Ready-to-Use Aquaponic Kits for Home Fish Farming
 

Aquaponics USA: Ready-to-Use Aquaponic Kits for Home Fish Farming
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 09. 8.09
Food & Health (food)

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009...p?dcitc=th_rss

http://www.treehugger.com/aquaponics-usa.jpg
aquaponics usa backyard aquaponic systems photo
Image credit: Aquaponics USA

From Gavin Leiminer's guest post on aquaponics as the urban food revolution to the Aquaponics Made Easy DVD, there is a huge amount of interest in combining hydroponics with fish farming for a mutually beneficial partnership. Most notably Will Allen's Growing Power team in Milwaukee have shown how aquaponics can produce a remarkable amount of high-quality protein and veggies on very limited urban land. But what about the home hobbyist who doesn't have time to build their own? A US company is now offering off-the-shelf aquaponic systems for wannabe backyard/garage/greenhouse fish farmers. Click below the fold for more details.

Based in Yucca Valley, California, Aquaponics USA are clearly believers in the idea that our industrial food system won't be around forever, and we'd better start growing our own food for security, health and economic well-being. Their contact page even states that they have a short wave radio system in case "things get really dicey".

The company offers one and two bed aquaponic systems that include fish tank, grow bed, growing media, pumps, all necessary plumbing and fish feed. All you'll need, so they say, is electricity, a water supply, and a drain. You'll probably need some fish and some plants too. And if you're planning on growing inside, then you'll need a grow lamp (which Aquaponics USA also supply).

The systems aren't cheap - starting at $2495 for the one bed set up - but if they are as durable and productive as the company claims, they should pay for themselves in only a year or two. And if the proverbial do-do really does hit the fan, as Aquaponics USA predict, then a source of home grown protein and veggies could prove invaluable...

Re: Ready-to-Use Aquaponic Kits for Home Fish Farming
 

Wow... that is some overpriced equipment. With a tank that small the fish won't grow very large either...

Re: Ready-to-Use Aquaponic Kits for Home Fish Farming
 

$2,500 buys a lot of fishing tackle and seeds.

Re: Ready-to-Use Aquaponic Kits for Home Fish Farming
 

It's dependence on an electric pump, to me, precludes it being a viable 'SHTF' option unless you're backing it up with it's own solar rig.

Re: Ready-to-Use Aquaponic Kits for Home Fish Farming
 

I like their website, lots of good info. That said, I built a larger system for considerably less.

http://www.aquaponicsusa.com

Re: Ready-to-Use Aquaponic Kits for Home Fish Farming
 

You can build your own for $200-$300. There's a free manual showing how to build an aquaponics system out of 55-gal barrels.

I have a barrelponics system running on my back porch. It's currently growing basil and cucumbers.

Re: Ready-to-Use Aquaponic Kits for Home Fish Farming
 

You can raise catfish in a barrel, same basic idea, much cheaper - http://www.kurtsaxon.com/foods007.htm

http://www.kurtsaxon.com/images/catfish01.jpg

Re: Ready-to-Use Aquaponic Kits for Home Fish Farming
 

also, farm supply places usually sell larger containers that hold water. rubber or galvanized steel. i get the impression some farmers use them as water dishes for cows.

for $2495 they should throw in an ounce of gold.

Re: Ready-to-Use Aquaponic Kits for Home Fish Farming
 

QWAK,HUMmmmmmmmm Makes a $2.00 can of "King Osker Sardeans" sound like a better IDEA to ME! :signs14:

Perhaps as a way to LEARN by managing a SMALL set up such an IDEA could be usefull but ONE could easaly DUPLICATE that set up by a visit to "LOWS" a whole lot CHEEPER!:wink::yes:

Some things do NOT scale UP or DOWN so well and have a point at which they become PRATICAL and effective -- on that scale I can not believe it would produce enough food to be truely usefull.:452:

Perhaps IF the equipment can be easaly EXPANDED and scaled UP -- WITH OUT having to BUY the most expencive components. :thinkey::23_30_104:

I expect it will take doing THAT with a fair size POND and GREEN HOUSE for it to be praticle -- just my opinion.:dontknow:

the DUCK :15_1_70v: