Aquaponics

Aquaponics

At the traveling farmer’s market a few weeks ago, I spotted some aquaponic herbs and lettuce, grown using water from a fish farm (I think I understood that tilapia provided the nutrient-rich waste that fertilizes the plants, which grow right in water, Xochimilco-style).



I was excited to see lettuce in January, so I bought some. When I got home, I ate a few leaves, and maybe it was just my mind playing tricks on me, but they tasted a little…fishy.



Now, if I had not known that this green stuff was grown in aquarium water, I doubt I would have noticed the piscine note. It wasn’t a strong or unpleasant taste, but I pretty much convinced myself it was there.

You could always make a caesar salad - any fishy note in the lettuce itself will certainly hide behind the anchovies.

-Dan

you guys and gals might be interested in this article which made it all the way here to tinytown in Southern Oregon:

http://www.dailytidings.com/apps/pbcs.d ... /104160312

I missed this entirely on the first go-round - but our school uses a version of aquaponics to grow tomato seedlings for sale: we water with the waste water from the school's aquarium. I've taken this system to our house, and water all our potted plants when we change the water for the goldfish.

Technically, aquaponics is hydroponics with the fish living in the water system to provide nitrogen - so we're missing a step, but the effect is pretty much the same. I did a bunch of research on it; one reason it works so well is that fish are biologically different enough from us that we can't catch any of their diseases, even if there's fish waste ON the plants instead of in them.

Mhays wrote:I missed this entirely on the first go-round - but our school uses a version of aquaponics to grow tomato seedlings for sale: we water with the waste water from the school's aquarium. I've taken this system to our house, and water all our potted plants when we change the water for the goldfish.

Technically, aquaponics is hydroponics with the fish living in the water system to provide nitrogen - so we're missing a step, but the effect is pretty much the same. I did a bunch of research on it; one reason it works so well is that fish are biologically different enough from us that we can't catch any of their diseases, even if there's fish waste ON the plants instead of in them.

There is (or at least used to be) a demonstration of this on a very large scale at Epcot in Orlando.

Mhays wrote:I did a bunch of research on it; one reason it works so well is that fish are biologically different enough from us that we can't catch any of their diseases, even if there's fish waste ON the plants instead of in them.

What you say about risk may well be generally true for aquarium fish (I don't know) but the rationale isn't. There are plenty of human diseases that can be transmitted by fish, some by the water they live in. There's even a name for such diseases: ichthyozoonoses. I'm no expert but I suspect the risk is quite low for those with normal immune systems who don't ingest the water or get it in wounds.

From the Tribune a couple of weeks ago:

Former meatpacking plant poised to become aquaponic farm, with startup food firms, brewery planned

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-0410-confidential-edel-20110410,0,3210069.column

stevez wrote:

Mhays wrote:I missed this entirely on the first go-round - but our school uses a version of aquaponics to grow tomato seedlings for sale: we water with the waste water from the school's aquarium. I've taken this system to our house, and water all our potted plants when we change the water for the goldfish.

Technically, aquaponics is hydroponics with the fish living in the water system to provide nitrogen - so we're missing a step, but the effect is pretty much the same. I did a bunch of research on it; one reason it works so well is that fish are biologically different enough from us that we can't catch any of their diseases, even if there's fish waste ON the plants instead of in them.

There is (or at least used to be) a demonstration of this on a very large scale at Epcot in Orlando.

LOL -- this exhibit, along with the various other food growing exhibits (like lettuce growing without soil) was one of the few highlights (for me) of a mid-'80s trip to Epcot -- surely, a harbinger. I recall that the exhibit was sponsored by Kraft, something that even my young 13-year old mind thought was . . . well, fishy.

Rene G wrote:

Mhays wrote:I did a bunch of research on it; one reason it works so well is that fish are biologically different enough from us that we can't catch any of their diseases, even if there's fish waste ON the plants instead of in them.

What you say about risk may well be generally true for aquarium fish (I don't know) but the rationale isn't. There are plenty of human diseases that can be transmitted by fish, some by the water they live in. There's even a name for such diseases: ichthyozoonoses. I'm no expert but I suspect the risk is quite low for those with normal immune systems who don't ingest the water or get it in wounds.

Here's my source; see p.6. Of course, I'm not suggesting that anyone start drinking their aquarium water. It's true that there are diseases that are transmissible, but like you said, the risk is quite low.

This website lists zoonotic diseases that can be transmitted from fish to humans...

http://www.hpl.umces.edu/IACUC/zoonotic-diseases.html