Commercial systems

[Sylvia Bernstein]

Are you interested in growing commercially?  Do you already grow commercially?  This is the place for exchanging ideas and experiences, and making new contacts in commercial aquaponic agriculture

 

You might also consider joining the Commercial Aquaponics discussion group for lots more information and discussion

[Carolyn Allen]

Thanks to all for your response to my question. I had not thought about the labor savings of rafts. Very important :-) I am a little concerned about the "styrofoam" / petroleum products used for rafts. Are there natural materials that could be used instead... such as wood, or bamboo... etc?

[Michelle Silva]

Hi Caroyln,
I had loooked for alternatives, maybe youcan find somthing, but I didn't find anything that would work as easy on a large scale..for a smaller system, I have seen wood with holes cut in (but it floated on plastic bottles). and then I worried that since I have liners that the wood might rip the liner and also if there were chemicals in the wood and thought that plastic bottles (to keep afloat) wasn't so great either!

I've talked with a couple of permaculutrists on the unsustainability and safety of some things involved in aquaponics..i.e styrofoam,liners, even rubber containers etc... Permaculturists seem to be very much in support of aquaponics. So although it supports an industry I would rather not, at least it seems that the beneficial bacteria (biofilters)that develops on the bottom of the rafts and on the liners (i.e slime) will take care of anything that could possibly be harmful.

It would be great if someone comes up with an alternative that has the same pros as foam without the cons on supporting a petroleum product industry!

Carolyn Allen said:

Thanks to all for your response to my question. I had not thought about the labor savings of rafts. Very important :-) I am a little concerned about the "styrofoam" / petroleum products used for rafts. Are there natural materials that could be used instead... such as wood, or bamboo... etc?

[Michelle Silva]

I need advise ASAP with net pots.
I have 2,000 2"poppleman and made sure to tell the supplier I wanted the one with the lip so it doesn't fall thru. It took a while to receive them and yesterday when we started drilling holes, found that they slipped thru when using the 2" holesaw. The supplier sent me a photo of the only other one poppleman sells, but it's called a slit pot. The openings are larger. It's hard to tell but that looks like it could possibly have a larger "lip" to prevent it from slipping thur..Please advise asap, I had some volunteers coming this weekend and need the supplies!

[Michelle Silva]

BTW, I posted pics (kind of blurry though) of the ones I have on page 7 in my reply in the "commercial system" forum. I can't figure out how to post the pics that the supplier sent from his catalog!

[Nate Storey]

Do you have a picture of your net pot? If there's a lip on it, you might just drill as slightly smaller hole. . . measure the inside diameter of the pot and go from there. . .

Michelle Silva said:

I need advise ASAP with net pots.
I have 2,000 2"poppleman and made sure to tell the supplier I wanted the one with the lip so it doesn't fall thru. It took a while to receive them and yesterday when we started drilling holes, found that they slipped thru when using the 2" holesaw. The supplier sent me a photo of the only other one poppleman sells, but it's called a slit pot. The openings are larger. It's hard to tell but that looks like it could possibly have a larger "lip" to prevent it from slipping thur..Please advise asap, I had some volunteers coming this weekend and need the supplies!

[Michelle Silva]

I tried the only smaller holesaw available at home depot was 1 3/4" and that was too small...no inbetween size. I posted a pic in one of my replies yesterday in the "commerical system"forum.

Nate Storey said:

Do you have a picture of your net pot? If there's a lip on it, you might just drill as slightly smaller hole. . . measure the inside diameter of the pot and go from there. . .

Michelle Silva said:

I need advise ASAP with net pots.
I have 2,000 2"poppleman and made sure to tell the supplier I wanted the one with the lip so it doesn't fall thru. It took a while to receive them and yesterday when we started drilling holes, found that they slipped thru when using the 2" holesaw. The supplier sent me a photo of the only other one poppleman sells, but it's called a slit pot. The openings are larger. It's hard to tell but that looks like it could possibly have a larger "lip" to prevent it from slipping thur..Please advise asap, I had some volunteers coming this weekend and need the supplies!

[Nate Storey]

Hmmm. http://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-D180030-8-Inch-Standard-Bi-Metal/dp/B0... (copy and paste)
here's what i found online- next day delivery. It might be the best option as opposed to buying new net pots. . . I'd check to make sure that 1 7/8" will work though first by measuring your inside diameter. . .

[David Hart]

Hi Michelle, I just looked on-line at Lowes....they were showing my local store carries a Lenox brand, in the 1 7/8 " size. Cost aprox $12.
Might be worth a call to your local store.

Could you please share a link to where you bought your pots ? (and rock wool cubes, if that's what your using)

Thanks Michelle....hope it works out for you !

[Michelle Silva]

Thanks everyone!! I kind of freaked and didn't bother looking elsewhere.
There's a Loew's here, but will check w/ Ace as it's a lot closer. I got the pots from a guy named Chris Higgins..think he's in Texas or Arizona, can't remember..but they were a great price..His number is 1 -469-532-2261. Please tell him I referred you. He's a really nice guy..They bring in container load shipments, so they can get great prices..can't remember the company name off the top of my head. Have to go get the kiddies now!
BTW< got goldfish to start and they look happy! I did find another local tilapia source, so will add those eventually too! But the goldfish are so pretty and they are very cold tolerant..can live with ice frozen over!

David Hart said:

Hi Michelle, I just looked on-line at Lowes....they were showing my local store carries a Lenox brand, in the 1 7/8 " size. Cost aprox $12.
Might be worth a call to your local store.

Could you please share a link to where you bought your pots ? (and rock wool cubes, if that's what your using)

Thanks Michelle....hope it works out for you !

[FriendlyAquaponics]

Michelle Silva said:

I need advise ASAP with net pots.
I have 2,000 2"poppleman and made sure to tell the supplier I wanted the one with the lip so it doesn't fall thru. It took a while to receive them and yesterday when we started drilling holes, found that they slipped thru when using the 2" holesaw. The supplier sent me a photo of the only other one poppleman sells, but it's called a slit pot. The openings are larger. It's hard to tell but that looks like it could possibly have a larger "lip" to prevent it from slipping thur..Please advise asap, I had some volunteers coming this weekend and need the supplies!

Hi Michelle "Friendlies" here, you need the Poppelmann 2" "slit" net pots with the LIP. They also have a 1-7/8" (don't get it!), and they also have a "mesh" net pot that has no lip that slips right through 2" holes. We got a whole box of 5,000 of the no-lip pots accidentally once and realized it the first time we tried to put one in a 2" raft hole. They DO make 1-7/8" holesaws, you just need to look around to locate one.

[Susanne Friend]

From Hydro-Gardens.com website, part # 5W580, 2.125" diameter, 2" wide, 4081 per case, $149.00 (shipping NOT included). As Tim says above, be sure to get SLIT pots, not NET pots (net pots have not enough rim, and fall through the hole that a 2" hole saw makes.

Alternatively, we are able to get a case of Poppelman 2" slit pots from a local supplier in a case of 5,418, for around $220 (shipping included). If you find a supplier that would order them for you and allow you to buy them in smaller quantities, the email address on the label is [e-mail]. I think they're based in Germany.

[Sylvia Bernstein]

Michelle (and anyone else), I can get you whatever you need from HydroGardens. Just send me a private message and we can work something out that works for you.

Sylvia