1. Controlled Environment Aquaponics

2. What is aquaponics?
Aquaponics is an integrated system that combines hydroponics and aquaculture.
In an aquaponics system, the waste water from aquaculture subsystem is used to fertilize plants, and the plants reduce nutrient levels in the water.

3. Benefits of Aquaponics
Reduce chemical fertilizer use for hydroponics
Reduce water disposal for aquaculture operation
Controlled Environmental Agriculture benefits: year-round, local food production

4. Challenges of Aquaponics
pH compromise: plants grow best at pH of while fish grow best at pH of
Temperature compromise: optimal temperature for plants doesn’t match necessarily the optimal temperature for fish
Nutrient level in the fish water is low compared to plant nutrient needs
Elements in the fish waste are not in proper molecular ratios required by plants

5. Objectives of Morrisville Aquaponics Project
Demonstrate feasibility of an aquaponics system under controlled environment (greenhouse) in New York State
Quantify inputs and outputs of the system
Market products

6. Overview of the Morrisville State College Aquaculture Facilities
Boiler building
Instrument shed
Greenhouse
Aquaculture Center (image from Bingmaps.com)

7. Greenhouse The dimensions of the greenhouse are 30 feet by 60 feet
The roof is made of double PE film
The side walls are constructed of PVC panel
The structure is heated by hot-water (hydroponic) heating and cooled by a fan-and-pad system
The horizontal air flow fans are used for air recirculation
There is an energy curtain for shading and energy conservation, insect screen and LED and high pressure sodium supplemental lighting

8. Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) Hydroponic System

9. Floating Raft Subsystem

10. Aquaculture Subsystem
There are two 600 gallon fish tanks and one 800 gallon tank. Each tank is equipped with a solid removal device (bead filters),UV sterilizers, a biofilter, blower, settling tanks and pumps

11. Aquaculture Subsystem

12. Lettuce growth
It takes 40 days to grow 5 ounces of lettuce. At full capacity, the Morrisville State College greenhouse could produce over 30,000 heads of lettuce annually.
In 2012, the College controlled environment agriculture facility diversified its crops and grew over 6000 heads of lettuce, over 300 pounds of basil, bok choy, arugula, and 90 pounds of tomatoes and cucumbers.

13. Tilapia growth
It takes about 8 months to grow a one pound tilapia. In 2012, the Morrisville State College controlled environment agriculture facility produced nearly 600 pounds of tilapia.

14. Electricity and Fuel Usage
In 2012, the Morrisville State College controlled environment agriculture greenhouse used about 147 kWh per day, for a total of 53,778 kWh annual energy.
The two 300,000 BTU/hr boilers used 4,360 gallons of fuel oil to heat the greenhouse, fish tanks, monitoring shed, biodiesel production lab, and the boiler building. One of the two boilers now runs on biodiesel produced on campus!

15. Biodiesel from Dining Hall Fryer Oil
6/25/2008
Campus dining facilities use 2500 gallons of oil per year The boiler is operated by students and currently processes 50 gallons per batch with 1 to 2 batches per week The campus uses biodiesel for heating the greenhouse during the winter and for farm tractor fuel in the summer

16. Water Consumption
In 2012, the controlled environment agriculture greenhouse used an average of 142 gallons of water per day, resulting in 51,975 gallons for the year

17. Feasibility of Aquaponics
While aquaponics is technically feasible, it remains economically challenging under the climate of New York State. Renewable energy options can improve the economics for aquaponics by using wastes as fuel for combined heat and power (CHP).
Morrisville State College Biomass Gasification CHP
Morrisville State College
Digester CHP
Madison County
Landfill CHP