... producing fresh organic fruits , vegetables, fish, crayfish & energy - In our backyard.
Welcome to our adventure ...
Aquaponics is a natural eco-system, which organically produces vegetables, fish & crayfish. It is the integration of fish cultivation, aquaculture, with hydroponic plant production.
Fish wastes are 'filtered' by natural bacteria producing a rich nutrient source for the plants. The plants utilize these nutrients for growth, thus purifying the water to then be returned to the fish. This continuous cycle is what happens in a nature.
Aquaponics has many advantages including, requiring much less space than traditional farming methods, highly efficient food productive method - potentially higher than hydoponics, with zero environmental impact.
- No chemical fertiliser's, pesticides, insecticides or soil conditioners are used.
- Zero water waste. All water is constantly purified by the plants and recirculated back to the fish.
- 100% of all nutrients are used, creating two crops from one nutrient source - the fish food.
- 100% of wastes generated are utilized on site through filters that feed the plants. Worm composts & Black Soldier Fly's are utilized for all vegetable off cuts and house hold waste's, creating natural healthy fish food source's. Worm & BSF castings being used for enhancing soil condition.
- As a source of protein, fish are the most efficient convertors out of all our farmed animals, achieving feed to flesh conversion efficiency close to 100%.
Aquaponics is a 100% natural eco-system.
PVA has also incorporated a totally off grid solar power installation, supplying power for the system, work shed and computers.
Construction & Setup
So, after saying that - Let the Adventure Begin !!
Build Stage 1
After final review of our plans we begin with the 5000ltr fish tank formwork & grounds layout.
Then we install the firbeglass tanks, 2 x 200ltr static bed filters & 1500ltr swirl pond as a tempary Stage 1 sump, into position then add fish tank drain & filter plumbing.
We construct 2 x 700ltr media beds from treated pine planks & corrigated iron base and place directly on top of fish tanks.
Then covered inside base with old carpet & underlay, followed by fitting the pond liner.
Fill with 20mm gravel, install flood & drain bell syphon's.
Fill system with water while installing pump & water feed to above media beds, add 1000ltr p/h air pump to fish tanks... flick the switch and we have a circulating Build Stage 1 Completed on September 5th!
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