Tanks and land viewed advice needed!

[cvs04]

This morning I have been to view some land that already has tanks on that I'm considering renting to put a small commercial aquaponics set up on here in Thailand.

As you can see from the images the owner has already built four good size tanks under cover which are roughly 328x465x88cms (WxLxD) and there's land for poly-tunnels which measure 15.25x30.5m.

I could do with an idea of how many lets say lettuce I could grow and how many fish the tanks would hold so I can start costing it up. I think I'd start with barrelponics to keep costs down. Any other thoughts on this from you guys would also be appreciated.

Thanks for looking!

[dufflight]

Have you run an AP system before. The barrelponics is kinda on the small scale.

[cvs04]

No I've only ever run Hydroponics NFT systems before. Ideally I'd like a raft system but really need to keep the overheads down as much as possible.

[stucco]

Welcome cvs04! With the tanks pictured you could pretty much use all of the grassy area and most of the area with the bananas for beds. Have you seen the university of the virgin islands system? Maybe do a Google for that.

[davidstcldfl]

Hi cvs04 ..

I started with small tubs, similar in size to the 1/2 barrels....thinking I would save some money.

It seemed like less at first....but then I had to buy and install all the 'extra' fittings on 'each' bed and build bell siphons for 'each'. Plus, it took (extra) time to install all the fittings.

The 'fittings cost' started to add fast...needed a ball valve ($) for 'each bed' to help control the bell...plus, each bell 'could' act up at any time. They work pretty well 'usually'....just expanding the chance of a failure with more of them.

It's a big decision....wish you the best...

[Oldandfound1]

Dream large.

Just did a quick conversion of a tank, and it turns out to be about 3300 gallons per tank Looks like four of them in the photos. Total of roughly 13,000 gallons, or about 49,000 liters.
If one tank is used as a sump, in a CHIFT-PIST the remainder is around 9,000 gallons for fish.

What is the water source? Are the tanks empty for lack of water? Rains big time in parts of Thailand. Raft systems would need cover from elements? NFT could get water very hot during warm seasons. What kind of predation of plants or fish are native there?

The dimensions on the land are smallish about 50 by 100 feet.

Any one want to pick up with some ballpark number of fish and plants?
Dennis
Oldandfound1

[davidstcldfl]

If you go with rafts and using O and F's conversions....

In the land you have, you might be able to squeeze in 7 troughs.....4 feet wide, 100 feet long, 1 foot deep.... which would be a total of 2800 sq ft.
Going by a ratio, I was given by a commercial grower, who uses rafts.... 1 sq ft of trough, will support up to 1.8 pounds of fish.

This system would support 'up to' (max) of 1555 pounds of fish.
Of course, you'll need some kind of solids seperator(s) and bio filters to help support the system.

(The 'solids' could be fed to worms (which could become fish food or sold/traded) or used on dirt gardens (the bannana trees) or maybe even sold / traded to other farmers for fertilizer. )

You'd have way more tanks (gallons) then you could support with rafts. At 2 gallons (min) per pound of fish....you'd only need a (min) of a little over 3000 gallons of water, as fish tank(s).

I've been told...the more water,the more 'stable' the system. Going with that thought, if you did fill all the tanks........
You might use a few of the extra tanks for growing duck weed ( for fish feed, chicken feed, cow feed or sold/traded) or... add floating trays with veggies in them.

Plants...
I'm cutting my rafts into 2 foot squares, to make them easier to handle. I use 2 inch slit pots in them.
I have different spacing, as the lettuces grow...
3 inch, 5 1/2 and 8 inch centers

Hope this helps with some ideas......

[cvs04]

Guys really impressed with the rapid response all this info is well appreciated, thank you!

To answer your questions Oldandfound1:

- The water source is a borehole with filtration to bring up to human drinking standards.
- Tanks (4 of) are empty because they're brand new and yet to be sealed.
- Droughts this year (Go long rice futures for any investors out there; Thailand exports about 80% of worlds rice) but yes it knows how to rain here.
- I would erect some sort of Poly-tunnel/s. The bugs are pretty nasty here so some protection from them would be wise and the rain of course.
- I agree NFT wouldn't stand a chance in the summer, temps hit 38-40 deg and you can probably add a few inside a poly tunnel, winter just starting now so the range is 25-35deg, I expect this to be an issue. I believe Nile Talapia like it warm but lettuce won't thank you for it I'm sure! Veg wise it's a tropical climate so everything you would expect and then some. Rice, Onions, Chillies are the big ones also fruits like mango, papaya, passion fruit, dragon fruit, banana etc. It all grows so fast here the small garden I have is a nightmare to keep under control. As for fish Talapia, Catfish, Perch, Carp etc.
- Yes the land is small but there's another 4 acres over the road and 3 at the other side of the house all fenced with lights/power, boreholes, 4 big dogs and a security guard. Oh he also has the Police check on the property 3 times per day!

CHIFT-PIST, O and F conversions?

Again great info all, thanks!

[davidstcldfl]

CHIFT-PIST, O and F conversions?

CHIFT-PIST....general term for a type of set up...Constant Height In Fish Tank...Pump In Sump Tank
In a chift-pist...normally the fish tank would the highest level, the grow beds lower, the sump being the lowest point.

If your using rafts and you have one trough flowing into the next one ...where ever the flow 'ends', that's where you can put your pump (feeding back to the fish tank(s). You don't have to have a 'sump'....in that case.



O and F conversions...'sorry'....I was refering to 'Oldandfound1' ( O and F) 'converting' metric measures, to english measures....liters to gallons...meters to feet and yards.

[cvs04]

Being English the O and F conversions help a great deal and mean I can visualise it a little better, I'm afraid I'm also still on the imperial old money system! Without it the expression "fancy a pint" would be lost forever so us Brits try and keep it alive.