Download - Urban farming & aquaponics workshop
Urban Farming & Aquaponics workshop
Aquaponics Handbook
11 june 2014
Urban farming & Aquaponics Workshop
Aquaponics Handbook
11 june 2014
ABOUT
This handbook has been made as part of the workshop conducted by the IForesee
(i4C) student innovation platform. This community is supported by the Centre for
Innovation (C4I) of Leiden University in The Hague. The goal of the i4C is to form
groups (or Labs) of students, researchers and practitioners that actively explore a
variety of topics in a multi- and trans-disciplinary fashion by hands-on
experimentation and collaboration to discover new ways of tackling existing and
future challenges.
C4i
The Centre for Innovation the Hague is the living lab of the Leiden University -
Campus The Hague. The centre was setup in 2007 as part of the European Union
Fund for Regional Development (EFRO) in line with Aim 2 of the EU cohesion policy
to implement projects who contribute to the development in the Netherlands. Now
the Centre has developed to a genuine living lab that facilitates cooperation
between public and private actors in the field of governance innovation.
i4C
The Aquaponics Lab is one of the groups within the i4C community. It investigates
the possibilities and opportunities of utilizing aquaponic farming techniques in
urban environments and we are particularly interested in exploring DIY and
consumer-based aquaponics systems. The future of food, we think, will involve
more participatory efforts from the consumer side which promises a variety of
beneficial aspects; less transportation costs and associated pollution from shipping,
packaging and distributing fresh produce, healthy homegrown organic vegetables
and fruit, aesthetically pleasing design of food producing systems, etc.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Centre for InnovationLeiden University - Campus The HagueThe Living Lab (second floor) (3)Schouwburgstraat 2 (A)2511 VA The Hague
MAP
CENTRE FOR INNOVATION CONTACT PERSONS
Sjoerd Louwaars
+31 6 28 83 82 52
Markolf von Ketelhodt
+31 6 37 44 75 94
GUEST SPEAKERS
Daniel Reyes
M.Sc Chemical Engineer at TU Delft
Talk: Industrial scale Aquaponics
Boris Roodenburg | Urban Crops
Entrepreneur & Designer
Talk: Domestic scale Aquaponics
AQUAPONICS LAB FELLOWS
Natalia Uribe Calv
M.Sc Industrial Ecology at Leiden University & TU Delft
William van den Broeck
M.Sc Industrial Ecology at Leiden University & TU Delft
Markolf von Ketelhodt
M.Sc Industrial Ecology at Leiden University & TU Delft
INTRODUCTIONAquaponics is an agricultural process that combines aquaculture with hydroponics
in order to grow aquatic organisms, fruits and vegetables. It exists in many forms.
The basic principle of aquaponics is nutrient recycling. It tries to simulate
ecosystems in its natural regulatory capacities. The figure below presents the
general circulation occurring in any aquaponics system.
Three key elements are always present.
First, fish in for example a fish tank,
aquarium or pond excrete ammonia (NH4+)
as a waste. The concentration of NH4+
would normally quickly raise but the water
is cycled over a filter or growbed. This
contains bacteria (such as Nitrospira and
Nitrosomonas) which convert the
ammonia to nitrates (NO3+). These nitrates
are then taken up by the plants. This is
the general nitrogen cycle, however, other
nutrients are also recycled.
The filter or growbed also acts to filter out particulate matter and in this way, it
keeps the water clean. A lot of variations on this basic cycle from plant, filters and
fish do exist and are continuously improved by thousands of aquaponics
enthusiasts around the world. Specific guidelines to build systems can be found all
over the Internet.
During the workshop two keynote speakers, Boris Roodenburg (NL) and Daniel
Reyes (MEX) have explained the general concepts about aquaponics as a new
urban farming tool. After this introduction the presentation slides can be found. In
these, general guidelines for aquaponics functioning are given. The presentations
were followed by a brainstorm session in which participants designed their own
aquaponics systems in order to win the desktop aquaponics system provided by
the aquaponics lab. The workshop was concluded with demonstrations of small
aquaponics systems, water quality measuring kits, vertical farming with recycled
bottles and bell-siphon functioning.
WORKSHOP PRESENTATION SLIDES
By Boris Roodenburg [LINK]
By Daniel Reyes [LINK]
INSTRUCTIVE GUIDE: BUILDING YOUR OWN AQUAPONICS SYSTEM
The main objective of this handbook, is to provide a detailed description on how to
build your own aquaponics system using simple materials bought at IKEA. A
general description of this system is given before listing the different parts you
need to build it. Finally, the different steps to build the system are explained
together with pictures of the system.
This system is one of the most basic systems you can set up. Materials can easily
be bought at Ikea. Extra plumbing materials maybe be needed, which can be
purchased in any store such as Gamma or Praxis. This system is not big enough to
grow edible fish. It is designed to grow mostly herbs and vegetables. Some things
to keep in mind with selecting the fish is the water temperature they should be
kept, what their oxygen needs are and and general biology and water quality (eg.
PH, kH, etc.). The temperature should be as close to the normal temperature of the
room so no extra heating is necessary. Fish that don’t need a lot of oxygen (like
catfish or goldfish) are easier to keep. Practically, we recommend starting out with
goldfish as these produce a lot of nutrients and are very easy to keep alive.
MATERIAL REQUIREMENTS
1. Antonius Lade/Reservoir, both 25 and 50 liters as grow bed and fish tank
respectively. These are used as food containers so are considered food IVAR 1
element stand. To hold reservoirs. Consists of 2 identical frames, minimal 2
planks and a steel reinforcement.
2. Instead of the IVAR stand the reservoirs can also be hold in the Antonius
frame.
3. Grow media examples are hydroton, lava rock, gravel. Special attention is
need with gravel as it is not 100% inert.
4. Piping for pumping up. We use plastic tubing that fits with the pump but
PVC piping works as well.
5. Bell siphon – Consider using white PVC pipes as these are considered inert
and thus food grade.
1. Adapter.
Can be number of things as long as it’s an airtight fit over the grow bed basin.
We use a drainage pipe for washing machine basins you can buy in Gamma.
This has a nice fit with the 32 mm pipes.
2. Rubber O rings
3. Pipe that fits on adapter (32mm diameter)
4. Pipe with airtight cap that has a snug fit (50 mm diameter)
5. Pipe as media guard (100 mm diameter)
From left to right, 32mm, 50 mm and 100mm pipes
Airtight cap that fits on the 50 mm pipe
6. Pump preferably with bypass valve. We use a submersible fountain pump
(16W) with a flow rate of 1000 liters per hour (AP-399a). Preferably this would
be a lot lower and have a capacity of 600 liters per hour. In these cases, with
such strong pumps you need the bypass valve. The bypass valve is to control
how much water is pumped up to your growbed and, thus, how fast the system
cycles the water. Preferably, all the water of the tank should be cycled through
the growbed once every hour.
7. Round drill bit slightly larger than the bell siphon's outflow pipe's diameter.
This can be purchased very low cost at Gamma.
INNDIVIDUAL STEPS
1. Frame Construction
The IVAR frame can be purchased in IKEA as two wooden frames and separate
planks that keep the frame together. The reinforcement is highly recommended for
stability. The fish tank has to be place underneath the grow bed but at which
height they are is up to you to decide. Just remember that the fish tank preferably
does not receive direct sunlight as this can induce algae growth.
ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATION
We recommend painting the wooden frame
with water-proofing paint in order to avoid
the wood from fouling.
2. Drainage Holes
Cut out holes through the grow bed (25L reservoir) and one of the wooden boards.
The hole through the bottom of the reservoir has to have a snug fit with the
adapter of the bell siphon. This part has to be water tight. Preferably cut the hole a
little bit smaller than the adapter piece, around 40 mm. The hole also has to be
more to the side of the adapter. This is necessary for the water gets pumped up on
one side, fills the grow bed and gets withdrawn for the other side so the nutrients
get optimally filtered out. The hole in the wooden board has to be bigger than that
of the reservoir as this part does not need to be water tight and you have to be
able to screw the adapter through this hole.
3. Bell Siphon Construction [LINK]
First, you can fixate the adapter through the reservoir hole. Make sure the adapter
is pointed downwards and don’t forget about the rubber O-rings. If these don’t
prevent the system from dripping you could consider using silicone around the
adapter.
The 32mm pipe sticking out of the adapter will determine the maximum height of
the water before it gets drained. Don’t cut it too short as the grow bed needs to be
filled at least for 50%. However, the grow bed also doesn’t need to be flooded until
the top. Some flexibility is provided in this for you, but we suggest cutting it off
shy from 10 cm. Over this 32mm pipe the 50mm pipe is installed. Cut it off at a
length that, if you place it over the 32mm pipe, some space is left over so the
water can flow into it. The 50mm pipe gets sealed off with the airtight cap on top.
On the bottom you need to make some holes or cuts in the pipe so that water can
flow into the siphon at this point. Make as many holes as possible to increase flow
through but make sure the pipe remains sturdy and the holes are only drilled at
the bottom. The height to which you drill the holes will determine the minimal
stand of the water. Underneath the height of the holes, water will not be drained
anymore. Furthermore, this pipe does not necessarily need to be fixated to the
bottom. In fact, the siphon cannot be cleaned when fixated so it is easier if this
remains loose.
Top view with 32mm pipe fixed in the adaptor
View of the adaptor under the reservoir
Finally, over these two pipes comes the media guard (100mm diameter). This is
fairly big but it makes it easier to access the bell siphon when media is already
present in the grow bed. The media guard is essential to prevent clogging of the
bell siphon.
4. Installing the Reservoirs
Now you can put the reservoirs in place. Normally the adapter still fits through the
hole of the wooden board. Additional pieces are preferably added to the bottom of
the bell siphon to let the water flow back through bend piping. This eases the flow
and makes you able to direct it. Pieces like the one in the photo below can be
used.
5. Finishing Touches
Now you can install a pump in the fish tank. If this pump has got plastic tubing,
attach the tubing to the framework so it leads up to the grow bed. Here it should
enter the grow bed from the other side of where the bell siphon is installed. It is
also possible to construct PVC piping attached to the frame that goes up to the
grow bed. If the pump is installed and you have test run the project it is time to
completely finish the system. Get your fishes at your local pet shop and your
herbs or vegetables from your allotment garden or from Albert Heijn. Hydroton is
an easy media to start with. You can fill the grow bed up to the top with it and fill
the fish tank with water. Now your system is ready to start up!
CLOSING REMARKS
We would like to take this opportunity to thank the participators of the workshop.
The enthusiasm has inspired and motivated us to keep up with our endeavor’s. The
IForesee community is always looking for new members and on Friday afternoons
there are weekly meetings. Everybody is welcome to join these meetings. In this
community there are no obligations and participation in any activity is of your own
free will. Furthermore, there are other interesting activities happening at the Centre
for Innovation unrelated to aquaponics. There is something happening for everyone
to enjoy. Please check the Facebook page of the IForesee community and of the
Centre for Innovation The Hague for more information.
If you have any questions about aquaponics, or you need help with building your
own system, or you would like to help build a system together with us, don’t
hesitate to contact us at any time.
For more (up-to-date) information
please visit our website at
http://www.iforesee.nl/aquaponics-lab.html