Sustainability for zone 5 AP system?

[Joe Runion]

Hello all!

       I'm a new member and this will be my first post of many. I am well on my way of gathering the material to set up my first system. I've spent the past few months pondering and agonizing over how I will set this up as I'm sure most everyone has done in the beginning stages of aquaponics. My thought process began with Jack Spirko mentioning aquaponics which led to growingpower.org and I was sold in minutes. I quickly found Murray Hallum on youtube and purchased his DVD's, then found theaquaponicsource and this forum and from there I've just been in massive planning mode. 

       I'm in need of some help though. The most attractive aspect of aquaponics to me is its sustainability. My ignorance tells me that given my climate (NE Ohio, zone 5) this is going to be a late spring, summer and early fall kind of a thing (I'm in NE Ohio), I understand the sustainability for those that live in FL or SoCal, and I'm not questioning whether AP is a sustainable food source but I am questioning whether it would be for the colder areas. I’ve never been in a greenhouse in my state during any winter month but I find it hard to believe one could be economically heated to a point that it’s a sustainable option to buying food at the supermarket. I’ve looked into some options for heating one and it’s either super expensive or involve some sort of rocket mass stove/heater (which by the way, pretty sweet.) I’m hoping that I’m wrong and this isn’t an issue at all…but the temp here averaged around 10 degrees for few weeks at a time here in OH.  Would everything die? And does this mean that I would only be able to do this indoors?

 

-I should add that I have been browsing this site recently for AP owners that live in my area and I haven’t run across any yet.

       The second issue I’m having is on the design of my DIY system. I've already decided to go with Rubbermaid's 150g stock tank for my fishies. I’m having trouble deciding which way to go on the GB. There are so many options but I'm looking for something that looks decent, that's sturdy,  but is also cheap enough to talk my family into letting me build one for them (I need everyone I know to be able to grow their own food so they don't come after mine when TSHF:). And to help spread the word about AP of course. I could either:

A) Build it myself using plywood and either fiberglass (which I've never done before) or EPDM pond liner to seal it. 

B) The fiberglass/polyurethane tanks from aquatic eco-systems (tank 1- (3) 39 gallon tanks, or tank 2 - (1) 130 gallon tank)  

C) Or I could just buy one of the Aquabundance grow beds. 

My last question is whether or not a 120/130 gallon system is advised for a novice. Should I start off smaller?

My last thought is that I think I should let it be known now that I see potential business opportunity in this and my intentions are to figure out how all this works and then figure out how to make money from it (china is taking over my current industry). 

Thanks for such a great site everyone! 

 

[Kellen Weissenbach]

Hi Joe,

 

You might want to look into building an earth sheltered greenhouse.  It would make year round growing much more sustainable and economical from a heating perspective.

[TCLynx]

I would say go bigger on the fish tank the 300 gallon stock tank is only about $210 last I knew but probably went up again.  Go with fish that can survive cold water.  Only heat a greenhouse (water) enough to keep the water flowing for the winter and just grow some cold loving plants through the winter as the system will be slowed right down.  Broccoli and kale will survive freezing temps well, I've seen kale growing in an unheated greenhouse at Growing power in late December.  They actually had the door propped open even.

 

Starting small like an aquarium herb system indoors could help with learning but really small systems tend to be less stable.  It will at least give you a place to test out you first media and learn about using the test kit and doing a cycle up of the bio-filter.

 

Or the Aqua-abundance is a system which can be moved in and out if you have a roll through door anywhere.

 

[David Waite]

Joe like you I am in zone 5. I am at 4500 ft elev in the high desert. You can build a hoop house fairly cheap and that will give you a zone 6 temp with no heat. Use a hardy fish like the perch up there and they will thrive in the cold and the heat of the summer. Buy the book winter harvest by elliot coleman and you will see what he grows in Maine. Definitley buy the biggest system you can manage and afford to mediate the temp swings.