3 ms·

Similar approach: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T15gXm6ha_I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T15gXm6ha_I

mastazi 5y ago
In my mind small scale aquaponics seems to have the advantage that it's not as labour intensive as small scale traditional farming (e.g. it seems to me that things like transplanting and weeding tend to be less labour intensive and you don't usually need to apply fertilizers because the fish do it for you). This is relevant because I believe that labour is a significant factor in making micro farming viable (more so than production per acre, where IMHO micro farming can hold its own). However the above is based only on my intuition and personal experience[1], I would like to see some studies about that, does anyone know of any? One disadvantage of aquaponics seems to be that, if you ever happen to scale up and start selling some of your produce, in some countries you can't sell it as organic - because there tends to be a requirement, across several countries, that you grow your crops in-soil for organic certification (Australia, where I live, is one of those countries, IIRC this is also the case in the EU). To me this feels a bit unfair because typically in aquaponics you won't use many chemicals if any (either for the reasons mentioned above, or because the chemicals would harm your fish), so I think it would appeal the same type of people who buy organic food. [1] I grew up on a medium-sized farm and as an adult I've got some limited experience in aquaponics, as a hobbyist.
- natmaka 5y ago
  AFAIK aquaponics is less labour-intensive than traditional (soil-based) farming (all parameters being as equal as possible). Pest control is also less of a burden and risk factor, in my opinion especially with ebb & tide systems. It, indeed, cannot be certified as organic. However some found ways, such as selling (or even creating) to high-end restaurants. Pertinent (with labour) studies: https://ag.purdue.edu/agecon/Documents/Aquaponics%20in%20Indiana.pdf https://ag.purdue.edu/agecon/Documents/Aquaponics%20in%20Ind... https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/economics-of-aquaponics.html https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/economics-of-aquap... Personal experience: string interest since 2009, created then maintained many micro to very-small scale experimental systems.
  - mastazi 5y ago
    Thank you very much for those links!
    - natmaka 5y ago
      You are welcome! I'm quite astonished to not see more of such projects here, as there an elegant, efficient and interesting cross between aquaponics (and even hydroponics) and IT, as automation is key when it comes to lower labor costs and various risks. The whole domain (high-end food) is economically booming. Launching an experimental project isn't difficult nor expensive, and scaling up is possible. It comes as a fair mix of abstract-and-applied and also buy-or-build challenges, of work to do on a desk and also in the field... It also enables (partially) remote maintenance and expert-diagnostic. All this without any real philosophical tension (no user to lure or to spy on!). One may even avoid killing fishes, for example by raising ornamental species. Last but not least such a project is satisfying because you design, create, maintain... you see it running, instead of working on a component of a component (...) of some huge abstract org.

In my mind small scale aquaponics seems to have the advantage that it's not as labour intensive as small scale traditional farming (e.g. it seems to me that things like transplanting and weeding tend to be less labour intensive and you don't usually need to apply fertilizers because the fish do it for you). This is relevant because I believe that labour is a significant factor in making micro farming viable (more so than production per acre, where IMHO micro farming can hold its own). However the above is based only on my intuition and personal experience[1], I would like to see some studies about that, does anyone know of any? One disadvantage of aquaponics seems to be that, if you ever happen to scale up and start selling some of your produce, in some countries you can't sell it as organic - because there tends to be a requirement, across several countries, that you grow your crops in-soil for organic certification (Australia, where I live, is one of those countries, IIRC this is also the case in the EU). To me this feels a bit unfair because typically in aquaponics you won't use many chemicals if any (either for the reasons mentioned above, or because the chemicals would harm your fish), so I think it would appeal the same type of people who buy organic food. [1] I grew up on a medium-sized farm and as an adult I've got some limited experience in aquaponics, as a hobbyist.

natmaka 5y ago
AFAIK aquaponics is less labour-intensive than traditional (soil-based) farming (all parameters being as equal as possible). Pest control is also less of a burden and risk factor, in my opinion especially with ebb & tide systems. It, indeed, cannot be certified as organic. However some found ways, such as selling (or even creating) to high-end restaurants. Pertinent (with labour) studies: https://ag.purdue.edu/agecon/Documents/Aquaponics%20in%20Indiana.pdf https://ag.purdue.edu/agecon/Documents/Aquaponics%20in%20Ind... https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/economics-of-aquaponics.html https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/economics-of-aquap... Personal experience: string interest since 2009, created then maintained many micro to very-small scale experimental systems.
- mastazi 5y ago
  Thank you very much for those links!
  - natmaka 5y ago
    You are welcome! I'm quite astonished to not see more of such projects here, as there an elegant, efficient and interesting cross between aquaponics (and even hydroponics) and IT, as automation is key when it comes to lower labor costs and various risks. The whole domain (high-end food) is economically booming. Launching an experimental project isn't difficult nor expensive, and scaling up is possible. It comes as a fair mix of abstract-and-applied and also buy-or-build challenges, of work to do on a desk and also in the field... It also enables (partially) remote maintenance and expert-diagnostic. All this without any real philosophical tension (no user to lure or to spy on!). One may even avoid killing fishes, for example by raising ornamental species. Last but not least such a project is satisfying because you design, create, maintain... you see it running, instead of working on a component of a component (...) of some huge abstract org.