Aquaponics WA and Solar Energy

Trevor from the Garden Gurus shows us how to expand an exisiting aquaponics system to grow fish using solar panel energy to run the electrics.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• hydroponics
• aquaponics
• gardening
• garden
• guru
• seedlings
• plants
• aquaculture
• permaculture
• growing
• herbs
• fish
• vegetable
• solar
• energy
• pump
• battery
• hemp
• cannibis

[themanimal01]

What are the reddish orange pellets that are in the container?

[AquaponicsWA]

@themanimal01 Thanks for your comment. The reddish orange pellets are Hydroton Expanded Clay. Special clay is mixed with sawdust, then rolled and put under extreme temperature to burn the sawdust, leaving the expanded clay as a very light, porous material, that lasts indefinately. This is particularly good for aquaponics as it builds beneficial bacteria required for aquaponics systems.

[OneCommunityAngela]

Amazing food sustainability source! The solar energy panel supporting the water pump system could run for 8 days--that's just incredible. Thank you Trevor Cochrane and David Mcguire for sharing your aquaponics knowledge to the world. As a pioneer of an open source sustainable community called One Community Ranch, I support sustainability 100%! It's a paradigm shift towards a new way of living. Our community is looking for aquaponics experts that share our vision. We welcome you to our website!

[petertran2310]

Hi AquaponicsWA! Thank for your sharing. Are you in Perth? I'm from Vietnam and doing a MA course on sustainable development. I am very interesting in aquaponics but my understanding about it is very begining, my I visit your system one day?

[RonShook1]

RE: Per my previous comment, I realize that this is all pretty much experimental and that you are learning and developing data as you go, but for a viewer to consider such an investment, he/she must have some idea of economic feasibility? Give us some numbers to go by in today's world as it is. Aussie dollars are fine and you don't have to include any costs for your labor. If there are answers on your website, just say so.

[RonShook1]

In one respect this is not a closed loop in that you have to feed the fish, don't you? How much of this comes from growing plants in your system, and how much from outside inputs? Once you factor this into the cost analysis, ignoring for the moment the initial capital investment, what comes out the other end? Then add the capital investment assuming some drop in cost for hardware, maintenance and projected life, and recalculate the final cost of the foodstuffs you consume.

[gladmama]

Tell me about the solar system, how much did it cost you and where did you buy it?