Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Just wated to share this article with you all. Vertical growing in Singapore:

http://inhabitat.com/the-worlds-first-c ... ical-farm/

Kind of funny really.... they use a rotating "A" frame arrangement... not dis-similar to the original "ferris wheel" proposal seen on the "New Inventors" years ago... except this model seems to be soil based with possibly hydro nutrient inputs... rather than "aquaponic" inputs...

How do they harvest the 30 foot towers in Singapore?

Do the trays go up and down? If they do, how do they supply the nutrients on the pressure input side and gravity exit side of the planted trays?

If the trays do not go up and down, ANYONE with ideas on how to make trays go up and down with out having to dip the trays into a nutrient bath like the NASA ferris wheel design?

Here in Minnesota one often sees high gothic shaped barn roofs.

I'm thinking of something like a continuous electric garage door. I'm thinking of a vertical oval that follows the gothic shaped roof AND does NOT use a nutrient dipping bath.

Beginning starter plants at the top of the oval to take advantage of the higher temps. Then, harvest the crop at knee or waist high. The trays are then lowered for the next harvest. Maybe even having an elongated pit at the base of the system that people stand in when harvesting at a convenient height.

Any ideas?

Here is the Gothic roof line I'm talking about.

I could see a summer time soil based garden on the roof like the Singapore design.

For watering I could put a sprinkler up high enough to accommodate the actual "foot print" of the garden.

BUT how could one make an AQUAPONICS greenhouse on the outside of the roof line?

I can not use the inside hay mow for a green house because of the excessive shading of the curved rafters and I need that space for storage.

Making gravel grow beds are out of the question due to weight concerns.

On second thought how could a person "make their own charcoal" for a grow bed system?

Maybe a big curved "Green Wall" kind of design? Anyone with green wall experience?

Any ideas, pros, cons? I have to reroof the building anyway. May as well try for a multi purpose use?