Aquaponics short-course at the University of Arizona

1. Aquaponics short-course at the University of Arizona Kevin Fitzsimmons, Jason Licamele, Eric HighfieldUniversity of Arizona 6 April 2011

2. Trends in food markets • Demand for more locally grown, organic foods • Increasing demand for vegetables and fish for health reasons • Need to increase economic and environmental efficiency (energy, water, land area, recycling of nutrients)

3. Global food crisis • Rapidly increasing population • Diversion of foods to bio-fuels • Increased costs for water, fertilizer, fuel • Multiple demands for farmland (urban sprawl, industrial and mining, solar and wind generation, wildlife conservation, watershed protection, global warming, etc.) • Demand for locally produced food

4. Need new model for food production • Green Revolution – huge increase in food production, but heavy reliance on irrigation, fuel and fertilizer. • Blue Revolution – almost 50% of seafood is farm raised, but many environmental impacts (effluents causing eutrophication, algae blooms, cage and raft conflicts with other users in oceans, bays and lakes)

5. Development of hydroponics and aquaculture • Fast growing sectors of global food production • Hydroponics is more efficient use of water and nutrients, controls the environment and reduces use of pesticides and herbicides. • Aquaculture is more efficient production of domesticated aquatic animals and plants.

6. Past Projects • The Land – Disney World, Florida • Biosphere 2 – Tucson, Arizona • High school education • Commercialization

7. Disney World – EPCOT – The Land • University of Arizona provided technical design, layout, and training of staff. • Selected hydroponics and aquaculture as two critical food production systems for the future.

8. Disney World – EPCOT – The Land • 30,000 guests a day learn about hydroponics, aquaculture, tilapia, and advanced farming techniques • Products are served in the Good Turn Restaurant

9. Development trials for Biosphere 2 • Biosphere 2 – A one hectare greenhouse. Completely sealed, with eight people living inside for two years.

10. Early trials for Biosphere 2 • University of Arizona provided overall technical support and designed the food system. • Intensive food production • Healthy foods with minimal need for external inputs • Replicated trials with tilapia and lettuce

11. Various growing techniques Growing in gravel/biofilter Growing in floating boards

12. Density and micronutrient trials Low density of fish High density of fish

13. Nutrient film technique Growing in troughs/gutters with flowing water

14. Nutrient film technique • Flood and drain version in troughs/gutters

15. Fish and grain crops Tilapia and barley Nutrient dynamics in recirc Determined that integrated fish and irrigated crops were most efficient food production system for Biosphere 2

16. Educational systems in high schools Fish instead of traditional farm animals Hydroponic vegetables and ornamental flowers

17. Water chemistry • pH • Conductivity • Dissolved solids • Suspended solids • Oxygen

18. Carbon Cycle digestion and respiration + 3O2 Photosynthesis C6H12O6 6 H2O + 6 CO2 C6H12O6 + 3O2 sugars andother organics and oxygen sugars andother organics water and carbon dioxide anaerobes andmethanogens CH4 + COx

19. Carbonate Cycle CO2 + H2O H2CO3 H+ + HCO3- H+ + CO32- carbon dioxidedissolved in water carbonic acid bicarbonateion carbonateion

20. Carbonate cycle

21. Nitrogen Cycle • Ammonia • Nitrite • Nitrate • De-nitrification

22. Nitrogen cycle in aquatic systems

23. Nitrogen cycle • Nitrogen is often a limiting element in freshwater aquatic system • Adding nitrogen will cause rapid increase in primary productivity • Nitrogen in anaerobic sediments- denitrification (reduction to NH3 or N2 gas)

24. UAAQ CEAC Nitrogen Mass Flow • Nitrogen Mass Flow • Introduced via feed • Input: 108 g nitrogen / day • Oxygen • Consumption • Fish • Plant root zone • Plant respiration • Generation • Plant photosynthesis • Microalgae / Phytoplankton photosynthesis

25. Phosphorus and orthophosphate. Organic P decomposes and releases PO4, taken up by algae and plants or adsorbs to clay particles and precipitates. Anaerobic conditions can re-release P to water. Wetland Ecosystem Management Phosphorus cycle

26. Tilapia and other fish • Oreochromis species • Catfish • Koi • Yellow perch and bluegills • Sturgeon and ornamental fish

27. Fish feed as nutrient sources • Fish feed is the basic input for nutrients to fish and plants • Protein is source of nitrogen for plants • Phosphorus and potassium from fishmeal, bone meal, or feather meal • Micronutrients from vitamin and mineral premixes in fish feed

28. UAAQ CEAC Aquaponic Inputs • Inputs: • Water • Star Milling Co. • 1/8” Floating Tilapia Feed • Dolomite 65 Ag • CaCO3 46.0% • MgCO3 38.5% • Ca 22.7% • Mg 11.8% • Biomins • Biomin Fe+ (5%) • Biomin Mn+ (5%) • Biomin Zn+ (7%) • Nutrient Content Analysis

29. Organic micronutrients • Biomins • Biomin Fe+ (5%) • Biomin Mn+ (5%) • Biomin Zn+ (7%) • Biomin Calcium is created using an encapsulation (chelating) of the mineral calcium with glycine and natural organic acids. • Biomin Z.I.M is a true amino acid chelated multi-mineral. The chelating agent is mainly glycine, the smallest amino acid commonly used by and found in plants.

30. System design • For fish – tanks vs raceways • For plants – variety • Gravel and sand beds • Floating rafts • Gutters and trays

31. Tilapia and lettuce

32. Lettuce Plant • Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) • Butterhead variety • Quick turnover • 5 weeks • Cultivars • Rex • Tom Thumb

33. Varieties of Romaine and Bibb

34. Data collection and analysis Light measurements (PAR) Computer monitoring

35. Nutrient Balance • Nutrient Balance • Feed • 32% Protein • 2-4% System Biomass • FCR 2:1 • Filtration • Clarifier • Nitrification • Hydroponics • Nutrient uptake • Water Water Chemistry N, TAN, NH4, NO2, NO3, K, P, Ca, Fe, pH, alkalinity, T, EC

36. Aquaponic Inputs • Inputs: • Water • Fish Food • Star Milling Co. • 1/8” Floating Tilapia Feed • Dolomite 65 Ag • CaCO3 46.0% • MgCO3 38.5% • Ca 22.7% • Mg 11.8% • Biomins • Biomin Fe+ (5%) • Biomin Mn+ (5%) • Biomin Zn+ (7%) • Nutrient Content Analysis

37. pH & Oxygen • pH Range Tilapia 6.5-9 • Fish = 6.5 – 8.5 • Plant = 5.0 – 7.5 • Diurnal pH Flux • Reduce shifts to stabilize pH • Shifts can inhibit organism's physiology thus reducing growth • Acidic pH can effect solubility of Fertilizers • Alkalinity • Optimal: 75-150 mg/L • Stabilizes pH ; provides nutrients for growth • Dissolved Oxygen • > 4 mg/l (ppm)

38. UAAQ CEACMethodology • Data Collection • Fish : Lettuce • Fish FCR • Fish Biomass (1 kg) • Plant Wet/Dry Weight • Plant Height/Diameter • Lettuce quality • Apogee CCM-200 • Chlorophyll Concentration Index (CCI) • Relative chlorophyll value • Compare a cultivar of lettuce growing in different systems

39. UAAQ CEACBiomass Density • CEAC GH#3118 • Tilapia Density • 0.04 – 0.06 kg/L • 2% Biomass / day • 1.6 – 1.8 kg feed / day • Harvest weight 1kg • Lettuce • 32 plants / m2 • 6” off center • Harvest head wet weight 150-200 grams

40. UAAQ CEACWater Chemistry • Nutrient Deficiency Succession • [ Fe+, Mn+, Mo+] < • [Ca+, Mg+]< • [Zn+] • Hydroponic Water Parameters • pH 6.5-6.7 • EC 1.5 – 2.0 • DO 4-7mg/L • T = 23-25oC

41. Data and video live on Internethttp://ag.arizona.edu/tomlive/gh3118_idx.html

42. Exp.3 Exp.2 Exp.1 UAAQ CEACEnvironmental Data • Set Points: • Hydroponic Treatment • Day Tair = 20 - 22oC • Night Tair = 16 - 18oC • TH2O = 23 - 25oC • pH = 6.5 - 6.8 • DO = 4 - 7 mg/L

43. Exp.3 Exp.2 Exp.1 UAAQ CEACNitrogen Mass Flow • Fish Feed • % N = 5.97 • 1800 grams/day • 107 grams nitrogen/day • Sludge • N = 3.38% per g dry weight • 5 Liters day produced • Collect dry weight / day • Fish • 27% nitrogen retention • Lettuce • Samples to be analyzed • Water • 40-60 mg/L Nitrate

44. Exp.3 Exp.3 Exp.2 Exp.2 Exp.1 Exp.1 UAAQ CEACWater Chemistry • Macronutrients • Accumulation reaching steady state • Calcium and magnesium supplementation • Experiments 2-8 • Micronutrients • Biomin Iron supplementation • Experiment s 4-8 • Biomin Zinc supplementation • Experiments 5-8 • Biomin Manganese supplementation • Experiments 6-8

45. UAAQ Exp. 2 Aquaponics vs. Hydroponics • Hydroponic Solution • Nitrogen uptake • Experiment 2 Data • 40-60 mg/L NO3-N • 10-20 mg/L P • 100+ mg/L K

46. Arizona Aquaculture Websiteag.arizona.edu/azaqua

47. What’s needed next? • Investment in production and more research • Best technologies of ag and aquaculture • Limited governmental regulation • Trained production staff and semi-skilled farming staff