Southern Star Farms

What is Aquaponics?

Aquaponics is a system of aquaculture where farmed-fish are fed and produce an organic food source for the growing plants.The growing plants act a natural filter for the water before it's recycled back to the fish. Microbes (nitrifying bacteria) grow on the sides of the tank and on the roots of the plants. Their job is to convert the ammonia from the fish emulsion first into nitrites, then into nitrates. They also help break down the larger solids into vermicompost the plants use for food.


Aquaponics thrives on being resource and time-efficient, recycling all the water in the system and utilizing 75% less water than what it takes to grow in the dirt. With our water resources around the country dwindling, new forms of food production must be used to help preserve our aquifers. We would like to help spread the idea of aquaponics as well as being able to provide communities with healthy, organic, pesticide/chemical-free food at an affordable price.
Low-income families have a harder time feeding their family expensive, organic foods, and community/personal gardens like this would make those items much more affordable as well as help instill healthier eating habits. We would be able to market these systems not only from a health standpoint, but also in the progressive environmental aspect. Moving mindsets toward a more locally grown/carbon-neutral food concept will help communities cut down costs of transporting produce in and raise awareness of where their food comes from.

Aquaponic systems are small and efficient enough to be in places that could not normally support crops, such as dry, arid places with minimal water or in cities on the roofs of buildings where space is limited. The application for these systems is limitless.

-Aquaponics uses 10% of the water needed to grow crops in a field.

-In the U.S., 80-90% of a state’s water usage goes directly to agriculture. Minimizing the amount of water used to grow food, even slightly, could greatly help our water reserves.

-With nothing but fish food added to the system, Aquaponics is 100% Organic.

-The cost input is minimal compared to other growing methods; no expensive fertilizers or nutrients.

-The fish in the system provide all the nutrients needed to grow crops.

-Aquaponic systems use 1/10 of the space of conventional growing methods

-It does not require the use of heavy machinery, farm equipment or expensive diagnostic tools and can be managed with minimal staff and time requirements.

-You NEVER have to replace the water in an aquaponics system as you would in a hydroponics system. You would only need to add water to top off the tanks.

-There is no waste in an aquaponics systems. Filtered fish emulsion can be sold or reused for fertilizer.

-Aquaponics is more spatially efficient in regards to food production outputs. With four 12,000 gallon systems on one acre they would be able to, on a yearly basis, produce what 9 acres of ground farming would produce.

-The systems use a carbon-neutral growing technique, meaning no negative impacts on the environment.

-Anyone is able to manage an aquaponics system. It’s easy!

-Also working off the ground saves your back!


Importance of Aquaponics

-When watering fields, much of the water, up to 60%, can be lost due to the wind, evaporation or drying up in the soil. Aquaponics, however, is in a closed water system and the water is recycled.

-Aquaponic systems are small and efficient enough to be in places that could not normally support crops; such as dry, arid places or in cities on the tops of buildings. The application for these systems is limitless.

-In places where water is too scarce for farming, aquaponics would be able to function with a fraction of the water and help residents provide for their community.

-Municipalities have begun to pay farmers to not grow crops to help reduce water usage during times of shortages. A solution to that would be to buy the farmer an aquaponics system and allow him to continue growing. This saves the municipality by conserving water and will not have to continue paying the farmer for un-grown crops in the future.


Negatives of Soil-Based Growing

-Large amounts of water needed to grow crops

-Use of pesticides and loss of crops due to soil-borne insects

-Hard work or heavy equipment needed to plant and harvest crops

-Knowledge required to know when to plant, when and how much to water, when and how to fertilize, when to harvest and what is the soil's composition made of.



Negatives of Hydroponics

“Traditional hydroponic systems rely on the careful application of expensive, man-made nutrients made from mixing together a concoction of chemicals, salts and trace elements. In aquaponics, you merely feed your fish inexpensive fish feed, food scraps, and food grown yourself.” - TheAquaponicSource.com

-Hydroponics requires constant monitoring with expensive meters.

-Periodically the hydroponic system will accumulate salt and other chemicals which are harmful to the plants. The water must then be responsibly dumped and fresh water put back into the system.

-Hydroponically grown plants are also very susceptible to a disease called root rot (pythium), which is virtually non-existent in aquaponically grown plants.


In The Classroom

-Students would learn how to grow and produce their own food

-This would improve their knowledge in other subjects; science, chemistry and biology

-It would allow students to see where their food comes from

-They would be able to sell produce to raise funds for field trips, school supplies, computers, etc, that they may have previously not been able to afford

-Students would be able learn the business aspect of growing and producing food, allowing for lessons in budgeting and accounting to plan for future crops.
-Students would learn the importance of eating healthy food and could help steer students towards a healthier life.

-Learning how to grow one’s own food at a young age can lead to a lifetime of growing your own food

-Allowing students to have a hands-on part in teaching lessons gives them an opportunity to become more involved

-Many schools have already adopted aquaponics into the classroom and claim tremendous success

In The Classroom
“The aquaponics unit at the MT Gravatt High School brings students into key outdoor contact with practical science and technology. Their interest in growing fish, crustaceans and vegetables brings to life the principles of physics, chemistry and mathematics, and brings deeper meaning to simple science experiments.”

“This is why many authorities call human-made ‘aquaponics’ systems the closest mimic of ‘Mother Nature.’ If the sole cost input of fish feed can be classed as ‘organic’ (which much of it is) then all the fish, crustaceans, vegetables and fruit then grown in an aquaponics system is also ‘organic.’”

“These important points have given aquaponics a big high school following in the United States and Canada. An estimated 1,500 or more high schools in these two countries now have a simple aquaponics science teaching unit like the one at Mt Gravatt High School. They, too, are reporting superior teaching outcomes in physics, chemistry and mathematics.”
http://aquaponics.com/page/articles
http://aquaponics.com/media/docs/articles/Aquaponics-at-Mt-Gravatt-High-School.pd

U.S. Water Levels in Decline

“Ground-water use has many societal benefits. It is the source of drinking water for about half the nation and nearly all of the rural population, and it provides over 50 billion gallons per day in support of the Nation’s agricultural economy. Ground-water depletion, a term often defined as long-term water-level declines caused by sustained ground-water pumping, is a key issue associated with ground-water use. Many areas of the United States are experiencing ground-water depletion.” -United States Geological Survey

“Agriculture is a major user of ground and surface water in the United States, accounting for approximately 80 percent of the Nation's consumptive water use and over 90 percent in many Western States.” - USDA
http://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/farm-practices-management/irrigation-water-use.a




Systems
We offer a variety of different systems to accommodate any needs.
Large Systems- 12,000 gallon - (Price Upon Request)
Our large commercial size systems are able to grow 1,680 plants at a time, those plants are supported by 1,400 fish. A large system can produce an average of 400 plants per week.

Small Systems- 1,200 gallon - $12,000
This system supports 150 fish and 148 plants. It is designed for home or small farm applications, as well as a teaching facility. The average grow out time is under 30 days, similar to the 420 gallon system. It is also designed and built for minimal maintenance, electric, and water usage.



Personal Home Systems- 420 gallon - $3,000
These are designed with personal food production or teaching applications in mind. It has a 7’x 5’ footprint it is essentially the size of a double door refrigerator laid on the ground.
This system will house up to 40 fish and produce 30 plants at a time. There are two filter boxes that require weekly cleaning. On delivery, a short training session and guide book will be presented.