Aquaponic Greenhouse Prototype for Kenya

Prototype aquaponic (combination of hydroponics and aquaculture) system using 700 gallon elevated ferro-cement flood tank technology developed by Travis W. Hughey which uses no float switches, electronic timers or microprocessors to control the flood and drain parameters of the system. It is a large version of the flood tank in the "Barrel-Ponics" manual found on this site as a free download. The system uses approximately 400 gallons of water per flood cycle. There are 37 barrel half growbeds also of Travis's design incorporated. In the shallow pond water hyacinth and water lettuce are grown for fish feed. The entire system consumes less than 400 watts. The vegetable production is over twice what can be grown in the same square footage of soil. Fish are also harvested and excess vegetation is either fed to the fish or composted to build healthy soils. It is our desire to use such systems to replenish depleated or erroded soils in places that can no longer support farming and reclaim the losses of bad management. There is no soil in the system itself with only gravel as the growth media with nutrients provided by the fish.