Hoophouse (9/23/12)

Welcome to the Aquaponic Hoop House. 

Currently growing radishes, carrots, turnips, basil, lettuce, spinach, scallions, chives, cabbage and broccoli in pots with a compost/coco/worm poo soil mix. Watercress, duckweed, horsetail and wandering jew are growing directly in water.  There are red wiggler worms in the compost bins and snails in the water tanks

                       South side grow tray, 24"W x 14'L               Center growing tray, 24"W x 14'L

Triple decker.  

The real advantage of an aquaponic farm setup is the ability to raise the growing beds off the ground and use vertical space.  In traditional farming where plants are grown in the ground, very little investment money is needed but nutrients and viable growing space are very important to having a successful garden.

In a vertical aquaponic growing setup the farmer has to invest more money into the farm but has less need for nutrients because they can be grown in the green house.  

Its all about utilizing symbiotic relationships to reduce the Resource Input to Output ratio.  Multiple different species can be grown in a small area and the ability to produce enough biomass to keep the systems  sustainable becomes a reality.

The South side tray has 

Potted plants and duckweed growing on top

10x20 trays with sprouted micro greens and sprouts in the middle

10x20 trays seeded with micro greens and sprouts on the bottom.

This setup turns a 2'W x 14'L foot print or 28' sqft in to 78' sqft.

The Center tray has 

Potted plants and duckweed growing on top

10x20 trays with mature micro greens and sprouts in the middle

A row of three gallon pots below that and

10x20 trays seeded with micro greens and sprouts on the bottom.

This setup turns a 2'W x 14'L foot print or 28' sqft in to 98' sqft.

Water is Pumped up from the sump tank and then is carried by gravity through the trays which have gravel in them.  The water height in the trays is 1.5 inches and the rocks are mostly below the water line. 

The water flows from the trays to a above ground 24"W x 18"H x 30"L (44gal) main tank and then to the  below ground sump tank thats 30"W x 36"L x 14"D (55gal). The tanks have a foot print of 9' sqft.

Bacteria that live on the wet areas of the aquaponic trays (plastic, rocks, pots and soil) convert fish waste form the fish tank into useful nutrients for the plants.  Duckweed is grown on every open water surface available. 

 Worm bin made from pallets, 360 gallons total, (32' sqft area)

and

Compost bins made from pallets, 360 gallons each, 720 gallons total, (32' sqft area) 

Compost piles produce heat from decomposition and can warm to 100-140 Deg F which heat the greenhouse.

Currently the area being used for production is 249' sqft 

   Total Area enclosed by hoop house 260' sqft 

Its all about the 

Area being used for production
 to 
Area enclosed (footprint)