)..

If anyone has gone as far as keeping a record of what power was fed into the system alongside the outside temperature that would be even better.

 

Obviously It wouldn't really help me to know how much you paid for the power as I will be paying the electicity tariff in England which will be significantly different from most of you guys on these forums (I notice we Brits are few and far between at this time,,,,but I'm sure we'll catch up!).

 

thanks in advance for any help you can give.

[Cash Olsen]

Josie,

If you just want to do things the conventional way just start with a greenhouse model. But there are so many things wrong with that model that you should completely rethink the problem.

First place to start is to remember to heat / cool water not air. There is an example where the heat is provided by compost which produces a byproduct. Solar heating of the water is much more effective than heating the air. Heat pumps are more effective heating / cooling water than air. And consider ground coupled or in-ground systems (streams are an example).

Save as much energy as possible in your plan, that might make the difference between profit and loss.

Cash

[Josie]

Thanks Cash,

All useful points. An opportunity has arisen providing I can get a fully detailed business out there really soon which is one reason why I'm homing in on a more traditional greenhouse model. I would definitely be using  solar power and would also be looking into the geothermal heat gain.

From this basic set up that I would be looking to move to other forms of energy creation/capture. I think there is a danger in waiting 'till I know the perfect whole system that I may  never get things off the ground.

I do not see Aqauaponics being a commercial success as a stand alone business at this time in the UK. I would be expecting to have to have several other strands to the business until aquaponics farming does reach a commercially viable point which I believe will happen.

 

Thanks again