Aquaponics Digest - Sat 12/18/99




Message   1: aquaponics system of Paula and Tom Speraneo

             from Jacky Foo 

Message   2: speraneo system

             from Shyloah

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| Message 1                                                           |

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Subject: aquaponics system of Paula and Tom Speraneo

From:    Jacky Foo 

Date:    Sat, 18 Dec 1999 09:31:20 +0100

From:    Shyloah

>Paula and Tom Speraneo have developed an aquaponics system

>which, I believe,

>A  does not filter the water before running it through the beds

>B  gravel grow beds are the filtration

>C  bacteria maintained in the grow beds for nutrient conversion

>D  functions with an aerator but much of the O2 is supplied by a shower

>effect when the water is pumped back into the fish tank

>

>I am thinking that this system has less equipment involved than some

>and more nutrient cycling. Since the Spenaneo's are hosts of this

>message board @townsqr, I know I will find out if this is the right

>information on their system.

I am particularly interested in the system too and wonder if any 

quantatitive analysis of the material and nutrient flows has been done for 

this system; i.e. what and how much inputs is made into the fish tank 

(feed, water) and its output (water quality and fish) as well as the 

nutrient flow for the beds. Is the bed a gravel bed that serves as a mic  

robial filter or does it have plants on it too ?

If answers are available for the above questions, this would be an 

interesting paper for presentation at the Internet Conference on Material 

Flow Analysis of Integrated Bio-Systems 

(http://www.ias.unu.edu/proceedings/icibs/ic-mfa) .

regards

jacky foo

Co-ordinator, Integrated Bio-Systems Network

http://www.ias.unu.edu/proceedings/icibs/ibs/ibsnet

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| Message 2                                                           |

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Subject: speraneo system

From:    Shyloah

Date:    Sun, 19 Dec 1999 00:46:26 EST

Hello Jacky Foo,

The Speraneo's can answer about what tests have been  done on the water 

coming and going from the fish and plants  I would be interested also.

I am thinking that plants along with bacteria are in the gravel and this is 

the filter. It is also for converting amonia and for "composting" fish waste.

It would be tremendous help to know nutrient contents. I will  check out your 

web site. It will probably answer this - but are you doing integrated 

bio-systems for  sustainable agriculture. 

I would like to understand in pretty much detail how the fish waste products 

are fertilizing the plants.

As you study integrated bio-systems -- Do we maintain quality as we increase 

the quantity in the system    ie  growing high conc.fish in a small space for 

one possible ex.  

If it follows that the inputs (fish feed) must be cheaper that the outputs 

(fish and plants) than the material flow analysis would be very beneficial to 

us trying to learn how to do  this.

Thanks

Lee



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