Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hello All. I have been reading and reading and reading and reading. I am very interested in starting up a commercial aquaponics system similar to the Growing Power set up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I live in a a climate where there is usually a good three months of little sunlight, cold temps and snow. I have been studying up. Given the proper business plan and numbers to point to, I have an investor. The initial greenhouse would be in the 35'x100' range and I am strongly considering 4'wide x 5'deep x 80' long trenches for the fish with the media bed above the fish and the produce ( raft style ) above the media. Is anybody out there actually turning a profit in colder climates? Does anyone have proof of that? I have operated a gourmet and medicinal mushroom farm so I have some agg. experience and distribution connections. I am also very skilled in many trades ( building, plumbing, electric, etc. ). My wife has spent about 15 years working in a greenhouse and has quite the green thumb. We own 8 acres and could use the back 5 of it for the project. If our 4'' well is capable, I will run the water back from our house and the electric also. I appreciate any ideas/examples/suggestions and will continue to study up on the forums. I am also planning to take a weekend class at growing power this winter/spring. Thanks

Ah... I replied on your other thread and you seem to have addressed some of that here. Personally I'd be getting a system running NOW so when you go to GP (if you still do) you will already have some experience. Nothing quite like hands-on to let you know the kind of issues you might need to learn about when you have an instructor in front of you.

I just had a look at the GP site - the 3 day course seems a little light on for practical application. there is a huge difference between being told how something works and finding it out by doing it and there seems only 1 'hands on' session where the students build a single AP system - I'm guessing it will be something along the lines of the IBC systems you can learn about in the BYAP 'IBC of Aquaponics' - for free...

Looks like, for your $500 you get a few breakfasts and lunches and less than 10 hours of lectures and put together a simple AP system - I doubt very much that is going to set you up for running AP as a business.

I didn't mean to post twice. I thought the first one did not work, so here we are. I definitely understand the value of hands on experience. Were there a system in my area up and running, I would gladly volunteer.

Run a search using 'michigan' - there are 15 pages of mention show up - some of them would be people with AP near you.

Be aware... that Growing Power.. who do some amazing work.... are not a commercial aquaponics operation... and don't claim to be AFAIK...

Thanks. It looks like there may be a "personal use" one a couple of hours north. I'll look into it.

Your right. They are more of an urban farm that also does aquaponics. I really like the idea of tying it all together. My goal is to focus mainly on the produce side of the operation. Fresh produce, all year, is a big deal in my area. The area is also really getting in to " locally grown " and self sustaining. I will do some research for costs of raising produce via aquaponics vs. in ground produce. I know of people making a living growing greens in the ground, why not have the added crop of fish?

Hi David:
I think Rupe's point is that they are helped out with grant money, not just by sales of produce and fish alone.

The modern commercial AP operation is subsidized in some way by grants or by selling training workshops and/or DVDs, etc.

It sure sounds like you all feel aquaponics is not a viable method of farming for profit.
The numbers from the email that earthbound got from Friendlys in this thread
( viewtopic.php?f=13&t=12142&hilit=commercial ),
seemed promising to me. I would have more light and heat issues but feel like my market could be very strong. Do you feel those numbers were exaggerated?

Yes, you have to remember that Growing Power is funded by grants, has volunteer labour... and produces food by a variety of different growing methods, not just aquaponics.... and has other revenue sources such as compost/potting mixes etc...

Aslo their style of indoor tiered grow beds... means either lighting.. and/or specific plants...

Likewise.. Friendlies numbers look OK.... but their climate is basically perfect all year round... and their labour costs minimal based on the use of interns...

In order to reach the numbers described by friendles ( 12- 75' long throughs ), I would need to have a 30'x100' green house with three 8'widex75' long throughs and be able to double the holes as mentioned below.

"Zac has 33 holes per 2-foot by 4-foot raft, with a 6-inch on center spacing, for a total of 1,155 holes per trough. (We now demonstrate how to double this number of holes per square foot of raft area in our trainings and our DIY manuals, with only slightly more labor, without building any more troughs. Because Zac is working primarily alone, the 6" on center spacing is working well for him.) "

Do any of you guys know how they went from 33 holes to 66 per 2'x4' raft?

Thanks