The Aquaponic Farmer

Informationen zum Autor Adrian Southern is an aquaponic farmer and entrepreneur from the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island, BC. After founding and operating an intensive urban farm and managing a local farmers market, he is currently steeped in all things aquaponics. After years of system perfection, he founded Raincoast Aquaponics and raises trout and vegetables for a living. Whelm King is a business manager, project manager, and entrepreneur. He has worked and consulted in a wide variety of fields including the arts, agriculture, publishing, media, and law. His pursues his passions of food sustainability, ethics, and rock climbing in Nanaimo, BC. Klappentext Profitable cold-water fish and vegetable production. Join the aquaponic farming revolution! I highly recommend that anyone contemplating an aquaponics endeavor first read this text. The Aquaponic Farmer provides enormous detail on all aspects of designing, building, and operating an aquaponics operation. Michael B. Timmons, co-author Recirculating Aquaculture , and Professor of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University AQUAPONIC FARMING - raising fish and vegetables together commercially - is the most promising innovation for a sustainable, profitable, localized food system. Until now, systems have largely focused on warm-water fish such as tilapia. A lack of reliable information for raising fish and vegetables in the cool climates of North America and Europe has been a major stumbling block. The Aquaponic Farmer is the game changer. Built around a proven 120' greenhouse system operable by one person, the book distills vast experience and complete step-by-step guidance for starting and running a cold-water aquaponics business. Coverage includes: A primer on cold-water aquaponics Pros and cons of different systems Complete design and construction of a Deep Water Culture system Recommended and optional equipment and tools System management, standard operating procedures, and maintenance checklists Maximizing fish and vegetable production Strategies for successful sales and marketing of fish and plants. As the only comprehensive commercial cold-water resource, The Aquaponic Farmer is essential for farmers contemplating the aquaponics market, aquaponic gardeners looking to go commercial, and anyone focused on sustainability, localization, or high-quality food production. The Aquaponic Farmer is the essential guide for people serious about setting up a commercial, cold-water aquaponic system. Dr. Daniel Baker, Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Vancouver Island University Profitable cold-water fish and vegetable production. Join the aquaponic farming revolution! Zusammenfassung The Aquaponic Farmer is a complete practical guide to understanding, constructing, and operating a family-farm scale commercial cold-water aquaponic system for raising trout and vegetables. It details a commercial Deep Water Culture system, with step-by-step design, construction, and management principles, based on actual production numbers. Inhaltsverzeichnis Acknowledgments Preface: A World Without Weeds Introduction: The State of the World Chapter 1: What Is Aquaponics? A Primer on Aquaponics A Very Brief History of Aquaponics Aquaponic Ecomimicry Aquaponics, Permaculture and Sustainability Aquaponic Plant Systems Deep Water Culture Systems Drip Tower Systems DWC or Drip Towers - Our Recommendation Plant Sites and Light Availability Bacterial Surface Area Available Oxygen Filtration Our Conclu...

Vorwort

Profitable cold-water fish and vegetable production. Join the aquaponic farming revolution!

Autorentext

Adrian Southern is an aquaponic farmer and entrepreneur from the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island, BC. After founding and operating an intensive urban farm and managing a local farmers market, he is currently steeped in all things aquaponics. After years of system perfection, he founded Raincoast Aquaponics and raises trout and vegetables for a living.

Whelm King is a business manager, project manager, and entrepreneur. He has worked and consulted in a wide variety of fields including the arts, agriculture, publishing, media, and law. His pursues his passions of food sustainability, ethics, and rock climbing in Nanaimo, BC.

Zusammenfassung
The Aquaponic Farmer is a complete practical guide to understanding, constructing, and operating a family-farm scale commercial cold-water aquaponic system for raising trout and vegetables. It details a commercial Deep Water Culture system, with step-by-step design, construction, and management principles, based on actual production numbers.

Inhalt

Acknowledgments
Preface: A World Without Weeds
Introduction: The State of the World

Chapter 1: What Is Aquaponics?
A Primer on Aquaponics
A Very Brief History of Aquaponics
Aquaponic Ecomimicry
Aquaponics, Permaculture and Sustainability
Aquaponic Plant Systems
Deep Water Culture Systems
Drip Tower Systems
DWC or Drip Towers - Our Recommendation
Plant Sites and Light Availability
Bacterial Surface Area
Available Oxygen
Filtration
Our Conclusion
Backyard vs Commercial Systems

**Chapter 2: The RCA System
The Purpose of This Book
Avoiding Our Mistakes
A Note on Reading Before Building
A Note on Metric vs Imperial
A Note on Currency
A Note on North
Property Considerations
Zoning
Sun Exposure
Characteristics of the Land
Access to Power and Water
Prevailing Winds
Waste Disposal
Long-term Land Rights
Living On Site
The Greenhouse
Size
New vs Used
Types of Covering
Recommended Features
Heating the Air
Cooling the Air
Heating and Cooling the Water
Heat Pump
The Raincoast Aquaponics Greenhouse
Greenhouse Layout
Troughs
Trough Design Principles
The RCA Troughs
Rafts
Fish Tanks
Filtration Systems
Mechanical Filtration
Biological Filtration
RCA Filtration Systems
Radial Flow Separator (RFS)
Combination Filter Box (CFB)
Ultraviolet Sterilization
Supplemental Lighting
Germination Chamber
Seedling Area
Water: The Lifeblood of the Farm
Water Temperature
pH
Water Quality Management
Aeration
Pumps
Tower System Pumps
Effluent
The Sump
The Drain Down Effect
Workbench
Cistern
Power Consumption

Chapter 3: Principles of System Design
The Golden Ratio of Cold-water Aquaponics
Cold-Water vs Warm-Water Aquaponics
Using the Golden Ratio
Step 1
Step 2
A Note on Tower Systems
A Final Design Note

Chapter 4: Constructing the RCA System
Site Preparation
Greenhouse Construction
Foundation Installation
Arches Installation
Endwall Installation
Covering Installation
Roll Up Sides Installation
Hanging Components Installation
Circulation Fans Installation
Heater Installation
HID Light Installation
Electrical and Internet Installation
Internet Installation
Sump Construction
Sump Construction
Waste Tank Excavation
Trough Construction
Ground Preparation
Trough Construction
Side and Middle Wall Construction
Endwall Construction
Assembling the Walls
Final Placement of the Troughs
Trough Liner Installation
Trough Plumbing Installation
Inlet plumbing
Drain plumbing
Side to Side Plumbing (U-turn)
Estimated Parts List for Trough Construction
Raft Construction
Painting the Rafts
Source Water Installation
Aquaculture Subsystem Installation
Layout
Installing the Main Waste Pipe
Installing the Fish Tanks
Building the Standpipe Assemblies (SPAs)
Installing the Radial Flow Separator
Ins…