24 March 2009 daily fish feed ration of approximately 800g and, • We produce two crops; fish and plants, which gives us two income streams from one input (fish feed). Advantages of aquaponics are: • Little water use, • Zero environmental impact, no wastewater discharge, • The production of two income-producing crops, • Very small environmental footprint, high density farming and, • Ability to be located close to end users, lowering transportation costs. I am sure the list goes on, but the above listed advantages are exceptional in their own right. There are specific management procedures required to integrate fish and plant production for maximum yields. However, fish farmers are in a perfect place to adopt aquaponic technologies and methodologies because they already have a good understanding of water chemistry, the key factor to success. Any plant that can be cultured in hydroponics can be grown aquaponically. Research by myself and others has shown that aquaponically grown plants grow as well as, or better than, those grown hydroponically. This is because a complex ecosystem is created in aquaponic systems. This ecosystem contains chemicals excreted by the fish that are advantageous to the plants and vice versa. It is a truly amazing sight to see a hot house full of healthy plants that are growing on the nutrients provided by fish culture. As all recirculating fish farmers appreciate, there now exists an economic reality to RAS farming; an economy of scale is involved. This means that a certain amount of fish needs to be produced for the enterprise to be successful and profitable. At present, in Australia this amounts to a minimum of approximately 1 t of fish produced per week. Because of this, RAS has quickly become an enterprise for those with large amounts of startup capital. This means that small-scale operators effectively have been excluded from RAS fish culture. My business has been set up with a simple approach: if fish production can be self sustaining economically with fish sales covering the cost of running the business, then nutrients for plant production are provided basically for free and plant sales represent clear profit. In my system, the running costs include the following: • Power • Fish feed • Buffers • Seedling production While we are not realizing large profits at present, the small amount of fish we produce adequately cover the running costs of the business and plant sales amount to clear profit. When we reach full production, the business should realize at least US$87,868 in profit per year. This may seem small, however, this will be achieved off a land area the size of a standard tennis court, with around two days work per week! This is not to say that aquaponics doesn’t have an application in large business models. I am presently in discussions with people who are interested in supplying nutrient to a plant production area of approximately 30 hectares! Surprisingly, this area of plant production will only require a relatively small amount of fish production. In addition, by adopting aquaponic technology, the business will negate the legal, environmental and economic problems associated with wastewater release and freshwater supply. Who can adopt aquaponic methodologies? Any existing RAS growing freshwater fish may adopt aquaponic technology. This is easily achieved by adding the appropriately sized hydroponic component to the RAS and adopting the appropriate management principles. In the case of large, economically viable RAS, this means that additional profits are realized on top of the profits already being realized by the fish operation. Hydroponic farmers who also have all the skills and knowledge to run an aquaponic system also may adopt aquaponics as a system for fish and plant production. In this case, farmers are often attracted initially by the economic benefits; nutrients are provided for free! Large hydroponic farms have a large cost associated with the purchase of the nutrient salts needed for production. In addition, aquaponics negates the problems of waste nutrient disposal that hydroponic farms presently have to deal with. Hydroponic and RAS farmers often ask me, what about being able to manipulate the nutrient profile so I can meet the different nutrient requirements that vrious plant species need? This is an area of aquaponics that I have been concentrating on. I am now confident that I have developed management techniques and methodologies that enable me to manipulate nutrient profiles to whatever the specific plant being cultured requires. If the peoples of the world are fair dinkum (an Australian term meaning “serious ”) about caring for their global environment, then the future of aquaponics will be secure, because to my mind, it is one of only a few farming systems that are presently available to truly meet the requirements of environmental sustainability. Notes 1Minnamurra Aquaponics, Kinglake West, Victoria, Australia, Email: willennard@gmail.com Web : www.aquaponic.com.au Attention all WAS members — Please join us at the annual WAS Business Meeting to be held in conjunction with WORLD AQUACULTURE 2009 in Veracruz, Mexico. The meeting will be held Monday, May 25, 4 to 5 p.m. in Room Olmeca #7 in the World Trade Convention Center.
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