Based on our experience, these [expenses] should average $12,400-25,500 a year for a farm of his size, leaving him with a $121,500-134,500 net profit.Their student is generating 75 cents per net pot hole, which equates to roughly $2,000 - $3,000 per week in his system. As in most endeavors, profitability increases with size and volume. It also helps that their student has performed a large part of the labor and maintenance without needing to hire it done during the start-up stages.
Showing posts with label aquaponics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label aquaponics. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Commercial Aquaponics Business Plan
I am a subscriber to the commercial aquaponics newsletter published by Friendly Aquaponics. A recent issue provided a detailed breakdown of the earnings possibilities provided when you couple an experienced business person with a powerful low input - high output business model: aquaponics farming. Based on the actual results of an aquaponics operator using the Friendly Aquaponics system, one of their most successful students is earning a six figure income with aquaponics. From the newsletter:
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Backyard Swimming Pool Aquaponics
I watched a little NATGEOTV this afternoon. I really enjoyed seeing the aquaponics system in this video episode: http://ning.it/xbwoJT Too bad I don't have a swimming pool. :-) Catching supper in the pool every night would be pretty cool, but I don't think I could eat the duckweek shakes like they are doing. Read more at GardenPool.org.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Saturday, February 4, 2012
IBC Tote Aquaponic System
If you've always wanted to build an IBC Tote Aquaponnic System, but don't know how the Aquaponic Store provides you an alternative. They have a 1 grow bed or 3 grow bed option. If I could grow outdoors in Michigan year round, I'd purchase one of these myself.
Friday, February 3, 2012
World Water Day
My plans include a 100 gallon fish tank and approximately 3 x 6 feet grow bed. The system I will be building can be scaled larger or smaller based on the amount of space that's available.
I could use a 150 gallon fish tank and two grow beds, or three grow beds and a 200 gallon fish tank. Aquaponics offers flexibility and affordability because with a little pre-planning and creativity, it's an easy do-it-yourself project. Stay tuned for updates.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
New Year's Resolutions
'Tis the season for goal setting and sometimes it actually works.
This time of year many New Year's Resolutions are made and, unfortunately, within a few weeks they're usually crumbled and broken. Simply setting a goal seldom works, but if we establish a step-by-step plan and implement it the chances of success increase dramatically.
A few years ago I decided that I would catch up on my reading instead of watching television. I resolved to read a book per month off the 100 most popular novels list published by the New York Times. For 10 months, I actually did it. I read for 1 hour per night while my wife watched her favorite television show that I did not enjoy.
This year my resolutions are going to be a little different.
I hereby solemly resolve that I am going to get serious about improving our household food security.
This time of year many New Year's Resolutions are made and, unfortunately, within a few weeks they're usually crumbled and broken. Simply setting a goal seldom works, but if we establish a step-by-step plan and implement it the chances of success increase dramatically.
A few years ago I decided that I would catch up on my reading instead of watching television. I resolved to read a book per month off the 100 most popular novels list published by the New York Times. For 10 months, I actually did it. I read for 1 hour per night while my wife watched her favorite television show that I did not enjoy.
This year my resolutions are going to be a little different.
I hereby solemly resolve that I am going to get serious about improving our household food security.
1. I'm going to learn to can vegetables. Canning is almost a lost art, but jars and instructions are readily available at most of the big box stores. A couple of Google searches later and it looks like I can be off an running lickety split.
2. I'm going to grow more vegetables. Afterall to preserve food for eating later, you've got to actually grow more of it.
3. I have 6 Earthboxes. I plan to purchase 6 more before growing season arrives.
4. We had 2 above ground beds last year. This year I plan to have 3.
5. I plan to extend the growing season and get 2 plantings from my efforts. By planting warm weather vegetables in spring time and then cooler weather vegetables in late summer, we'll be able to harvest food from our backyard well into the fall and early November. We might need some frost protection late in the fall, but that's relatively easy to overcome with some old bedsheets.
6. I plan to plant only heirloom varieties next season. I plan to avoid GMO's whenever possible.
7. Continue my home made hydroponics basement gardening project and add a basement aquaponics system to my spare room in the basement to begin harvesting fish too.
8. Build an outside aquaponics system using fish that can withstand the winters we get here in Michigan. This will take a little more effort, but after talking to a local backyard pond builder today it's not out of the question. Finding blue gill or yellow perch to use in this project may be harder than I thought.
Build an Aquaponic System
Build an Aquaponic System
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Small Aquaponic System - Big Benefits
This short but informative video posted by Joan from Joan Goes Green demonstrates the possibility to build a small aquaponics system that yields a large variety of vegetables and fish. She's using media grow beds, deep water culture methods, and 40 tilapia to create these wonderful results. Here is a post that provides a diagram of her system.
She also raises rabbits and uses their wool to make clothing.
She also raises rabbits and uses their wool to make clothing.
Build an Aquaponic System
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Economical Aquaponics (i.e. Cheap)
If you are looking for an inexpensive DIY aquaponics system, you've found it. I am not affiliated with Otterponics.com in any form, but I have been following the videos on You Tube for about a year now. He has some nice ideas and just so happens to be a fellow Missourian.
My mom has a 55 gallon fish tank that will work perfectly for my next basement gardening project. When we lived in Florida, my outside aquaponics system consisted of two 100 gallon grow beds and a 210 gallon fish tank. With temps near zero degrees in Michigan winters, I'll need to move everything indoors. I think the Otterponics.com version will be nearly perfect for my basement gardening efforts. Fifty-five gallons is probably too small for edible size fish, but for someone wanting to learn aquaponics on a small scale or for someone who likes to tinker with projects in the wintertime (like me), it should work well.
Build an Aquaponic System
My mom has a 55 gallon fish tank that will work perfectly for my next basement gardening project. When we lived in Florida, my outside aquaponics system consisted of two 100 gallon grow beds and a 210 gallon fish tank. With temps near zero degrees in Michigan winters, I'll need to move everything indoors. I think the Otterponics.com version will be nearly perfect for my basement gardening efforts. Fifty-five gallons is probably too small for edible size fish, but for someone wanting to learn aquaponics on a small scale or for someone who likes to tinker with projects in the wintertime (like me), it should work well.
Build an Aquaponic System
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Aquaponics Update
I am writing this from a motel room in suburban Detroit. It's quite funny how things work out sometimes. I had my aquaponics system set-up and operating for 3 weeks when my employer requested my presence in another state. I had to disassemble the system and prepare it for the moving company to transport to Michigan in a few weeks.
As a result of this process, I've got a few tips for urban aquaponics enthusiasts based on my experiences.
1. Gravel media grow beds are great unless you have to relocate them. I spent $220 on 200 gallons of river gravel and had to give it away for free to entice a friend to help me remove it from the tanks and move it to his urban farm since it was too heavy to transport it 1,130 miles from Tampa to Detroit.
2. Two hundred gallon fish tanks are great until you have to empty them and replace the grass underneath them to make the backyard presentable to potential home buyers. It's been 4 weeks and the grass is showing no signs of coming back. I guess it's time to throw in the towel and buy some sod.
3. Buying expensive fish for aquaponics is an inefficient use of money. Luckily I didn't do it. I used the el cheapo feeder goldfish with good results. When I disassembled the tank I moved them to a home aquarium. They are still going strong several weeks later.
4. Before you build your system, give some careful thought to your water source. If it's not safe for fish, figure out how you're going to make it safe before you spend money building an aquaponics system. I used Chloram-X (tm) with good results.
5. Figure how you're going to test your water. Not all aquarium kits will accurately test water treated with bonding agents that remove Chloramine to make the water safe for fish.
6. In an urban setting like mine where the yard is 45 feet by 25 feet, put a alot of thought into the foot print of your system. In the sub-tropical climate of Tampa, I might have achieved nearly as much vegetable production per square feet using Earthboxes (tm). (Probably not, but minus actually conducting an experiment my gut tells me that it would be close for the first year until the aquaponics system was well established.)
7. Building a media based aquaponics system sounds easier than it is. Washing gravel is hard work for 1 or 2 people. I recommend you invite the nieces and nephews over for the weekend to lend you a hand.
When I re-build my system in Michigan, I'll have colder weather to consider but I do plan to re-build next season. With my first experience under my belt, I am willing to bet that the second time around will be much smoother.
Build an Aquaponic System
As a result of this process, I've got a few tips for urban aquaponics enthusiasts based on my experiences.
1. Gravel media grow beds are great unless you have to relocate them. I spent $220 on 200 gallons of river gravel and had to give it away for free to entice a friend to help me remove it from the tanks and move it to his urban farm since it was too heavy to transport it 1,130 miles from Tampa to Detroit.
2. Two hundred gallon fish tanks are great until you have to empty them and replace the grass underneath them to make the backyard presentable to potential home buyers. It's been 4 weeks and the grass is showing no signs of coming back. I guess it's time to throw in the towel and buy some sod.
3. Buying expensive fish for aquaponics is an inefficient use of money. Luckily I didn't do it. I used the el cheapo feeder goldfish with good results. When I disassembled the tank I moved them to a home aquarium. They are still going strong several weeks later.
4. Before you build your system, give some careful thought to your water source. If it's not safe for fish, figure out how you're going to make it safe before you spend money building an aquaponics system. I used Chloram-X (tm) with good results.
5. Figure how you're going to test your water. Not all aquarium kits will accurately test water treated with bonding agents that remove Chloramine to make the water safe for fish.
6. In an urban setting like mine where the yard is 45 feet by 25 feet, put a alot of thought into the foot print of your system. In the sub-tropical climate of Tampa, I might have achieved nearly as much vegetable production per square feet using Earthboxes (tm). (Probably not, but minus actually conducting an experiment my gut tells me that it would be close for the first year until the aquaponics system was well established.)
7. Building a media based aquaponics system sounds easier than it is. Washing gravel is hard work for 1 or 2 people. I recommend you invite the nieces and nephews over for the weekend to lend you a hand.
When I re-build my system in Michigan, I'll have colder weather to consider but I do plan to re-build next season. With my first experience under my belt, I am willing to bet that the second time around will be much smoother.
Build an Aquaponic System
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Aquaponics Project Update
I've been cycling my aquaponics system for two weeks now. I had every intention to do "fish-less" cycling techniques to establish the bacteria in my grow beds before adding fish to the system.
I don't have access to well water or spring water where I live, so I used tap water to fill my fish tank. I let it sit for 3 weeks and circulated it for a couple of hours daily. Three weeks should have been plenty of time to dissipate the chlorine in my tap water, but my water utility also uses chloramine (3 ppm actually).
Then I added 3 TBSP of fish emulsion to the 200 gallon fish tank. I then started testing for an ammonia spike, but the ammonia spike never arrived. :-( It took a few days, but after doing some digging around in various aquaponics discussion boards and aquaculture vendor websites, I figured out why.
Although my water testing kit did detect a small amount of nitrites in the system, it registered zero for ammonia. I am new to aquaponics, but from what I've learned so far it's unlikely to have nitrites without ammonia. So the issue had to be some type of issue with my water testing.
Tip: Before you treat your tap water for chloramines, do some research and make sure you have a reliable method of testing the ammonia in your system. Certain types of bonding agents and treatments that remove the chloramine, do not register well on the well-known water testing kits.
I have identified a water testing kit that should allow my treated water to be reliably tested, but untiil it arrives I definitely won't be adding anymore fish to my system.
Build an Aquaponic System
I don't have access to well water or spring water where I live, so I used tap water to fill my fish tank. I let it sit for 3 weeks and circulated it for a couple of hours daily. Three weeks should have been plenty of time to dissipate the chlorine in my tap water, but my water utility also uses chloramine (3 ppm actually).
Then I added 3 TBSP of fish emulsion to the 200 gallon fish tank. I then started testing for an ammonia spike, but the ammonia spike never arrived. :-( It took a few days, but after doing some digging around in various aquaponics discussion boards and aquaculture vendor websites, I figured out why.
Although my water testing kit did detect a small amount of nitrites in the system, it registered zero for ammonia. I am new to aquaponics, but from what I've learned so far it's unlikely to have nitrites without ammonia. So the issue had to be some type of issue with my water testing.
Tip: Before you treat your tap water for chloramines, do some research and make sure you have a reliable method of testing the ammonia in your system. Certain types of bonding agents and treatments that remove the chloramine, do not register well on the well-known water testing kits.
I have identified a water testing kit that should allow my treated water to be reliably tested, but untiil it arrives I definitely won't be adding anymore fish to my system.
Build an Aquaponic System
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Cheap Fish for Aquaponics
My home made aquaponics systems is almost finished. I have everything adjusted so that it will fill two 100 gallon grow beds with river gravel media in 15 minutes. With that, it's time to get it cycled up so that we can begin growing some veggies and feeding some furtue food (i.e. fish).
Eventually, I plan to raise bluegill or if all else fails - tilapia in the aquaponics system - but for now I've added some "feeder" goldfish. I think they are perfect for beginners to use (like me). They are readily available and priced right - 38 cents from the big box store. That way, if my system gets out of synch, I don't have too much money invested in fish. As the system stabilizes and my experience and comfort levels improve, I'll add some fish for our dinner plates.
To give you an idea ow just how big "feeder" goldfish can grow in an aquaponics system check out this video:
Build an Aquaponic System
Eventually, I plan to raise bluegill or if all else fails - tilapia in the aquaponics system - but for now I've added some "feeder" goldfish. I think they are perfect for beginners to use (like me). They are readily available and priced right - 38 cents from the big box store. That way, if my system gets out of synch, I don't have too much money invested in fish. As the system stabilizes and my experience and comfort levels improve, I'll add some fish for our dinner plates.
To give you an idea ow just how big "feeder" goldfish can grow in an aquaponics system check out this video:
Build an Aquaponic System
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Aquaponics Project Update
Here is a picture of my aquaponics project in the backyard. The blue tank is my 210 gallon fish tank from Aquatic Eco-Systems. The grow beds are 100 gallon stock tanks purchased at Tractor Supply.
I plan to use river gravel for my growing bed media and I'm leaning toward bluegill for fish and the nutrient source for my veggies. I'd love to grow channel catfish, but I think my tank is a little on the small side for them. An alternative is bull head catfish, but I can't seem to locate a source for them in Florida.
You may notice that my grow beds will not completely drain out all the water. Since I live in a sub-division with neighbors very close-by and I have an irrigation system, I decided not to dig out the 10 inches or so that would be required for the grow beds to drain fully. As it stands, 10 inches remains in the bed and 15 inches drains back into the fish tank.
I plumbed the PVC through the side of the fish tank so I can attach a lid for shade and to keep out the occasional red shoulder hawk and osprey that might find it easy to feast on my fish.
I'll post more pictures soon as things progress farther.
Build an Aquaponic System
You may notice that my grow beds will not completely drain out all the water. Since I live in a sub-division with neighbors very close-by and I have an irrigation system, I decided not to dig out the 10 inches or so that would be required for the grow beds to drain fully. As it stands, 10 inches remains in the bed and 15 inches drains back into the fish tank.
I plumbed the PVC through the side of the fish tank so I can attach a lid for shade and to keep out the occasional red shoulder hawk and osprey that might find it easy to feast on my fish.
I'll post more pictures soon as things progress farther.
Build an Aquaponic System
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Aquaponics System Update
Today I received the pond pump for the Do-It-Myself Aquaponics System that I am building. Many people would call it a Do-It-Yourself System, but since I'm actually doing it myself I have changed up the name a little. And, in the interest of full disclosure I should also add that I am receiving lots and lots of advice and guidance from my new Internet friends at the AquaponicsCommunity.com and Aquaponic Lynx LLC.
I decided to got with Quiet One 4000 Pond Pump manufactured by Lifeguard Aquatics. The pump is capable of 991 GPH and has the following features as posted on the Lifeguard Aquatics website:
- ECO-SAV to generate more power with less electricity consumption
- Internal recirculation prevents overheating and ejects obstructing debris
- Corrosion resistant ceramic bearings
- Cooling chambers to provide air-cooling during use
The 4000 has enough power to run an indexing valve if I decide to expland my system with more grow beds later, but it's still in the affordable category for my very non-commercial backyard gardening application. And perhaps best of all, Aquaponic Lynx (known through the world as TCLynx on aquaponics discussion forums) has been using a similar pump for quite a while and has validated that the 4000 is capable of working well in conjunction with an indexing valve. She likes them so much in fact that she decided to represent the company and sell the pumps on her aquaponics website. I felt more comfortable buying a brand and model that someone else has actually used. That's one of the advantages of dealing with someone you at least know a little about versus taking your chances with a random online product purchase.
I also got some gravel guards to protect the stand pipes for the system. I've ordered some Uniseals as well, but those haven't arrived yet.
Build an Aquaponic System
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Central Florida Aquaponics Tour - March 5, 2011
I can't think of a better way to spend a Saturday than touring a whole bunch of backyard gardens. We started in Winter Park and ended in Brooksville (I drove about 350 miles round trip). The tour was organized by some very gracious folks that belong to the Florida Group on AquaponicsCommunity.com hosted on Ning.
Commercial style raft aquaponics, growing directly in media beds, homemade PVC, Zip Grow tower strips, and high tech hydroponic stacks were some of the various aquaponic styles being used by our hosts.
Here's a slide show featuring pictues I took along the way. I hope you enjoy it.
Build an Aquaponic System
Commercial style raft aquaponics, growing directly in media beds, homemade PVC, Zip Grow tower strips, and high tech hydroponic stacks were some of the various aquaponic styles being used by our hosts.
Here's a slide show featuring pictues I took along the way. I hope you enjoy it.
Build an Aquaponic System
Monday, February 28, 2011
Building My First Aquaponic System
It feels good to type this, because one of the biggest parts of goal setting and goal achievement is to write them down.
I've been researching aquaponics via Google searches for more than 3 years, but I have not yet built my first system. I compost with worms and sell my extras on Craigslist for $17 per half pound and $30 per pound. I grow vegetables in above ground beds. I even have a very simply designed deep water hydroponic grow bed made from an 18 gallon Rough Tote plastic container with cheap air stones/bubblers that is beginning to grow it's first bell, banana, jalopeno, and pobalano peppers. But...I don't have an aquaponic system.
Hopefully that will be changing soon.
After finding AquaponicsCommunity.com via a Google search a couple weeks ago, it's rekindled my desire to build an aquaponic system that will grow enough fish to feed my wife and I a weekly meal of catfish and enough vegetables to severely reduce our grocery bill for store bought produce.
It would have happened sooner if aquaponics design was simpler to understand and more inexpensive to build. I can probably build a DIY barrel system for under $200 to experiment with. Or, I can purchase a basic hobby-level system for $1,200 - $1,300 from a few different suppliers that will grow out a few fish each year. Or, I can buy a turn-key purpose-built aquaponics system that will grow a substantial amount of fish for between $3,000 and $4,000; and as a bonus the designers of this system will likely even deliver it to my house and help me set it up. Or, I can take the time to learn more of the in's and outs' of building a system by improvising my own components, my own media, my own beds, fish tanks, etc. and probably make some mistakes along the way, but save $1,300 - $1,800 in the process.
Besides deciding to prioritize spending money on something that may not be as simple as it sounds on paper, my second thru sixth largest obstacles has been convicing my wife that we should spend the money on it, sacrifice space in our backyard, risk a few uncomfortable glances and comments from my neighbors, and risk the HOA police putting the kabosh on the entire system before it really gets going well.
Whew! I'm getting tired typing out the list of all those obstacles that are probably closer to excuses than actual obstacles.
I am a complete novice just beginning the journey, but I have learned one thing for sure...my backyard aquaponics system is not going to build itself some night while I'm sleeping. I'm going to have to get my hands dirty and step outside my comfort zone a little to turn it into reality.
I guess I've already taken the first several steps in the process this weekend by making the decisions to use a 300 gallon Rubbermaid fish tank stocked with catfish and attempt to camaflouge the set up with some type of bamboo fencing or some type of retention wall made from a concrete composite or stone pieces.
Only 239 more decisions and steps to take on the journey. Wish me luck!
Build an Aquaponic System
I've been researching aquaponics via Google searches for more than 3 years, but I have not yet built my first system. I compost with worms and sell my extras on Craigslist for $17 per half pound and $30 per pound. I grow vegetables in above ground beds. I even have a very simply designed deep water hydroponic grow bed made from an 18 gallon Rough Tote plastic container with cheap air stones/bubblers that is beginning to grow it's first bell, banana, jalopeno, and pobalano peppers. But...I don't have an aquaponic system.
Hopefully that will be changing soon.
After finding AquaponicsCommunity.com via a Google search a couple weeks ago, it's rekindled my desire to build an aquaponic system that will grow enough fish to feed my wife and I a weekly meal of catfish and enough vegetables to severely reduce our grocery bill for store bought produce.
It would have happened sooner if aquaponics design was simpler to understand and more inexpensive to build. I can probably build a DIY barrel system for under $200 to experiment with. Or, I can purchase a basic hobby-level system for $1,200 - $1,300 from a few different suppliers that will grow out a few fish each year. Or, I can buy a turn-key purpose-built aquaponics system that will grow a substantial amount of fish for between $3,000 and $4,000; and as a bonus the designers of this system will likely even deliver it to my house and help me set it up. Or, I can take the time to learn more of the in's and outs' of building a system by improvising my own components, my own media, my own beds, fish tanks, etc. and probably make some mistakes along the way, but save $1,300 - $1,800 in the process.
Besides deciding to prioritize spending money on something that may not be as simple as it sounds on paper, my second thru sixth largest obstacles has been convicing my wife that we should spend the money on it, sacrifice space in our backyard, risk a few uncomfortable glances and comments from my neighbors, and risk the HOA police putting the kabosh on the entire system before it really gets going well.
Whew! I'm getting tired typing out the list of all those obstacles that are probably closer to excuses than actual obstacles.
I am a complete novice just beginning the journey, but I have learned one thing for sure...my backyard aquaponics system is not going to build itself some night while I'm sleeping. I'm going to have to get my hands dirty and step outside my comfort zone a little to turn it into reality.
I guess I've already taken the first several steps in the process this weekend by making the decisions to use a 300 gallon Rubbermaid fish tank stocked with catfish and attempt to camaflouge the set up with some type of bamboo fencing or some type of retention wall made from a concrete composite or stone pieces.
Only 239 more decisions and steps to take on the journey. Wish me luck!
Build an Aquaponic System
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