The benefits of Duckweed/ or lack of benefits???.

[JCO]

Sorry 15mules...you can't even us Duckponics...that phrase has already been coined by another of our members a number of years ago... TCLynx. She has ducks and a pool they do their thing in and she pumps it to the grow beds and swears by the technology.

Again, sorry...it's back to the drawing board...OH and before I forget...I have already ruled out the Chinese style greenhouse as a viable structure for your operation.... It's going to have to be the "AMERICANIZED CHINESE AQUAPONICS GREENHOUSE."

I know what you are thinking...don't ask...I am working on that solution for you and will not unveil it until it is done....!

Not to fret...tis' I.... "JIM DANDY TO THE RESCUE"

and I am the "HERO" of this picture said "Snoopy"

[15mules]

I look forward to hearing about your greenhouse ideas. I am guessing I will see some of the greenhouse stuff in the book?

I am also pretty sure I will be quite content to leave Duckponics to someone else.

[JCO]

You won't find anything about this new design I have for you as I just created it for your particular project...the suspense grows

[15mules]

JCO, I got it, my new plan. Whaleponics!!!
Makes everything simpler, no more messing with a whole bunch of different fish with short life spans. Now all you have to have is ONE fish and it will live longer than we will, so no need to worry about breeding. Now I just need to figure out a grow bed ratio for my 10 ton fish? I also need to go back to Tractor Supply and see if they have a larger Rubbermaid container.


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[urbanfarmer]

JCO, now you went and threw another wrench in my plans!!, UF about had me convinced to forget about all of that lettuce and produce and stuff and go strait DuckWeed. That was going to be my biggest marketing Gimmick, Arkansas's only AP duckweed farm. Now you done gone and put doubt in my mind again!!!

This was not my intention! I am just trying to lead a mule to water, but I can't make you drink!

You are looking for an absolute answer. A "YES/NO" if you will. It's not so black and white, and the real answer is: IT DEPENDS.

That's why you must employ critical thinking while applying your base understanding of aquaponics to create a viable business model (and hopefully document it in a business plan).

Why not do a simple cost analysis to even determine if it's remotely feasible (like I mentioned earlier in the thread)?

You can assume the cost of the duckweed offsets the cost of your feed and calculate the cost/benefit ratio from that. Growing duckweed can be an inexpensive venture in itself.

So, let's say a pound of feed costs you $1. Let's also say the final cost of growing a pound of dry duckweed costs you $1 (mostly labor, let's just say). Although it may not seem like a good idea dollar for dollar, the end result is you get a larger fish yield. Why? Because the fish get better nutrition, obviously. Whether you want to do this is ultimately up to you. The greater the difference between the lowering cost of duckweed production or increasing cost of fish feed, the more likely you are to do it, but it's still up to you. Another idea is to not worry about producing duckweed. It really depends on your situation and preferences. Some people enjoy growing duckweed while others dislike it. Some people don't have a choice because they're employees doing the bidding of their employer! Again, if it's right for your business really depends on you.

[15mules]

UF, I am not necessarily looking for a yes or no answer, as much as just having a discussion and some friendly debate. I really thought since I have read in other threads where there seems to be many feeding DW, to some extent, more people would chime in with their idea of how DW fits into their system.
I think DW as many of the topics brought up here can not be fully examined in the short time we have to make post. There have been entire books written on many of these subjects and we just have time to make a few comments here and there. Not as though as a chapter in a book, but entertaining and informative, just the same.

[urbanfarmer]

Yes, I understand! There is quite a bit of literature on duckweed. I have several duckweed (different species) experiments going right now. Nothing fancy, I am playing with many variables that affect their plant growth (things not touched on by available literature). For instance, recent studies have starting delving into the microbial ecology interacting with duckweed that affect the growth. Because this is such a niche area of science, they are areas lacking research with agricultural applications.

Back to the farm use, duckweed grows and can grow to the established rates of growth in the literature. People have been growing it for use in commercial applications for decades worldwide. It feels like we're beating a dead horse at this point...

How deep down the rabbit hole do you want to go?

[15mules]

UF, I am envious of the fact that you have time for these experiments. I have worked at home before and had lots of time to do lots of things, but no money to do anything. Now, I work away a lot and have the money to do something, but my time is very limited.
Next month when I get home, I intend to build my first system, I will have a short time to get it all together. I wish I had longer, but I simply do not. I can afford a few financial mishaps, but I cannot afford to waste much time! I can get the money back, but not the time. I do apologize, if I push for a direct answer, but the truth is, I am trying to gather as much credible information, as I can to base my initial decisions on.
I am sure you know, after being in AP for a while, there is lots of misinformation out there about all aspects of AP.
Thanks for your input.

[urbanfarmer]

I used to be like that too. The trick is to work smarter not harder!

[JCO]

15mules, I know where you are headed and again I remind you:-

However I think I can solve 15mules dilemma without much trouble here. 15mules, I know exactly where you live in Arkansas and that you are heading toward a commercial AP system for profit to be able to stay home and make money.

Forget duckweed

To operate properly and efficiently like a well oiled machine without any hitches, a commercial AP system must be able to depend on each facet of the operation being as close to perfect as possible and constant as possible.

Forget duckweed

You will not be able to grow duckweed in the winter without it taking up valuable space and resources inside your greenhouse. Resources which when used in other manners could produce more revenue than what duckweed could save you.

Forget duckweed