Commercial Aquaponics

Controlled Environment Agriculture

A commercial aquaponic growing system will allow you to grow a premium crop in an environmentally friendly manner.  A controlled environment can provide the ultimate of conditions  crops need for record production.  A greenhouse can provide an aquaponics system with just such a controlled environment.  Combining the two together is without a doubt the ultimate method for food production.

"A rose by any other name is still a rose".  Greenhouse, hothouse, glasshouse...these are all terms used to describe structures made with plastic or glass coverings to house a crop.  A greenhouse featuring precise environmental controls will provide and enhance the environmental conditions necessary to produce large crops by meeting all its needs.

Though it has the greatest potential to produce food stuffs for the world, commercial aquaponics is the youngest sector of agriculture to date.  The USA, Canada, Mexico, Australia and an increasing number of underdeveloped countries have commercial aquaponic systems in place however, the total number is still to small to have the potential impact possible.  Commercial aquaponics is still a new, though it is far from being unproven, and the development of newer technology in this field is progressing by leaps and bounds around the world. 

Aquaponics has the potential to fill an entire world's requirements for premium quality food stuffs or on a smaller scale, it can produce staples for a small community or village in a developing country.  Most commercial systems use greenhouses to house the plants and fish against harsh environmental conditions and pest, insects or otherwise.  A greenhouse setup is considerably more expensive to setup in comparison to an open system therefore, maximizing of floor space use is necessary to reduce costs and increase production.

A commercial aquaponic system utilizing maximum floor space and a strict,  balanced diet for the fish are the mark of a successful system.  Such system can produce an extremely high numbers of final food stuffs.  For example, a greenhouse approximately 37 feet wide by 100 feet long (3700 sq. ft.) can house an aquaponic system capable of producing 50 to 60 thousand heads of premium lettuce and approximately 11,000 pounds of fresh Tilapia per year.  An aquaponic system of this size can be a rewarding and profitable business and could be operated successfully by a small number of persons or a family.

A commercial aquaponic system's daily activities consists of  feeding the fish (unless auto-feeders are utilized), cleaning filters, seeding or transplanting in addition to harvesting and packaging the produce for sale.  The frequency with which the fish are harvested is dependant on the size of the system and market demand.