Peeponics - hydroponics without the chemicals, aquaponics without the fish.

www.bioponica.org

Ahhhh, the wonders of the internet. From around the world we are learning more and more how others are creating their own models of sustainability. There is a strong argument that urine therapy is something of a natural supplement, suited only to the individual producing it as it helps reclaim lost hormones, amino acids, minerals, trace element, vitamins and nitrogen rich ureas. Urine ingestion is practiced in Ayurvedic eastern medicine though shunned in western medicine,.but then again, maggot, honey and leech treatments were formerly shunned and are now studied widely in US medical schools. Whether squeemish about the idea, or not, urine is recycled into our food and medicine through animal waste composting, estrogen supplements, and in urea containing cosmetics. Medicine, agriculture and nutrition industries depend on it. As a self prescribed therapy or as a plant nutrition, Under the correct circumstances urine will one day be recognized worldwide, as one of our most precious commodities, self made, not to be wasted. Before diving into peeponics as a gardening method, it is important to understand that clean catch urine from a non-infected or non-contaminated source is important. Do not ingest others urine or food raised from urine, without a proper blackwater management plan, ie filtering, oxygenation, clarification, etc. When handled properly there is little to risk and big to gain. Urine has the potential to replace fish in aquaponic systems (scarcity, lack of local demand, urgency to get started with aquaponics when large fish not available etc). Urine turned potable has been used by Nasa in space, it's time to bring to the village, to the community and to the backyard. This means food production without synthetic or externally sourced fertilizers.

Dr David Epstein, D.O., founder of Earth Solutions developed the Farm in a Box aquaponic gardens for homes and schools.

Contact him at drdave@bioponica.org to find out about bioponics integrating tilapia, crawfish, duckweed, algae and carbon.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• peeponics
• phosphorus
• nitrates
• fertilizer
• organic
• bioponics
• aquaponics
• hydroponics
• urine
• biofiltration

[esidrdave]

Algae is great, it can also be produced from urine and used as a fertlizer. However, urine is a plant ready fertilizer itself. Running this through a biofilter rock bed will provide all the nutrients needed to grow anything! Algae can also be used as a fertlizer but the biomass can present a problem, in deep water or ebb flow systems. However if you do it with ebb and flow and add worms to the system the system is complete, and a much more closed loop system than anything else conceivable.

[JDNuvo]

do you use air stones?? try water cress.

[esidrdave]

@JDNuvo I tried water duckweed for ammonia and anacharis for oxygen. Does watercress add considerable amount of oxygen? The results were not difinitive cause I did not have a comparison. Will repeat the test with algae, worm teas and urine as nutrient options this year.

[nephildevil]

just as u can make gunpowder from soil and pee, you can feed plants on it aswell, case u run out of nurtient solution

[maniacram]

Woow this is interesting. Thinking back this is so obvious.

Now i have some questions, urine contains ammonia right? what do you use to convert it into nitrate? do you have some sort of aerated media with bacteria growing? Thanks a lot for this idea, cant wait to start a project and piss off my parents(pun) :D

[SamuelitoRubio]

Interesting.

[esidrdave]

@BAMFeldman . Yes, and to all beware, it doesn't take much urine. Maybe a cup or two every two weeks per one or two feet of growing area. Aerate to reduce ammonia, add duckweed, anacharis and watercress or an ebb and flow system to convert ammonia. Surface area in tank will suffice if good aeration, and live plants for aerobic, nitrifying bacteria to colonize.

[BAMFeldman]

@esidrdave I had to stop my experiment, as ammonia levels ran too high and killed my fish. I'll try it in the future.

[esidrdave]

@jojo808 Hydro systems need a biological filter to convert ammonia to nitrate. That doesn't easily happen as there is likely not much living bacteria in most hydro systems.

[esidrdave]

@esidrdave Exactly! It takes one persons urine for one year to produce 2500 tomato plants, equivalent to 2.5 tons of tomatoes. ONE PERSON!

[esidrdave]

@BAMFeldman How did your peeponics experiment go?