Aquaponics October2013 PDF

Aquaponics Survival Communities Magazine
You may NOT copy or use any of the articles in this magazine without express permission from the ASC Magazine.
The articles written in our magazine are from contributing writers and experts alike. They are teaching and instructing other people about aquaponics, organic gardening, farming, along with Co-Operatives and other things they feel are beneficial to the world wide effort for healthier and nutritious foods. Other articles in our magazine are written by companies and businesses that have something of value to share and promote their work to people on a worldwide scale. All Rights Reserved Venus Rizing, Inc Contact: venusrizing@gmail.com http://aquaponicssurvivalcommunities.com/ ASC Subscription Page: http://aquaponics-how-to-guide.info/aquanewsletter/
Edition 8 October 2013
Join Us On Facebook
Aquaponics Survival Communities

Click the Link
ASC Magazine| Edition 8| October 2013| Page 2
Adam Cohen Vice-Chairman Aquaponics Association ASC Aquaponics Consultant Education Questions and Answers
Editor In Chief Victoria Kelley
Stephen A Jones Soil Grown Produce Natural Building Greenhouse Ideas Farmers Markets
Marketing & Advertising Mike Kelley
Rick Beach Permaculture Water and Food Storage Self Reliance and Prepping Medicinal Herbs
Cover Design Layout & Artwork Victoria Kelley Carmen Torrez
Amber Johnson Organic Foods Nutrition Homemade Products Natural Oils Ointments for the Skin
7 Permaculture
Multiple Disciplines All in One
43 Recipe of the Month

Two Bean Beef Crock Pot Chili
13 Meg Stout Takes the

Helm of the Aquaponics Association
47 Caring For Your Teeth

Naturally
19
Aquaponics in Tucson
53 New Aquaponics Center

Opens In Longmont Colorado
AZ Moving Forward Into the Future
21 Endless Food
Systems
57 Future of Aquaponics
May Be Out of This World
28
Choosing the Right
61
Ideas towards Solar
Fish for My Aquaponic System
Energy
36 Aqualibrium
Aquaponics Meets the Futuristic Vision of Jacque Fresco
65 Build a Cold Frame for

winter
67 Classifieds
Summer ends and autumn comes, and he who would have it otherwise would have high tide always and a full moon every night; and thus he would never know the rhythms that are at the heart of life. -Hal Borland
Become A Member Today

Graphic: http://www.csustan.edu/AGStudies/Permaculture_conc.htm
Permaculture Multiple Disciplines All In One

ASC Contributing Writer Rick Beach
Many
people are just starting to learn about
permaculture. While some say it isnt rocket science, it is a combination of many traditional disciplines from school. I recently received an e-mail about a job that is opening up, Urban Agriculture Extension Specialist. I thought wow; this may be just up my alley. I just completed my permaculture certificate and I wanted to specialize in suburban and urban settings. No luck, they wanted a Masters degree and several semesters of agriculture classes. But why? Permaculture is so much more. In my opinion, it is way beyond anything I learned in school. Here are some examples of how the sciences are blended, and some common terms that are thrown around in permaculture circles and my own interpretation of what they mean. Agronomy: science of soil management and crop production. This is one of the fundamentals of permaculture. Without rich soil it is hard to grow anything. Anatomy: The study of organisms and their parts. To fully understand the relationships of plants, organisms, animals you have to understand how they work, and then how they work together. Anthropology: The study of the origin, behavior, and the physical, social, and cultural development of humans. While it is not in much detail, learning about how previous civilizations and cultures worked the land, gives insight and we are now often repeating some of their practices. Bacteriology: The study of bacteria, especially in relation to medicine and agriculture. Definitely here. Bacteria in the soil, in aquaponics, in circles of organisms.
Biochemistry: The study of the chemical substances and processes in living organisms. How to the plants and animals interact. Nitrogen fixing, bioaccumulation. Biology: The science of life and living organisms. Basically all of permaculture. Botany: The study of plants. You will get to know plants on a whole new level. Cartography: The art or technique of making maps or charts. Designing maps, layouts for properties, how to read various types of maps and layouts. Designing your own maps and layouts. Chemistry: The science of the composition, structure, properties, and reactions of matter, especially of atomic and molecular systems. From chemistry of the soil, to chemistry of plants, chemistry of nutrients in feed, to aquaponics. Chemistry is all over. Ecology: The study of organisms and their environment. Again, basic permaculture. Before I heard about the term permaculture, I had considered going back to school for ecology. Glad I didnt. It is just a small portion of what I have learned. Engineering: The application of scientific, economic, social, and practical knowledge in order to design, build, and maintain structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes. From building, dams, waterways, bridges, houses, water catchment. There are all sorts of engineering concepts at work. Entomology: The scientific study of insects. Both beneficial and harmful insects. What bugs like to eat your plants, and what bugs like to eat the bugs eating your plants. Who is a good pollinator, and who will make you cry when it is harvest time.
Bill Mollison (born 1928 in Tasmania, Australia) is a researcher, author, scientist, teacher and naturalist. He is considered to be the 'father of permaculture.' To Read More About Bill Mollison
Forestry: The science and art of cultivating, maintaining, and developing forests. From edible food forests, to orchards, to harvesting trees for fuel or other properties. Trees are a big part of permaculture. Genetics: The study of heredity and inherited traits. Breeding your own plants, what plants will cross pollinate. How to get a species to grow in your area with your soil makeup, your temperature, be disease and drought resistant, and produce a good edible product. Geography: The study of the earth and its features. Using the features of the land to work with your design, rather than making the land features what you want. Learning about terrain, and natural makings of the earths features. Herbology: The study and use of medicinal properties of plants. The vast majority of todays pharmaceuticals aka drugs came from plants. There are some many beneficial medicinal plants out there, you will learn quite a bit.
Hydrology: The study of the properties and effects of water on earth. Again, a base fundamental of permaculture. Hydrating the soil and making the most of the water. Ichthyology: The study of fish. In ponds, streams and aquaponics, knowing what are good fish for your application and what ones to avoid. Medicine: The science of diagnosing and treating disease and damage to the body. Similar to herbology we can grow so much of our own medicines; we could potentially put the pharmaceutical companies out of business. Meteorology: The study of weather and atmospheric conditions. Studying the weather patterns, winter sun, summer sun and rainy seasons. All are an iatrical part of permaculture. Microbiology: The study of microorganisms and their effects on other living organisms. From under the soil, to in the compost bin. The various microbes in the soil are an important part of permaculture.
Mineralogy: The study of minerals, including their distribution, identification, and properties. Knowing what minerals are in your soil is important, but what is also important is how to obtain lacking minerals, where are those minerals found, what plants can harvest certain minerals, and how to use them. Mycology: The branch of botany that deals with fungi. From breaking down toxins, to making new soil. Fungus is amungus in permaculture. Nutrition: The study of food and nourishment. What plants produce what nutrition. What does your body need, what plants and nutrients to the animals need? What nutrients do the plants need? It is all related. Thermodynamics: The study of relationships and conversions between heat and other forms of energy. From making greenhouse, to heat sinks out of rocks. How to design you house or structure so that you are using less energy to heat or cool. Understanding thermodynamics and how it works is important. Toxicology: The study of poisons and the treatment of poisoning. Some plants are toxic, some are beneficial in small amounts but overdue it and it is death. Some species thrive in toxic environments. But like herbology, understanding how much of a good thing to use before it becomes something bad. Zoology: the study of the structure, physiology, development, and classification of animals. Lifecycles of plants, animals and insects. When to introduce chickens into an area to break the invasive insect species life cycle. All part of permaculture.
Permaculture in my opinion is landscaping and designing property or a homestead, working with the environment; with system that already exist, for an optimal sustainable output. There is no way I could explain permaculture in one blog post or a combination of posts. There are so much better teachers and information already out there. Instead I can tell you how discovered permaculture, then my take on each of the sources, and how I apply some of the teachings. First I Googled the term when I heard about it. Here is the wiki link for permaculture.
I was turned on to permaculture idea about a year ago from listening to Jack Spirko from The Survival Podcast (TSP). Here are the tagged episodes and blog posts from his site. Jack spoke of Geoff Lawton and had him on several episodes. Recently Geoff offered an online version of his course, and being a Member Support Brigade (discount program through TSP) Currently I am taking Geoff Lawtons Permaculture who took over for Bill Mollison one of the founders of the permaculture education. Bills book Permaculture Design Manual is a massive source of information and while taking the course I got the book at a discount. While at Geoffs site be sure to check out the micro gardening. You have to register each time you go to the site. He does not, will not, sell e-mail address. The only thing I have ever gotten from Geoff is an announcement when a new video is out. No spam increase at all. Through Jack and the TSP I found Paul Wheaton from Permies and Rich Soil. Paul is a little out there at times, but I take what I want from his podcast and forums. I get good nuggets of information here and there. From Paul I got turned onto Sepp Holzer and his books. Sepp doesnt speak English so watching his videos are difficult if there are any. His book has quite a bit of information. Also through Jack I found Joel Salatin from Polyface Farms. Joel manages a variety of animals without hormones, antibiotics, and rotates his animals in a fashion that is sustainable and more productive than currently used practices. Joel has more than one book, so here is the selection.
While I am on a suburban lot of only 0.2 acres the information I got from Joel was good for consulting purposes and my future homestead when we are able to get more land. Again through Jack I found Darby Simpson who is local and is literally the next town over. I have gotten to speak to Darby several times, and met in person at our local farmers markets. He runs a consulting business and has a family farm managed in the style of Joel Salatin. Joel is big time, and chance of my asking him a question is slim. Darby is local, same climate and environment, and knows the area and markets. This information has been key for me. He has enlightened me to the ins and outs, rules, regulations of local farming, farmers markets, and networking. I have blended bits and pieces from all of these sources. I own several of the books, videos, visit the blogs, forums, and online videos often. I wish I had discovered some of these sources before we started designing our suburban lot, but we are constantly evolving it as we learn more and what works and what doesnt. The principals were the key factor. We rarely have to water our gardens thanks to what Geoff, and Paul have taught us. We free range our chickens so we learned that anything we want to grow, from medicinal herbs to veggies have to be protected from the ravenous hoard. They eat EVERYTHING. If they dont eat it they scratch around it killing the plant. We tried keeping the birds in a run, but they were just unhappy. With a six foot privacy fence we have never had one want to escape. In the last two years I feel I have learned more than I had in the previous 20 about gardening, the environment, land management, homesteading, self sufficiency, and the value of producing your own food. I can help on your own piece of land whether it be an apartment to acreage.
About Rick Beach

I am a 30+ year gardener.
I currently reside in suburbia and have turned our 0.2 are property into a micro farm. We have 24 chickens, fruit trees, aquaponics, edible landscaping, water harvesting, worm composting, and a regular vegetable garden. We are working on bringing back to life a 6 acre farm that has been in the family for 150 years after 20 years of neglect. I have a background in pharmaceuticals, engineering, business and use these to the best of my ability helping my community. I recently completed Geoff Lawton's Permaculture Design Course and am applying what I learn at my own sites and advising others in and around my area. I teach and give classes in my area on just about anything I feel confident to speak about to get people thinking in a different direction. Gardening, canning, permaculture, aquaponics, water storage and purification, fire and fire starting, BOB's, community building, medicinal herbs, food storage, just to name a few. As much prepping related classes as people will listen to. We are a blended family and have four kids between us. I am the publisher of the website www.wolfbeachfarms.com and contribute to several other online, print, and e-magazines.
My Website: http://wolfbeachfarms.com/ My Facebook Page
Efficiently Cooling the Humid Growing Environment
Meg Stout Takes The Helm Of The Aquaponics Association

This month Meg Stout became Chairman of the Aquaponics Association. We asked Meg to give our readers insight into her background and where she sees the Aquaponics Association going in the future.
ASC: What got you interested in Aquaponics? Meg: I was browsing the internet in 2010, dreaming about building a tiny house and wondering how I could have a garden under such circumstances. By the end of the evening, I had discovered aquaponics and developed plans for making a small 5-gallon aquaponic windowfarm. The 5 gallon system morphed into a 100 gallon system in my basement, and then into a 250 gallon system in my back yard.
I grew up with the idea of having food storage. So I have various buckets of grains, beans, and dry milk. I love the idea that my garden is a source of fresh vegetables and herbs, fish protein, and water in case of emergency. But even in regular times, items from the garden make a wonderful addition to our diet. ASC: Unlike those who founded the Aquaponics Association, you do not have an aquaponics business. Why is that? Meg: I come from a long line of public servants, stretching back to John Alden, the first person from the Mayflower to set foot on American soil. Ive been tempted to set up a side business involving aquaponics, but when Id turn the idea over in my mind, I felt Id be compromising my ability to be an objective participant in the future of aquaponics. As a federal employee, I get annual training on the peculiarly high standard of ethical behavior expected of federal employees. I just didnt feel I could be an independent advocate of aquaponics and have a business at the same time, given that standard. And I enjoy my government job and sometimes I like having enough time to sleep. ASC: What is your job? Meg: Speaking of ethics, the lawyers tell me Im not allowed to use my federal credentials to imply Im qualified for anything else. But I do have a degree in Physics from George Mason University and a joint masters degree in Systems Engineering and Business Administration (MBA) from Naval Postgraduate School with a certificate for Product Development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Its fair to say Im an engineer and program manager with lots of experience with ocean engineering.
ASC: As a federal employee, have you been affected by the recent Government shutdown? Meg: I would have been, except that I work in the building where Aaron Alexis killed 12 individuals on 16 September. The Secretary of the Navy asked President Obama for a specific exemption for us, given the impact of that tragedy on top of the furloughs wed already been subjected to earlier in 2013. ASC: Speaking of not having enough time to sleep,
you are the author of the Complete Idiots Guide to Aquaponic Gardening, published in April 2013. How did that come about?
Meg: I had been blogging about aquaponics for going on two years when Penguin asked an agent to find someone to take over the book contract originally held by Susanne Friend and Tim Mann. The agent liked my writing style and the pictures in the blog. And I was clearly focused on the kind of I have a free weekend DIY effort someone reading a Complete Idiots Guide would be looking for. It aligned well with my passion, which is making it easy for folks to create reliable, safe aquaponic systems from local materials they can acquire from neighborhood stores. I used the opportunity Penguin Book Group gave me to create the text I wish Id had when I first discovered aquaponics. I cover all the options for lights, grow beds, fish tanks, plumbing, fish, plants, greenhouses, and even talk about solutions for going off grid. ASC: So you get royalties from this book? Meg: Actually, no. It was a work for hire contract because of internal changes at Penguin. So I got paid a fee up front, but I signed over rights to the content of the book, with the exception of the DIY plans.
The arrangement actually works well for me, given my public servant mindset. Besides, cashing royalty checks above and beyond the fee for writing the book would have made me feel like I was taking that cash away from Susanne and Tim, who I count as friends.
ASC: How did you get involved in the Aquaponics Association? Meg: Back when the Aquaponics Association was a mere concept, Sylvia Bernstein approached me about being an officer in the US chapter of the organization as they were envisioning it. She wanted me to be involved since I was also focused on backyard gardeners rather than commercial operations, like so many of the others involved in the original organization. When the Aquaponics Association was realigned to focus on North America, I was asked to be Director of Programs and Policies, and then was elected to be Treasurer for the October 2012-September 2013 term. So Ive had a chance to see the Aquaponics Association evolve as its mission became clearer.
ASC: What is the mission of the Aquaponics Association? Meg: The Aquaponics Association was formed
We are also looking to put together business plan templates for those looking to begin an aquaponics farm or convert existing aquaculture or hydroponic systems to aquaponics. 3 Strengthen the story about the environmental benefit of using aquaponics to grow plants and fish. We all know about the water savings we get from growing using aquaponics. But there are also benefits from reducing agricultural runoff, which causes disasters like the mass killing of manatees in Florida thats occurring right now. Aquaponic farms and gardens can also mitigate crop damage caused by the increased storms, floods, and droughts associated with climate change. Were looking to team with the Water Footprint Network to formally assess the benefits of aquaponics using the global water footprint assessment methodology. 4. Engage members and prospective members in vibrant dialogue. A first priority here is crowd sourcing the next Aquaponics Association conference. Were looking for folks interested in considering bringing the conference to their town to send an e-mail to info@aquaponicsassociation.org by Friday, 18 October.
to promote the benefits of aquaponics through education and outreach, to effectively become the trade organization for the aquaponics industry.
As a trade association, the Aquaponics Association was set up to perform public relations activities like education and lobbying, but its main focus is collaboration and standardization. Initially, the primary service the Aquaponics Association offered was producing the annual conference and the associated networking. But weve identified four additional critical priorities to support a bright future for aquaponics: 1. Work with global food safety organizations so aquaponic produce can be certified for sale to large distributors. The recent scares with food poisoning related to fruits and vegetables have resulted in standards that prohibit certifying food grown in the presence of animals. We estimate that it will take roughly $500,000 to perform the independent research to validate the safety of produce grown using aquaponics, and the necessary good agricultural practices and good handling practices to ensure that safe food doesnt get contaminated on the way to consumers. 2. Educate consumers about aquaponics. The Aquaponics Association doesnt want to compete with businesses that provide aquaponics training. But we have established a micro-grant program to fund projects that increase public awareness, understanding, and knowledge of aquaponics as an educational tool, hobby, or business, with preference for educational and outreach activities that focus on developing aquaponics systems or a plan to move existing growing systems toward aquaponics.
Once the Aquaponics Association obtains non-profit status (estimated to occur this winter) we will be rolling out an expanded range of membership options to expand how folks can interact with our community.
ASC: Where do you see aquaponics in five years? Meg: Wow. In five years Id love to see aquaponics as a preferred consumer choice when it comes to buying food. I love to see landscape designers using decorative aquaponic gardens in public spaces and as high-end landscaping for homes. I want to see a network of vibrant small businesses that are available to help individuals grow their own food using aquaponics. I want to see homes and businesses throughout American and the world use aquaponics to transform asphalt jungles to food-producing oases. And I want to see individuals gain the ability to produce sufficient safe food to enjoy food security. In order for this to happen, we have to crack this food safety nut and break down barriers for consumers. Thats what the Aquaponics Association is all about.
Note: If you are interested in bringing the next Aquaponics Association conference to your town, e-mail Meg and her team at info@aquaponicsassociation.org by 18 October.
Mural On The Wall At Central Greens Milwaukee Aquaponics
Aqua Dream
When nature has work to be done, she creates a genius to do it. -Ralph Waldo Emerson
The
Aquaponics Conference in Tucson was a
Aquaponics In Tucson A.Z Moving Forward Into The Future
fantastic event. It was wonderful to meet some of the people who are subscribing and contributing to this magazine. I also met some new people that were very inspiring as well. I wanted to especially mention Kevin Savage because my conversation with him was very interesting about how he teaches at school. Kevin is teaching his students about aquaponics at a high school in Ohio. It was wonderful to listen about how the next generation is learning about farming once more. Our world desperately needs this again. One thing that became apparent in my conversations; Aquaponics is going to become one of the biggest industries for future farming.
The Tour Friday morning we stepped up onto the bus and toured backyards, shops and the Arizona State University. I really enjoyed
some of the tours especially places where I was able to visit and speak with young entrepreneurs like Brenden from Eco Gro. I really loved seeing what people are doing in their backyards and greenhouses; it makes you excited for the future.
The Editors Say
I have to say the most enjoyable place we stopped at was Manzo Elementary School. I was thrilled to see how the children are learning about gardening and growing food in a school environment setting.
As the ASC Magazine continues to reach out to people across the world one thing has become abundantly clear to me; people really want to learn farming again. As we travelled from Colorado to Arizona I noticed certain things that really concerned me. Lands that were once vast grazing and growing areas now look abandoned.
The school was on the list to be shut down but their math scores went from 7 to 21 (I think thats right). This happened because they used simple math principles to educate the kids while gardening. The children really love it. Moses Thompson the school counselor and school principle Mark Alvarez have done such an awesome job. I was very inspired and I hope to follow their lead by using the same type of education in our small town. I am going to be staying in touch and I have asked Moses to write us an article for the magazine, so everyone can see what a great job this school is doing for the children. It seems to me that if we are to change the future then we need to start with the education of our children. Most kids dont even know the basics of gardening anymore. If you were to ask a child where eggs come from, they will tell you the store. Believe me I have asked and thats the answer I got. Most of us would have to agree, its time to farm and educate differently. We should no longer allow big agriculture to decide what we eat anymore.
Old windmills stood still on barren landscapes and they no longer pump the water. There were For Sale signs where cattle used to graze and farmers once grew crops.
I saw communication towers which looked almost invasive and out of place on the landscape. They were everywhere throughout New Mexico. Growing food is one of the most important things we can do for the future. This fact was very obvious to me, as we drove down to Arizona. Farming isnt happening anymore the way it once was and we need to get back to it. This is why aquaponics and education go hand in hand. This is so important for the future. Our children desperately need us to teach them how to farm. They deserve to know how to feed themselves, when we are no longer here to show them. Food for thought, dont you think?
Warmest Regards
This Months Cover Article
Endless Food Systems

The Beginning
After hearing about a guy growing fish and plants together in a symbiotic relationship, I was immediately
intrigued. This was back in 2009 and at that time I did not realize this process was called aquaponics. The whole thought of being able to mimic nature in a simple sustainable way was amazing. I immediately began researching to discover more about it only to find out the information was limited and what I did find often conflicted. My father also had a high interest in aquaponics so we began experimenting and building our own systems. After learning a lot through experience, study, and conversations with others from the USA and Australia, a great opportunity presented itself! In 2011 we had the privilege to attend the very beginning of the Aquaponics Association in Orlando, Florida and met a lot of great people.
A New Endeavor
About a year ago I embarked on a difficult task of designing a backyard system that could be duplicated, shipped via freight and was pleasing to look at. I truly did not realize it would be so difficult! I have designed products before & at the beginning of this I figured it would be a piece of cake, but not so. Endless Food Systems was created in September of 2012 with the plan of manufacturing plug & play aquaponic kits that are easily shipped with everything needed to get started. After a lot of trial and error, I believe we ended up with a great design that combines a gravel or media bed with a floating raft bed.
This is referred to as a hybrid aquaponic system. The rafts allow the system to ship easier because of the weight and using raft beds actually enables the system to grow more than if it were strictly a media system. We came up with a modular design that revolves around a 300 gallon fish tank. It can easily be expanded upon. We designed 2 full size kits, the Genesis and the Sanctuary.
Chad Hudspeth Founder of Endless Food Systems Visit Our Website Our Facebook Page
Sanctuary Series
This series is comprised of our core six kits, which can be expanded from 32 sq. ft. up to 128 sq. ft. of grow space. The kits in this series include a 300 gallon fish tanks and 4X4 grow beds. These use the CHOP 2 design created by Murray Hallam of Practical Aquaponics.au. CHOP means, Constant Height, One Pump. It allows you to have the fish tank at the same level as the grow bed and operates on only 1 water pump. Our Sanctuary Series kits are shipped complete, ready to go and contain EVERYTHING a person needs to get started. All the plumbing is pre-cut and simply slips together! In addition these kits even include heirloom seeds in 20 varieties and a Master API water test kit.
Our Aquaponics Systems
Genesis Series
This smaller series is comprised of the same 300 gallon fish tank but operates quite a bit differently. It does not use a sump tank and the water from the grow bed simply flows back into the fish tank. It also uses 3X3 grow beds and comes in 2 sizes, a single grow bed or two. Each grow bed offers 11 square feet of grow space. Anyone planning to expand beyond 22 sq. ft. of grow space should consider our Sanctuary Series. The Genesis Series includes everything needed to get started similar to our Sanctuary Series, except for clay pebbles. A customer can add clay pebbles on to their purchase, or to save money they can source their own media materials such as gravel.
Site Preparation
You will need a level place for the tanks to rest and plenty of sunlight. Keep in mind the direction the sun travels and how much will be available to the grow beds. Be careful of overhangs and shade trees that might block the sun in the winter (the sun is much lower in the sky during winter). Depending on your geographic location, a greenhouse usually generates the best results since the temperature can be controlled. If you plan to grow Tilapia, they need the water temperature to be between 55 and 95F. Depending on where you live, you may need a tank heater or for hot places like Phoenix you must keep the tank shaded. Also keep in mind runoff from a roof, do not place any tanks under a gutter spout or other high runoff area.
Aquaponics Education: A great tool for all schools

We are installing our first system to be used in a school setting at The Odyssey Institute for Advanced and International Studies in Buckeye, Arizona on the 9th of October, 2013. In addition we have plans to install systems at other schools in the near future. One of our goals with respect to putting aquaponics systems in schools is to make it an easy process for the students and educators.
A little bit of information about the Odyssey School

The Odyssey Institute for Advanced and International Studies is a 6th-10th Grade campus with a focus on high academic achievement, character acquisition, and cultural awareness. As an IB (Middle Years Program) Candidate School, the Institute emphasizes global citizenship and personal values, and the bar is set nothing short of excellence for all team members. To keep the price low we offer educational discounts and other programs that institutions can take advantage of. We also plan to work with the Aquaponics Association and some of the members to identify best practices for schools as well as to be able to offer schools information that can help them in designing curriculum in various subject areas.
Exciting News
A TV crew for National Geographics Doomsday Preppers spent 6 days at our house for an upcoming episode of the show to be aired October 29th. We are excited for this opportunity which will help continue to bring national exposure about Aquaponics to people in the US.
Doomsday Preppers Show
Choosing The Right Fish For My Aquaponic System
ASC Contributing Writer
Adam Cohen
Green Phoenix Farms
For small scale Aquaponics, there

are any number of reference materials available that will tell you what fish need in order to survive and, hopefully, to thrive in a system. These references will tell you about nutritional requirements, optimal temperature ranges, necessary water quality, and many more specific parameters. For a beginning Aquapon, this depth and breadth of information can sometimes prove to be exceptionally intimidating and somewhat unwieldy. So the question becomes, how does one wade through this sea of important tidbits of information to search out the specific pieces that are of the greatest importance to the system and situation at hand. To that end, I would like to present four questions to ask when choosing the most appropriate fish species for a new aquaponic system. These questions are the most basic and foundational decisions that you need to make regarding your new aquaponic system. Once these are answered, you will be able to explore more of the specific options and methods that can allow you to even further enhance the way your system operates but it makes sense to start at the foundation, right?
Here are the key questions that you will want to ask as you pick the right species of fish for your system:
What is the climate like where you live? What are the regulations regarding fish in your state? What are your goals for your fish? What is the budget available for your system?
Now you may notice that these four questions do not really specifically deal with a choice of fish species. There is a reason that I have called these the foundation for your larger decision. Now, lets go a bit deeper into each of these questions and discuss a few of the deeper issues related to each.
What is the climate like where you live?

Why is this really an important question? Well specifically, you need to ask yourself if your climate is really hot or cold. You need to consider how much fluctuation there is between the extremes, or in other words, how long do you stay on either end of the spectrum? In terms of is it possible; well, we all know that you could raise Rainbow Trout in Puerto Rico or you could raise Tilapia in Northern Canada but, just because something is possible does not mean that it is practical. My advice, when it comes to this question, is to consider the species of fish that are native (or at least naturalized) to your area.
Look for species that will live year-round in ponds and lakes near your home, and preferably look for ones that will thrive while doing so. What that means is that if you live in Minnesota or Wisconsin, you could probably do very well with Channel Catfish, Trout, Walleye, or Yellow Perch. These are all cold-tolerant species that would survive reasonably well with minimal heat (if any) added to the system. If you instead live in southern Alabama, you might instead consider species like Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, or Tilapia. The name of the game in Aquaponics is balance; therefore, if we are forced to add a large amount of energy to our system to either heat or cool our water how far out of balance do you think we are? Ease and efficiency will be maximized if you follow that single concept of balance.
What are the regulations regarding fish in your state?

I cannot emphasize this question enough. Every single state in the United States has a separate set of species that are regulated or prohibited. There is no single location where a person can go to find the specifics for these regulations. The best that can be done is to actually contact a member of the Department of Fish and Game (or equivalent) in your state and ask them directly for a list of aquatic species that are allowed, restricted, or prohibited. Some states follow the idea of a Whitelist, meaning that only the specific aquatic animal species on the list are allowed. Any species not listed is, by default, prohibited. Other states, like Texas, use a method more akin to a Blacklist. This is where species that are restricted or prohibited are listed, but anything that is not found on the list is, by default, allowed.
In every State, regardless of the style of species listing, the responsibility for following the regulations will always be on you as the individual in possession of the fish. This is a position that could be financially dangerous in Texas, the fines for possession of regulated fish species are levied per fish in possession. So, for example, if you had five tilapia and a school of fry, you could be fined for each individual fish, fry counted individually! So, make sure that you find out the specific rules for your state, and protect yourself from the start. When you use this information to build upon that from the previous question, it will help you narrow down that list of potential candidate species for your system.
What are your goals for your fish?

To paraphrase (badly) Shakespeare, To eat my fish or not to eat my fish, that is the question! Seems like a pretty simple question, right? Well, slow down a minute. There is another important part to this question: How big is your system? If you only have a 50-gallon fish tank, the simple truth is that you likely will not really be able to raise fish to eat. You could, but would it really be worth it to raise two or three fish? In my opinion, probably not, mainly because when you harvested, you would bottom out your nutrient production, and then your plants would suffer. So in our classes we recommend that, while it is possible to raise fish for table fare in small tanks, you should have a tank of at least 200-250 gallons if you want to raise any reasonable quantity of fish as food. For anything less than that, we usually suggest that Aquapons simply use some variety of ornamental fish (Goldfish or Koi). Of course, you can certainly keep ornamentals in large tanks. Koi grow to very large sizes and also produce plenty of waste to fertilize your entire system. ASC Magazine| Edition 8| October 2013| Page 32
What is the budget available for your system?

This comes back to that efficiency question; it is most efficient to keep your system in balance with the environment around it. This is because it will require the least amount of additional energy to keep it stable, and lets face it, energy is expensive. So, the bottom line is that if you have your heart set on raising Rainbow Trout in Texas or Nile Tilapia in Toronto, you will need to have a budget that can afford that extra expense. This cost can be significant when you intend to heat/cool several thousand gallons of water in a greenhouse structure. It is far more efficient, and more ecologically appropriate, to choose your fish species to match your local environment; rather than to make your environment adapt to your fish. With Aquaponics, the entire goal is to mimic the actions of the environments around us. We build our systems to operate using the same mechanisms that every stream, river and lake use to purify water and to recycle nutrients. From this perspective, I believe that the most reasonable idea is to focus all system design work into a design that uses the least possible amount of energy. A major place to start this consideration is with the species of fish that you hope to raise. Next month, we will take a closer look as several of the most commonly raised cold-water species in aquaponic systems. If you have questions regarding a specific species or anything related to cool-water aquaponic systems, please email Adam at ascmagazine101@gmail.com.
Amazing Idea Of The Month!
I had long been a fan of futurist Jacque Fresco and

his vision for a more self-sustaining urban future. When I first heard about Aqualibrium, a New York based entrepreneurial startup that had created a way for big city apartment dwellers to combine the food sustainability of aquaponics with the urban vision of Jacque Fresco, I was intrigued enough to reach out to ask for a personal tour of the Aqualibrium offices and research lab. The company founders were generous enough to extend an invitation that next weekend.
Like many young startups, Aqualibrium at that point was working out of the Upper Westside apartment of Josh Rittenberg, one of the three co-founds of the company. The other two founders, Ben-Yam Barshi and Jared Kasner were there to greet me when I arrived. The office was Rittenbergs living room and the research lab was in the kitchen.
The centerpiece in the middle of the room was the prototype for the company's first product, the Aqualibrium Garden a two chamber modular construction that looked as if it could have just come off a stylish spaceship. Fish were swimming in the lower chamber and a surprisingly large, lush garden of peppers, basil, eggplants, sprouts and scallions were growing in the upper chamber grow space. Although seemingly three very different personality types, the three co-founders shared a very clear vision for a way to cut societys current carbon footprint, while offering those living in crowded urban environments a way to more fully take charge of their own food supply.
Rittenberg pulled the removable top from the upper chamber of the Aqualibrium Garden so that I could get a closer look at the abundance that he and his associates had grown in his tiny New York apartment in just the past few weeks. A few years ago I began to get increasingly concerned about GMOs and the overall low quality of the food, said Rittenberg, explaining part of his motivation in founding Aqualibrium and beginning the design and development process. If people in urban areas could become just 5% - 10% more self-sufficient in food production, we could do a lot towards giving everyone more leverage in demanding better, higher quality food. I saw our work in developing the Aqualibrium Garden as one small step in that direction. Ben-Yam Barshi, Aqualibriums aquaponics and agricultural expert, talked about his vision for using the Aqualibrium Garden product as an educational tool in schools. Barshi, who has built self-sustaining community-based aquaponics systems for villages in Haiti and restaurant projects in the Dominican Republic, is passionate in his vision that the next generation must better understand food, food production and sustainable agricultural techniques if society is to make it through the next two generations. Look at the harm Monsanto and other big multi-nationals have done to our health, our environment and our food supply. Aquaponics is ancient but it is also part of the future. If we can show young children in local villages how to take control of their own food, we have a chance to significantly reduce hunger worldwide. Barshi is confident that he and his associates can be part of that process.
I then got a tour of the Aqualibrium research lab as Rittenberg poured me a cup of coffee. It was amazing for me to see the very stylish product prototype then the Tupperware and home aquarium test systems that had been part of the initial product design process. Jared Kasner, the Mr. Businessman of the trio, explained why he felt the Aqualibrium business model would be successful in an area where so many others have struggled. Part of his reasoning was based on timing and societal education. As weird as it may sound, Kasner explained, I have always been interested in climate every sin ce I was a little kid. I would watch the Weather Channel and watch weather patterns move across the country. Later on I read tons of books on climate and climate change. In college, I decided to get actively involved. Now millions of others are getting involved, too. When Josh approached me to be part of developing the Aqualibrium concept I saw this as the perfect opportunity to help nurture a company that had an amazing product solution that can allow anyone to take a positive step in lowering their own person carbon footprint. It was clear to me that the guys at Aqualibrium had given a great deal of through to their business, business model, target market and product. When I was back home with my family in the Dominican Republic, I ran into Ben-Yam and he showed me what he had been doing with aquaponics, Rittenberg explained, adding that he and Barshi had been childhood friends. I then started doing my own research and became convinced that aquaponics will be a big part of future food prod uction and can be scaled to the single family level, which is what I think weve accomplished with the Aqualibrium Garden.
Barshis vision into the future goes even further. If a group of families say, living on the same floor of an apartment building each had an aquaponics garden like the one weve created then those families could share produce, herbs and flowering plants and, if well planned, could potentially be self-sustaining with their own hyper local food supply.
This system could go anywhere grown anything any time of the year. You could even put it on a submarine or in a spaceship. I shared that vision with Jacque Fresco when Josh and I met with him at his project in Florida. He was very supportive of our vision. People need to have the freedom to grow whatever they want, whenever they want, Rittenberg continued. There is no comparison in taste, quality or freshness. A point to which I agreed after sampling one of the fresh peppers that Rittenberg, Barshi and Kasner had grown in Rittenbergs urban living room. I was surprised that LED grow lights would have that much sun power for growing. No pesticides, no herbicides, no GMOs all organic. I asked Kasner about pricing and who he thought would be their key target market for purchasing the product. To this point, aquaponics has been very much a hobby endeavor for those who like to tinker with water and pipes and food growing technologies. People like Sylvia Bernstein have really led the way in showing a wide audience how to put a sustainable aquaponics system in their backyard or garage.
Our vision now is to now take this technology keep the price point in the $300 range then help spread knowledge about aquaponics to the classroom and to people living in small urban apartments. That was one of our key goals in developing the Aqualibrium garden and I think weve succeed. The target market, I asked again. Anyone and everyone, said Barshi. Kasner suggested young urban professionals who understand the importance of having better control over their own food supply. Rittenberg suggested the trendy foodie restaurants where fresh locally sourced produce is the gold standard. In just the cost of fresh basil alone, one Aqualibrium Garden could pay for itself in six months, he added. But all of that aside food safety, food quality, food abundance and the real freedom to grow anything is the real value of what weve developed.
About Michael
Michael David McGuire is a freelance writer based in New York. McGuire covers food, agricultural and technology issues across North America and Europe. For more information about Aqualibrium and the new Aqualibrium Garden, go to:
http://www.Aqualibrium.com/
As I left the Aqualibrium office that afternoon I felt that I had seen the future of food and maybe three emerging new leaders in the food sustainability movement. As more young
entrepreneurs begin thinking that way there may be more hope for the future, translating the drawings and concepts of people like Jacque Fresco into individual, tangible acts in small living rooms across the nation and around the world.
The harvest moon hangs round and high It dodges clouds high in the sky, The stars wink down their love and mirth The autumn season is giving birth. Oh, it must be October. -Pearl N. Sorrels
Recipe Of The Month
Two Bean Beef Crock Pot Chili Recipe

With the cooler weather coming on we thought we would highlight a great crockpot recipe this month. Crockpots make wonderful food for busy people on the go. Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef 2 cans precooked beans of choice, drained 3 to 4 cans diced canned tomatoes with liquid (or plain tomato sauce, or mixture of both) 1 large white onion, diced 1 TBSP olive oil Salt + pepper to taste Cumin to taste, approx. 2 teaspoons or to taste Chili powder to taste (approx. 1/4 cup) 1 teaspoon sugar, optional Garlic powder to taste Garlic salt, optional Cayenne pepper, approx. 1/2 teaspoon or to taste
We found this recipe at

J3nn [Jen-uh-fer] Blog
Each month we look over hundreds of recipe blog sites and select one recipe we feel can appeal to a broad range of people. This month we selected Jenns blog because we just liked her style and the way she cooks!
Method:
In nonstick skillet, cook onions in olive oil until softened; add to crock pot. *Important to cook down onions before adding in tomatoes which could hamper cooking. Add in all other ingredients, break beef up with spoon; cook on medium-high for 4-6 hours or until beef is cooked thoroughly. Stir every so often. Makes approx. 8-12 servings
Azolla has been used, for at least one thousand years, in rice paddies as a companion plant, because of its ability to both fix nitrogen, and block out light to prevent any competition from other plants, aside from the rice, which is planted when tall enough to poke out of the water through the azolla layer.
As A Food Source
In addition to its traditional cultivation as a bio-fertilizer for wetland paddy (due to its ability to fix nitrogen), azolla is finding increasing use for sustainable production of livestock feed. Azolla is rich in proteins, essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals. Studies describe feeding azolla to dairy cattle, pigs, ducks, and chickens, with reported increases in milk production, weight of broiler chickens and egg production of layers, as compared to conventional feed. One FAO study describes how azolla integrates into a tropical biomass agricultural system, reducing the need for inputs. Azolla has also been suggested as food stuff for human consumption. However, no long term studies of the healthiness of eating Azolla have been made on humans. Source of Information
Click on the Link Below
Official Website
Utilizing the space I have to create that raised bed; (left) highlights the rose flower that bloomed in my pot;(middle) shows the shovel tucked into the grow bed as I finish filling the bed with soil; (right) shows the completely filled grow bed
Caring For Your Teeth Naturally

Amber Johnson
Chances are you do this simple act every day,

most likely more than once. You brush your teeth. It is drilled into us as children to repeat this act repeatedly. That is a good thing. Healthy teeth and gums are very important, especially if you like to chew your food before you swallow it. But, have you looked at the ingredient list in your toothpaste lately? Many store bought toothpaste brands contain so many harmful ingredients that they come with a warning label for small children. The most common culprit is Sodium Fluoride which can also be found in rat poison. Dentists have been recommending for years the use of fluoride to prevent cavities. What they are not telling you is that you can do that naturally without the use of harmful chemicals. On my personal quest to replace all my personal care items with natural and good for you alternatives, I started making toothpaste and tooth powder. It was very simple to do and I feel better knowing that I am scrubbing my teeth with a product that does not require a warning label. When I started, I wanted a way to clean my teeth, leave my breath fresh, and of course, promote healthy teeth and gums. Several herbs can be used to accomplish these goals.
My search also led me to discover that bentonite clay is also quite common in natural teeth cleaning products. This clay is rich in trace minerals and has the ability to bind to toxins. It is especially useful in removing toxins from metals. If you have mercury fillings you may really want to consider using bentonite clay. The clay can bind to the mercury in your fillings and aid in withdrawing the toxin. The minerals in the clay can also help to replenish lost minerals in your teeth and gums. Unrefined sea salt can also aid in this process. Another useful product for naturally clean teeth is baking soda. Nowadays, it is not uncommon to find this ingredient in your store bought toothpaste as well. Store bought toothpastes as contain sweeteners, most of which are chemically derived. To improve the taste of the tooth powder I elected to use xylitol, a natural sweetener. The California Dental Association has stated that xylitol can actually help prevent cavities http://www.cda.org/Portals/0/pdfs/fact_sheets/xylit ol_english.pdf which eliminates the need for dentist promoted fluoride. Xylitol inhibits the growth of bacteria that cause cavities making xylitol another very useful tooth cleanser.
During my search I discovered that using sage would accomplish all this and whiten my teeth at the same time. There are so many medicinal uses for sage that oral health is really just the tip of the iceberg. Sage has been effectively used in treating infected gums, mouth ulcers and dental abscesses. When used in a tea or oil, in can be gargled to reduce swelling in the throat as well.
Tooth Powder Recipe

1 tsp of bentonite clay 1 tsp of baking soda 1 tsp of xylitol tsp dried sage tsp sea salt 5 - 10 drops of essential oil Start by mixing your dry ingredients in a small plastic (preferably BPA free) or glass container that you can seal. Do not use anything metal when using bentonite clay. When it comes into contact with metal it withdraws the toxins and binds to them causing it to lose its beneficial properties. The mixture should be very fine. If some of your ingredients are not ground finely enough, a coffee grinder works well to get them to this consistency. I personally had to grind the xylitol, sage and sea salt. Once all of your dry ingredients have been mixed, add 5 10 drops of an essential oil of your choosing. I used peppermint, but you could use spearmint as well. I would suggest starting with 5 drops of essential oil and adding more if you need it to improve the taste. Also, if you find that you need to add additional xylitol that is fine as well. After all, xylitol actually helps to prevent cavities! To brush my teeth, I simply wet my toothbrush and dip it into the powder. After a good brush and a quick rinse, my teeth feel clean and my breath feels fresh. After a few weeks of use, I am also starting to notice that my teeth do look whiter. So there you have a natural tooth cleanser that can whiten your teeth without all the harmful chemicals and bleaches.
Tooth powder works great for adults but children may have a problem using it. For younger children I would suggest making toothpaste that is simple and can be flavored to suit their taste. Below is a simple recipe for toothpaste that can be made to suit either children or adults.
Toothpaste Recipe
2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp xylitol 2 5 drops of essential oil Filtered water Put your baking soda, xylitol and essential oil in to a sealable container. I had a special request for orange flavored toothpaste so in my toothpaste I used 2 drops of orange essential oil. Add small amounts of filtered water and stir the paste. Continue this until you reach your desired consistency. Once again, if you find that the taste is still too salty, add more xylitol. To brush your teeth using the toothpaste, wet your toothbrush and dip it into the paste. Scrub your teeth, a good rinse and voila! Naturally clean teeth. Sources: http://www.cda.org/Portals/0/pdfs/fact_sheets/x ylitol_english.pdf http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-sage.html http://www.hivehealthmedia.com/miraculoushealth-benefits-of-bentonite-clay/ If you are concerned about spreading germs or illness among the residents of your home, may I suggest giving everyone their own container or dispenser for your tooth-cleansing product.
The tooth powder recipe has a very long shelf life because it is dry and does not contain any water or other liquid. The toothpaste on the other hand may not last as long so I do suggest making it in smaller quantities.
If you need to make larger batches of either recipe, simple change the measurements maintaining the same ratios. Experiment with your essential oils. Flavors can be modified and used to encourage children to brush their teeth and make it fun. Look for oils that will provide you with a health benefit, remedy or a symptom you may be suffering from. The possibilities are numerous.
Toothpaste Ingredients
Tooth Powder Homemade Toothpaste
A poem to carry you through life

To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people And the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics And endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, A garden patch or a redeemed social condition; To know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded. Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)
New Aquaponics Center
Opens In Longmont, Colorado

Sylvia Bernstein
The Aquaponic Source officially opened the doors of our new 7600 sq. ft. facility in Longmont, Colorado on Saturday, October 5 in a Grand Opening celebration.
The event ran from 2 5 with over a hundred enthusiastic attendees, including visitors from as far away as Nebraska and Texas. What they experienced was North Americas first public facility dedicated entirely to aquaponic gardening.
Here is what a tour of the new facility looked like:

Retail Center Upon entering the new facility, visitors first encountered the new Retail Center. Its shelves are lined with an extensive selection of aquaponic gardening products from our Aquaponic Store website. Atop those shelves and on the walls are informational signs and posters on subjects such as Insect Control in Aquaponics and How to Select the Right Pump for Your System. Fast becoming the go to place for Northern Colorado aquapons, the Retail Center offers the chance to wander store aisles filled with aquaponic specific items, chat with our experienced Aquaponic Source Staff, and- lets face it - avoid shipping charges. System Showcase Adjacent to the Retail Center is a sunny room dedicated to showcasing our AquaBundance SpaceSaver System and the features and options of the AquaBundance Modular systems. In addition, every grow bed displays a different lighting option, from HID to induction to compact fluorescents and T5s.
Visitors can see the fixture sizes, judge the heat output and growth results, and weigh their indoor grow lighting choices. Aquaponics Classroom Travelling past the public space and down the hallway, visitors encounter the Aquaponics Classroom. On Grand Opening day this space for 16 20 students was set up as a hands-on activity center with water testing stations and bell siphon assembly challenges, as well as highlighting our upcoming Education Program, Aquaponic Gardening book, print-outs of blog posts, and video options. Research and Development (R&D) Perhaps the most exciting space in the entire building, the R&D room gives us the opportunity to test both products for, and assumptions about, aquaponic gardening. Weve set up three identical AquaBundance Modular systems, with both media and raft beds, 200 gallon fish tanks, and sump tanks to enable side-by-side controlled testing of items such as bottled bacteria, organic insect controls, plant growth enhancers, etc. Plus, it gives us a place to design and test enhancements to our Modular system. Manufacturing Next is the Manufacturing space (AKA the garage). Serving a dual purpose, this area is not only where we manufacture our siphons and other kit parts, grow-bed stands, and AquaBackup systems, but it is also where we are developing new products and aquaponic system designs. Warehouse Once visitors made it past the kitchen (and the cookies) they encountered our expansive Warehouse, which is arguably the heart of the whole facility. The Warehouse is where product inventory is stored, all of our online orders are picked, packed and shipped, system orders are palletized, and assembly and packaging of many of our private label products occurs. After the Warehouse, the tour was complete and visitors found themselves back in the System Showroom to ask new questions and mingle with Aquaponic Source staff and other guests. We are so grateful for the incredible response that we received from the community, both from the local, Longmont / Boulder community and the wider aquaponics community! The day felt like a fitting new launch for our company from its origins as strictly an online business being run out of our basement to a true Aquaponics Center that will serve to advance aquaponic gardening worldwide for many years to come.
Aquaponics by the Aquaponic Source
Future Of Aquaponics May Be Out Of This World
Stephen A Jones
The
Aquaponics Association Conference last
month was a chance to see ongoing work in many related venues that also included hydroponics. The College Of Agriculture And Sciences is leading the U.S. and arguably the world with state of the art growth chambers that have the potential to be the future for food production both here on earth and in manned and unmanned missions into outer space.
The Association tour bus visited the college and we were privy to the latest experiment that is funded by the NASAs Steckler Space Grant for advancing Space Colonization.
The main purpose of the grant is to see if a real sustainable extra terrestrial greenhouse could be a viable option that would open up significant opportunities for lengthily colonization in deep space. The implications for this kind of project are obvious to many of us. Such innovation will undoubtedly lead to hyper efficient systems that can provide for us right here on earth as well. Gene Giacomelli, director of the controlled environment agriculture program, spoke to us on the tour bus explaining that Aquaponics is just one step away from this kind of technology and will be part of the longer term project. In fact many visitors remarked that it would be something possible in the not too distant future. Gene commented that there will eventually be additional research necessary and that the Aquaponics Association would be kept informed as events transpire. So how does this system function and what makes it unique?
The Prototype Lunar Greenhouse is equipped with a Bio Regenerative Life Support System that is in current testing. The system will be able to produce sufficient food, oxygen and even recycle water efficiently enough to provide for the needs of up to 4 astronauts if properly cared for on a continuous basis. While the main obstacle is creating a completely efficient and sustainable system, the grads responsible admit that the system is close to being able to provide sustained food and oxygen necessary for this goal. Currently the Prototype Lunar Greenhouse is growing things like sweet potatoes, strawberries, lettuce and other vine like and tuberous vegetables.
The largest problem with the system is accounting for the efficient use of water and electricity. Currently the prototype uses high pressure sodium lights (like street lights) for lighting and the cooling necessary requires that the nutriment liquid used to grow the plants also helps cool the lighting. While the system is highly efficient with water usage, it still needs additional amounts added to the cycle.
In the next phase of testing L.E.D. lighting is going to be used, significantly reducing power drain and enhancing the efficiency of the system considerably. The system also cycles from growing periods to harvest times, both increasing CO2 inside the chamber and then reducing from about 2,000PPM to 500PPM. Once there is a harvest all of the bio mass is weighed and tabulated to include water absorption, nutrient content as well as the maximum bio mass output achievable in exchange for the least amount of energy usage.
Ideally the growth chamber would be able to be mostly autonomous; that is deployed and able to be in full production mode in just weeks with little need for human intervention, except for basic maintenance. The concept was also explained that these 23 cubic meter growth chambers could be launched ahead of settlers to a new planet and set up to begin growth cycles say 6 months ahead of the main colonization group and monitored remotely to ensure they are ready. This could significantly reduce the amount of food that must be brought with space pioneers and have livable habitats already operational.
While the system is far from perfect, the work done by the college is certainly ground breaking. The future of Aquaponics being merged with this kind of tech was expressed by the grads we talked with as the missing element was a significant source of protein.
The future of Aquaponics seems to be part of the project and was a fascinating and exciting new frontier that awaits us all.
Ideas Toward Solar Energy

Gary James
If you are thinking about going with Solar

Energy, think about this first.
Site analysis is the first step I would recommend you take. Whether you choose to mount your solar array on your roof or on a pole or bracket mount, look at your southern exposure and survey the view. Do you have a lot of tall trees or buildings that might block your access to the sun? What about electric poles or lines? Anything that can block the rays of the sun will cut down on the efficiency of your solar array.
Most public electrical utilities will conduct an energy audit on your home. They will give you recommendations on how to cut down on heating and cooling costs. Solar drapes and insulated curtains can help cut the heating and cooling costs a lot. One thing most people never consider is the phantom loads their electrical items like their computer, television, entertainment centers and other electronic devices can pull. A phantom load is the electricity these items use when you have them turned off. For example; I have my television, entertainment center, and satellite receiver all on a power strip I turn off when I am done with them. The same goes for my computer, wifi router, and satellite modem. Practicing small changes like this can cut your electrical usage back considerably. Try this for 3-4 months before you go solar and compare the kilowatt hours used. Then it's time to get serious about the size of the solar array you will need. Do you want to be totally energy independent or just want a partial reduction in the electrical bill? Solar energy is not cheap, but if you produce enough energy most states have net metering laws.
Keep in mind how the sun changes from summer to winter and this will affect the solar array. Trees can be cut down or trimmed, but buildings can't. The height of the array will also make a difference.
Most people will tell you that you need a true Southern exposure. While this is optimal, you can still have a workable solar system if you are facing the Southeast or the Southwest. At certain times of the year, you can still face the East or West and still produce solar power. You will just lose efficiency and electrical production. The next thing to think about is how much solar power you want to produce and the size of the system. I highly recommend that you first do an energy audit and consider how to cut back on energy usage.
Good News For Everyone

If you over produce electrical energy from your own panels, the electrical grid have to pay you for the excess energy you fed back into the grid. Thats money back in your pocket.
Most solar systems have a net cost of between $10,000 to $30,000 for the average USA home. The cost of installation depends on several factors. Will your solar array be pole mounted or roof mounted? Personally I prefer pole mounted arrays for their inexpensive cost and ease of maintenance.
Panels can be easy to adjust for the optimal tilt from season to season. They are easy to keep clean, which helps improve the efficiency of the solar system.
Roof mounted systems don't have these advantages and have higher installation costs. If your home is roofed in cedar shake or Spanish tile the cost will go up considerably. Asphalt shingles are the easiest type of roof to install a solar array on. If you have asphalt shingles that are 20 years old, I would recommend replacing them, before mounting a solar array mounted on the roof. This can raise the cost of installation but its worth doing. Having a new solar array may increase the appraised value of your home. The US Department of Energy estimates that may add $10 to $20 dollars to your home value for every dollar in energy cost saved in one year. For example if your solar system reduces your electrical cost by $500 dollars per year you may add $5,000 to $10,000 to your homes value.
Most solar panel manufacturers offer a warranty of 20 to 25 years. Solar panels are not very susceptible to breakage, and they do tend to go down in efficiency by .5% a year. With no moving parts they tend to not fail.
Batteries used in solar systems generally have a limited warranty of 5 to 10 years and sometimes will last up to 15 years. AGM batteries perform well and have very low maintenance. When you start looking at the warranties of the items like your inverters and charge controllers they will vary along with the price. Choose the more expensive electronics because they have warranties up to 10 years. When you are looking at the electronics it is always a good rule of thumb to get them to handle 25% over the amount of electricity you think the panels will produce.
I teach people how to make DIY solar panels and believe them to be superior to manufactured solar panels.
One last thing to think about is how this will affect your homeowners insurance. All insurance carriers vary in the premiums they charge for covering solar arrays. They are likely to ask you if your solar array is pole or roof mounted the type and number of your solar panels. The insurance company may also ask the name of the licensed electrical contractor who installed the solar panels and electronics to your houses electrical system. If your solar array is pole mounted on the roof of an outbuilding, your rates will probably be lower than if they were on your home. Talk to your insurance carrier first, before you install any solar arrays and find out what they require you do. Be sure to always follow local building codes. Most counties will tell you what they require. These are just a few things for people to consider before they go solar and spend a lot of money upfront.
Garys Bio
Gary lives in the mountains of Southern Colorado and has a big interest in solar, survival, country living and many other activities. For more information on DIY solar panels please use my webs site and sign up for my mailing list. http://solarpowersnow.com/
Build A Cold Frame For Winter

A great way to extend the gardening season is with a cold frame. They can be used to keep the soil warm and grow plants in a mini type greenhouse environment. Cold frames can also be used to protect delicate plants, over the winter months.
A cold frame is a box-like structure with a transparent lid that rests directly on the soil. Cold frames modify temperatures within the frame, creating a climate that is 10F to 20F warmer than outside the frame. The cold frame will protect tender plants in the early spring, late fall, and winter, thus extending the growing season. Cold frames are also good for holding trays of seedlings youve started or young plants that arrived way too early. These types of mini greenhouse structures will stay fairly warm throughout those freezing cold weeks. If someone wants to take the extra step, the cold frame can be fitted out and have heating attached to them. You do not need to spend a fortune to have a successful cold frame. You can recycle old wood, greenhouse sheeting or use straw bales and old glass to create a functioning frame. A straw bale cold frame can be completed in as 30 minutes but can be very effective at keeping plants warm. Craigslist, junk yards or free-cycle communities often have old glass doors and windows anyone can use over the top of their straw bale cold frame. The straw will keep the ground warm and act as a frost and wind barrier in winter months. The straw can then be reused in a compost pile for the next spring. Most people living in North America will find a southern aspect facing the sun will work best for the cold frame.
Download this PDF which will teach you how to build one. There are good diagrams and photographs in this manual. The PDF also comes with a list of parts you will need to build your own.
You can also download this PDF for more ideas on Hotbeds and Cold frames.
Classifieds
Aquaponics Community Page
Please check out our support page and join our family today! CLICK HERE
Help The Community!

Buy The Aquaponics Guides Below - Funds Go To Support The Fort Garland Co-Op!
Click On The Images:
********************************* Discover How to Grow Delicious, Organic,

Pesticide-Free Mushrooms at a Fraction of the Cost of Buying Them from Supermarkets! Click Here!
Tilapia Farming Guide

The Only Comprehensive And Updated Guide Of Its Kind Unlocking The Secrets To Riches In The Exploding Tilapia Farming Industry. Incredible Extras To The Guide Make This A Complete Package With No Equal.
On Amazon Kindle Click The Link
Click Here Now!
Classifieds
Why not consider banner advertising in our magazine? Its affordable, easy and a great way to reach thousands of potential aquaponics fans. We will also consider banner swaps with the right people and businesses. Contact Mike Kelley at venusrizing@gmail.com or 561444-8542
Aquaponics
Survival
Communities
Magazine
Edition 8October 2013

Aquaponics October2013 PDF

Enviado por

Dados do documento

Título original

Direitos autorais

Formatos disponíveis

Compartilhar este documento

Compartilhar ou incorporar documento

Opções de compartilhamento

Você considera este documento útil?

Este conteúdo é inapropriado?

Direitos autorais:

Formatos disponíveis

Aquaponics October2013 PDF

Enviado por

Direitos autorais:

Formatos disponíveis

Aquaponics Survival Communities Magazine

Edition 8 October 2013

Aquaponics Survival Communities

ASC Magazine| Edition 8| October 2013| Page 2

Editor In Chief Victoria Kelley

Marketing & Advertising Mike Kelley

Cover Design Layout & Artwork Victoria Kelley Carmen Torrez

ASC Magazine| Edition 8| October 2013| Page 3

43 Recipe of the Month

13 Meg Stout Takes the

47 Caring For Your Teeth

53 New Aquaponics Center

AZ Moving Forward Into the Future

Choosing the Right

Ideas towards Solar

Fish for My Aquaponic System

65 Build a Cold Frame for

Become A Member Today

Permaculture Multiple Disciplines All In One

people are just starting to learn about

ASC Magazine| Edition 8| October 2013| Page 8

ASC Magazine| Edition 8| October 2013| Page 9

ASC Magazine| Edition 8| October 2013| Page 10

ASC Magazine| Edition 8| October 2013| Page 11

About Rick Beach

My Website: http://wolfbeachfarms.com/ My Facebook Page

ASC Magazine| Edition 8| October 2013| Page 12

Efficiently Cooling the Humid Growing Environment

ASC Magazine| Edition 8| October 2013| Page 13

Meg Stout Takes The Helm Of The Aquaponics Association

ASC Magazine| Edition 8| October 2013| Page 14

ASC Magazine| Edition 8| October 2013| Page 15

ASC Magazine| Edition 8| October 2013| Page 16

ASC Magazine| Edition 8| October 2013| Page 17

Mural On The Wall At Central Greens Milwaukee Aquaponics

Aquaponics Conference in Tucson was a

Aquaponics In Tucson A.Z Moving Forward Into The Future

The Editors Say

ASC Magazine| Edition 8| October 2013| Page 19

ASC Magazine| Edition 8| October 2013| Page 20

This Months Cover Article

ASC Magazine| Edition 8| October 2013| Page 21

Endless Food Systems

ASC Magazine| Edition 8| October 2013| Page 23

ASC Magazine| Edition 8| October 2013| Page 24

Our Aquaponics Systems

ASC Magazine| Edition 8| October 2013| Page 25

Aquaponics Education: A great tool for all schools

A little bit of information about the Odyssey School

ASC Magazine| Edition 8| October 2013| Page 26

Doomsday Preppers Show

ASC Magazine| Edition 8| October 2013| Page 27

Choosing The Right Fish For My Aquaponic System

ASC Contributing Writer

For small scale Aquaponics, there

ASC Magazine| Edition 8| October 2013| Page 29

What is the climate like where you live?

ASC Magazine| Edition 8| October 2013| Page 30

What are the regulations regarding fish in your state?

ASC Magazine| Edition 8| October 2013| Page 31

What are your goals for your fish?

What is the budget available for your system?

ASC Magazine| Edition 8| October 2013| Page 33