11–20 of 46 posts
They have a container farm in a box (http://urbanfarmersbox.ch/flyer/UFB_EN.pdf).
Sadly their Crowdfunding Initiative – Globe didn't get funded: http://www.indiegogo.com/HEDRON
However they are in the process if building a large roof top version in Basel: https://www.facebook.com/UrbanFarmers
You can find more info about Aquaponics here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYR9s6chrI0 http://www.aquaponics.net.au/forum/ http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/ Murray Halams DVD's are a great resource for beginners, though his systems can be improved. http://www.aquaponics.net.au/product/prod105.htm This DVD tracks an Aquaponics system that was installed over a period of 1 year http://www.aquaponics.net.au/prod…
Well, it's a closed system expect for the sunlight, which is arguably the most important component of any agricultural system.
The difficult thing about aquaponics is the cyclomatic complexity (to use a software term). Basically everything feeds into everything else. At first you might think that the system is in balance, but in fact it rarely is. Plants and fish will be added and removed regularly, each agent having different nutritional needs at different stages in their lifecycle. Disease or infestation of plants or animals can be difficult to deal with, as any pesticide or herbicide will cycle through the complete system. There simply aren't any cheap off-the-shelf sensors to monitor things you care about, so you need to do regular physical checks with chemical kits.
Aquaponics is a fun, but very hard, problem to solve correctly. You can learn a lot from it, and it is a great system for people who like to learn a bit about everything.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Well, it's a closed system expect for the sunlight, which is arguably the most important component of any agricultural system.
You still have to feed the fish, so it's not really closed. But it is reasonably self-contained in combination with using vegetable waste to breed fly larvae which go on to feed the fish. The difficult thing about aquaponics is the cyclomatic complexity (to use a software term). Basically everything feeds into everything else. At first you might think that the system is in balance, but in fact it rarely is. Plants an…
It's super cool but spoiler alert: just youtube aquaponics, it's not new (thank's reddit). People have been doing it even commercially for over a decade. That said I think what he says about future generations learning and getting excited about farming techniques is important and it's a really awesome concept. I'd be lying if I said that I didn't think about building one of these after first learning about it! Also t…
In theory it could allow for this to work at very large scales with very little staffing, which seems counter-intuitive given the complexity of the setup.
Extended out a bit, and most of the very common problems could even have automated solutions (increase water, adjust ph, cycle on-off grow lamps, etc.)
* does not require arable land, because the plants grow on containers filled with stones through which water constantly circulates;
* uses an order of magnitude less water than traditional agriculture, because the water is constantly recycled back from a nearby fish tank, and because the rock layer prevents water from evaporating;
* allows plant density (i.e., number of plants per unit of area) an order of magnitude greater than traditional agriculture, because plant roots don't have to work as hard to find nutrients, so they grow straight down;
* does not attract traditional bug pests or weeds, because there is no wet soil to attract them;
* makes plants grow much faster, because they're getting a constant supply of nutrients fed through the water recycling system; and
* is also an inexpensive fish-farming solution!
Unless I'm missing something big, this solution looks BRILLIANT to me. All it needs now is for a talented entrepreneur to come in, find an early-adopter market for it, and turn the technology into a standardized product that can be sold at scale.
That is quite an awesome system ! I wonder how efficient this is. But it tackles the toxicity issue that exists with usual hydroponics systems. Here is another implementation : http://faircompanies.com/videos/view/backyard-aquaponics-diy...
I really enjoy seeing how the simplicity and power of Arduino empower people. Also how objects become an active medium instead of becoming a consumed things.
If I understand correctly, this 'aquaponics' solution: * does not require arable land, because the plants grow on containers filled with stones through which water constantly circulates; * uses an order of magnitude less water than traditional agriculture, because the water is constantly recycled back from a nearby fish tank, and because the rock layer prevents water from evaporating; * allows plant density (i.e., nu…
1. Underselling water
Municipal water prices set by local government greatly undervalue the actual rarity of water. With so many aquifers running out, and rivers stretched to the max, especially in the west, I'm surprised there could be this much myopia on an issue that is clearly far more serious and immediate issue than energy. Right now the only pressure to reduce water use seems to be on consumers (watering policies, low-water use appliances), but they only use 11% of it.
2. Subsidized agriculture.
This is a more well known issue so I don't think I need to repeat it here.
If I understand correctly, this 'aquaponics' solution: * does not require arable land, because the plants grow on containers filled with stones through which water constantly circulates; * uses an order of magnitude less water than traditional agriculture, because the water is constantly recycled back from a nearby fish tank, and because the rock layer prevents water from evaporating; * allows plant density (i.e., nu…
Indeed, the economics of hydroponics would suggest that it should already dominate commercial vegetable production. The main reason they're not, is because municipalities greatly undervalue water, and because agriculture is so highly subsidized and so it's hard for hydroponics to compete. 1. Underselling water Municipal water prices set by local government greatly undervalue the actual rarity of water. With so many a…