aquaponics in hong kong

48 Pages·2014·3.77 MB·English

The Commercial Growers’ Magazine www.hydroponics.com.au
AQUAPONICS IN HONG KONG
ISSUE
149
4 BLOOMING IN THE CITY PLANT FACTORIES - PART 2
1
0 Alternative farming system Commercial greenhouse lighting sources
2

R
E GREENHOUSE EXPANSION IN RUSSIA PRODUCTION OF FISH FEED FROM VEGETABLE WASTE
B
M
New 238ha greenhouse project Growing insect larvae for fish feed
E
V
O
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Published by: From The Editor
Casper Publications Pty Ltd
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PO Box 225, Narrabeen, NSW 2101 The Promise of
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Aquaponics
Managing Editor
Steven Carruthers
editor hydroponics.com.au T
@ his issue has a strong focus on aquaponics, and points to the future of food
production systems at a practical level to feed a growing population.
Contributing Authors However, commercial aquaponics has a long way to go before devotees can
Rick Donnan earnestly claim it is a sustainable food production system. At the top of the
Christine Brown-Paul list of issues that need to be overcome, is the need to develop alternate fish foods
Sam Ross that don’t use wild fish, and pH balancing that doesn’t require the inputs of inorganic
Mike Nichols buffers. There is also the issue of antibiotics to maintain fish health during the
growing phase. Other issues up against commercial aquaponics include the
Advertising Sales production of enough nutrients from fish wastes to grow important food crops.
Mark Lewis While acquaponicists have mastered the production of herbs and leafy greens, more
Tel: [phone] research is needed to feed fruiting crops, such as tomatoes and cucumber, which
Email: [email protected] require larger volumes of nutrients than an aquaponics system can supply. These
are the sorts of challenges that need to be overcome before aquaponicists can claim
Subscription Hotlines this production method is sustainable.
Ph: [phone] These comments are not meant to be a ringing endorsement for commercial
hydroponics. It, too, has to overcome many challenges as a sustainable food
(Int.) Tel: [phone]
production system, including universal conversion to ‘closed’ systems and
Email: [email protected]
Integrated Management Strategies for pest and disease control.
There can be little doubt our wild fish stocks are being seriously depleted by over-
Facebook
fishing. In Australia, fish and seafood consumption has doubled in the last 10 years
‘Like us’
and currently stands at around 13kg per person per year (pop. 23.7 million). This has
www.facebook.com/PracticalHydroponics been predicted to increase to 17kg by 2020 and 25kg per year by 2050, giving a total
domestic requirement of 1.15kt annually. Given falling wild catches, aquaculture
Twitter needs to double by 2020 and double again by 2050 to meet this demand. The
‘Follow us’ pressure to expand the aquaculture industry will drive the development of
http://twitter.com/#!/phgonline aquaponic farming. Our story on Aquaponics in Hong Kongis an example of the
demands of an expanding population on limited arable land.
A recent desktop study by Australian researchers to produce fishmeal based on
Editorial Information
insect larvae (rich in protein and fat), is an important development to find a
Practical Hydroponics & Greenhouses welcomes
replacement for wild fish feed. Our story, Production of Fish Feed from
freelance contributions and letters with a
Waste Vegetablesreviews the report’s findings.
hydroponic, greenhouse or IPM focus.
Observations that antagonistic fungi and bacteria that live in plant roots may
Photographic material should be good quality
benefit fish, is another clue to sustainable commercial aquaponics. These fungi and
colour prints or transparencies, clearly named and
bacteria prevent high densities of pathogen species, which affect the fish in high
captioned. Copy is also accepted by email or disk in
density tanks and times of stress. In a once-only observation, the barramundi grown
Word format. Hi-resolution digital images are
in an aquaponic system were less susceptible to disease infection to those that were
accepted – .tif, .jpg, .eps or .pdf format. No
not (pers. corresp.Paul Van der Werf, www.earthangroup.com.au). Although there is
responsibility is accepted for loss or damage to
no scientific data to support this observation, more research into the micro flora
unsolicited material.
populations that live in an aquaponic system would prove beneficial. These can be
© Copyright Casper Publications Pty Ltd 2014. All isolated and lab cultured to be used as treatment when required, instead of
material in Practical Hydroponics & Greenhouses is antibiotics or other medications in fish systems. This would be very much like
copyright. No part of this publication may be reproduced integrated pest management, but at a microbial level, that will benefit aquaculture
without the written permission of the Publisher. and integrated aquaculture through the reduced use of potentially harmful
chemicals (to both the fish and humans). It would also help lift the stigma associated
www.hydroponics.com.au with aquaculture and the use of medications. However, what the industry lacks most
is research funding to investigate these observations further.
ISSN 2202-1485
Steven Carruthers
Practical Hydroponics & Greenhouses .November . 2014. 3

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ISSUE 149 :: NOVEMBER 2014 :: THE COMMERCIAL GROWERS’ MAGAZINE
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@
Features
TRADE DIRECTORY Vertical Farming & Urban Agriculture.....14
International conference on Vertical
Autogrow Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Farming & Agriculture, held at Nottingham
University, Enland.
City Blooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Production of Fish Feed from
Coast Guard Netting . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Waste Vegetables ....................................18
David Gill Greenhouses . . . . . . . . . .35 Review of an Australian study that examines
the potential use of vegetable wastes to
Duralite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
grow insect larvae, which can then be used Vertical Farming & Urban Agriculture
Exfoliators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 in aquaculture and aquaponic feeds.
Extrusion Technologies Int. . . . . . . .13 Blooming in the City.................................23
Innovative alternative farming system to
Faber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .OBC
keep up with expanding urban food
Faber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 demand in ways that reduce
environmental impact.
Graeme Smith Consulting . . . . . . . .17
Aquaponics in Hong Kong........................28
Growhard Trading . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Facing the demands of an expanding
Hoogendoorn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 population, the region is increasingly looking
to alternative food production sources such
Munters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 as aquaponics.
Blooming in the City
Peet van Ruyven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Practical
Pestech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Greenhouse Expansion in Russia.............36
Powerplants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .IFC
New 238ha greenhouse project in the
Priya Chemicals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Kaluga region, a special economic zone
located 300km from Moscow.
Rijk Zwaan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Climate Families from Svensson.............38
Svensson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
With over a hundred climate screens to
Valoya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 choose from, Svensson have divided them
into five families.
Plant Factories - Part 2............................40 Aquaponics in Hong Kong
Casper Publications is a member of Publishers The advantages and disadvantages of the
Australia, an association for specialist and three artificial light sources used in
business publishers.
commercial greenhouse horticulture.
Disclaimer
Departments
The information contained in this magazine whether
in editorial matter or in feature articles or in
From the Editor..........................................3
advertisements is not published on the basis that the
Publisher accepts or assumes liability or responsibility Reader Inquiries.........................................7
to any reader of the magazine for any loss or damage News & Products.....................................11
resulting from the correctness of such information.
Cover Image: Harvest delight—carp with
www.hydroponics.com.au
aquaponic grower's own produce garnishing
Climate Families from Svensson
of garlic, bell pepper and parsley.
Practical Hydroponics & Greenhouses .November . 2014. 5
Do you have a hydroponic
or nutrient problem?
Home Events FFrreeee Digital Subscription Free AArrttiicclleess Article Index RReeaaddeerr Inquiries About SShhoopp
READER IINNQQUUIIRRIIEESS
How do ppeessttiicciiddeessW worek? want to know about it. PPooppuullaarr Posts
Question Issue 117: CCoommppaarriinngg Growing
Reader Inquiries is intended to not only help the inquMierdeiar, but
From an anonymous ggrroowweerr.. How do pesticides work?
I recently had a can containinngg some two-stroke petrol, which had ggoonnee off. Having seen where spilt ppeettrrooll//ooiill has killed
also help other growers who may have the same prIossbuel 6e3:m HHyydd.rrooppoonniiccss as an
grass, I decided to use it as aa weedd kkiilllleerrr uussiinngg a rough hand sspprraayyeerr.. Laterr oonn that same hott ddaayy I sprayeddd aannootthheerr agricultural pprroodduuccttiioonn system
weedd ppaattcchh with ‘Roundup’ hheerrbbiicciiddee at the recomWmeend ewd setrelncgtho, umsinge th ey soamue rha nlde stprtaeyerr. sItt iissa nonwd a w eeemk lataerils.
and I can see the results. Issue 103: SSuussttaaiinnaabbllee Aquaponics
(Letters and emails are published anonymously)
Issue 70: GGrreeeenn Feed – Livestock
Those weeds sprayedd wwiitthh tthhee herbicide are wilting, and the entire ppllaanntt has turned yellow. Different types off wweeeeddss
Fodder SShheedd
aarree ccoolloouurreedd ttoo ddiiffffeerreenntt ddddeeeeggggrrrreeeeeeeessss,,,, bbuutt aallll aarree oobbvviioouussllyy ddyyiinngg..
Why Not OOrrggaanniicc Hydroponics?
The weeds sprayed with the ppeettrrooll are different. There are strong yyeellllooww spots on the leaves, obviously wwhheerree the
actual petrol droplets have hhiitt.. The remainderr oofff tthhee leaff iiss still ggrreeeenn.. Issue 06: PPllaannnniinngg Commercial
HHyyddrrooppoonniiccss Part 1
Can you explain this ddiiffffeerreennccee?
See More Issue 119: IImmppoorrttaannccee of ventilation
in ccoommmmeerrcciiaall greenhouses
Issue 114: RRaabbbbiittss,, Rabbits,
Everywhere Rabbits
How do I mmaannaaggee acid addition and ppHH rise?
Issue 07: PPllaannnniinngg Commercial
HHyyddrrooppoonniiccss Part 2
FFrroomm aa NNSSWW hhyyddrrooppoonniicc ttttoooommmmaaaattttoooo ggggrrrroooowwwweeeerrrr....
Article IInnddeexx
How do I manage acid aaddddiittiioonn and pH rise?
Issue 40: LLiissiiaanntthhuuss:: A Specialty Cut
I grow tomatoes in ggrreeeennhhoouusseess south off SSyyddnneeyy.. I use phosphoric aacciidd to lowerr mmyy ppHH.. I have been aaddddiinngg increasing Flower
amounts off aacciidd to bring mmyy ffeed pH down about 6.0, butt iitt iiss still rissiinngg to about 7.0 in the run-off. I have bbeeeenn adding
some liquid ammonium nniittrraattee to reduce the pH rise, butt iitt hhaass only rreedduucceedd the pH rise byy aabboouutt 0.2 pH. I hhaavvee had IPM in HHyyddrrooppoonniicc Strawberries
some symptoms off wwhhaatt has been suggested is iron deficiency. TThhaatt is, the young leaves are pale and the vveeiinnss show
Index by TTooppiicc
up darkerr oonn the pale leaf.
Issue 98: GGrreeeennhhoouussee Production In
An analysis was done off mmmyyy fffeeeedd and the laboratory advised that iitt wwaass generallyy OOKK,, except that the pphhoosspphhoorruuss (P) Japan
level was high. I would like ttoo add more acid, but that willl mmaakkee the PP level even worse.
Issue 35: TThhee Fodder Factory
Can yyoouu ssuuggggeesstt what I sshhoouulldd do?
See More Free Digital Edition Subscription
Issue 11: GGiibbbbeerreelllliinnss – Plant
Growth HHoorrmmoonneess
Should I use hhyyddrrooppoonniiccss to grow ssttoocckk plants? Issue 02: SSaanndd Culture
Issue 91: CChhiilllliinngg The Root Zone
From a New South Wales NNuurrsseerryymmaann..
Issue 118: ‘‘TTrruussss Me’ Tomato
Shouldd II use hydroponics ttoo groww ssttoocckk plants? Campaign
I have a nursery in which I ssppeecciiaalliissee in propagating large numbers oofff aa narroww rraannggee off nnaattiivvee trees ffrroomm ccuuttttiinnggss.. I
Index by IIssssuuee
know there are a few nnuurrsseerryymmeenn who grow theirr ssttoocckk plants in hhyyddrrooppoonniiccss.. Would you suggest that this is a good
iiddeeaa?? IIffff yyyeeesss,, ccoouulldd yyoouu ggiivvee mmmmeeee ssoommee gguuiiddaannccee oonn tthhee ffffuuuunnnnddddaaaammmmeeeennnnttttaaaallllssss.... IIssssuuee 8855:: CCCChhhhaaaalllllllleeeennnnggggeeeessss FFaacceedd bbyy tthhee
See More HHyyddrrooppoonniiccss Industry Worldwide
Issue 101: AAqquuaappoonniiccss Revisited
About Us
Issue 14: NNuurriieenntt Management in
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6. Practical Hydroponics & Greenhouses .November. 2014
Rick Donnan
RReeaaddeerr IInnqquuiirriieess
Question lettuce. Obviously, these cannot be The first significant use of hydroponics
Is there a culture of denial with grown in the soil. for commercial growing started in
hydroponic produce? Firstly, what are the ‘metallic’ pieces? Canada. In the mid-1960s, there was a
On hydroponics generally, is there a They would be small pieces of substantial glasshouse industry in
culture of denial by retailers? If so, what is vermiculite, which typically has a shiny British Columbia, supplying tomatoes
the reason? appearance, but feels relatively soft into Canada and the USA. Growers had
My wife and I were in the vegetable rather than a hard metallic feel. increasing problems with the soil
section of our local supermarket recently Vermiculite is an inorganic potting mix disease fusarium. Eventually, this
and asked someone who bore the title of component, which holds a high water reached the critical point where the
Assistant Manager whether the lettuce content. It is typically used in seed choice became to either give up growing
and tomatoes we were buying were raising mixes or as a coating to keep the tomatoes or get out of the soil. They
hydroponic. He said he didn’t know but seed wet in order to improve successfully moved into growing
shouted across to one of the shelf germination. Similar mixes are used hydroponically in sawdust in bags.
stackers whether he knew. “Hydro what?” whether propagating to grow in Interestingly, the first significant
was the reply. hydroponics or in the soil. commercial use of hydroponics in
Surely, retailers must know what they Australia was also due to a strain of
Hydroponic history
are selling? We even phoned the customer fusarium. Carnation growers were
The history of the introduction of
service department of the lettuce grower moving under cover to improve flower
hydroponic produce is interesting as it
and no one knew there either! quality and were sterilising the soil.
provides a background to your inquiry.
Is there a deliberate culture of silence However, when the roots of the long-
The first large scale use of
on the subject and if so for what reason? term carnation crop spread beyond the
hydroponics was in Japan, immediately
Are vegetables grown in soil presumed sterile zone, the crop would collapse.
after the war. The local produce was
to be ‘good’ and those grown In the open, they could plant in another
grown in the soil, mainly fertilised by
hydroponically ‘bad’? field, but in a greenhouse the only
‘night soil’; that is, human excreta. The
The lettuce we bought was we presume choice became to get out of the soil.
army command justifiably feared that
hydroponic. The roots were quite long and Growers moved into dripper fed bags
the occupying troops would be
still attached. What we are curious about or boxes containing potting mix, scoria
vulnerable to picking up diseases to
is what appear to be a scattering of or rockwool.
which the local population was largely
‘metallic’ pieces embedded in the roots.
immune. Consequently, the US Army The Netherlands
This is presumably fertiliser. Do you know
installed a 55-acre hydroponic farm, The Netherlands has long been the
what it is?
which used gravel beds. This farm world leader in glasshouse technology.
Answer continued to operate for 10 years, Local environmental issues resulted in
‘Metallic’ pieces? providing fresh vegetables to the it also leading the way in the adoption
Yes, lettuce with their roots still on occupying forces and also to UN troops of hydroponic growing techniques. By
would certainly be hydroponic living during the Korean War. 1980, excessive levels of methyl
Practical Hydroponics & Greenhouses .November . 2014. 7
bromide were detected in the canals you can buy here, whether locally
The in the glasshouse areas; grown or imported, other than wild
consequently, it was banned as a soil flowers, are grown hydroponically.
ABC of NFT
sterilant. Other sterilisation The proportion of fresh tomatoes
techniques proved ineffective for some grown in greenhouses is steadily
NUTRIENT FILM TECHNIQUE
crops, forcing them out of the soil into increasing with a corresponding
The World’s first method of Crop Production
without a solid rooting medium hydroponics, typically rockwool slabs reduction in field crops. Processing
and later cocopeat. tomatoes used to be grown locally in
DR ALLEN COOPER
High levels of nutrient in the canals the field. They have not been replaced
from soil and hydroponic run-off by hydroponic tomatoes, but by imports.
resulted in all glasshouse growing (My supermarkets used to have large
systems having to be closed numbers of tinned Australian tomatoes,
(recirculated) by 2000. Since then, all now I often can’t find them.) Truss
10,000ha of Dutch glasshouses tomatoes and specialties such as
(approximately half vegetables, half cocktail tomatoes are grown
flowers) use closed hydroponic systems hydroponically. Loose tomatoes can be
and much of the Western world also. grown in the field, under cover,
hydroponically or in the soil, or any
Australian leafy greens
combination of these and not
Australia has a small unique place in
differentiated—they are tomatoes.
international hydroponic production.
Lebanese and continental (long)
Starting in the mid-1980s, we
cucumbers are all grown in
developed NFT (nutrient film technique)
greenhouses, mostly hydroponic but
channel systems on working height
some still in the soil.
tables to produce living lettuce.
Other greenhouse crops mainly
(I described these in detail in my
grown in the soil but now increasingly
column in the previous issue—October
Dr Allen Cooper devised the hydroponic are capsicum and eggplant,
2014). We now have a greater NFT area
at the top end of the market.
Nutrient Film Technique and
than the rest of the world combined.
The next big change coming is the
perfected its practical application
These systems are excellent for
large-scale hydroponic production of a
through his research work at the growing short term leafy green crops.
range of berry fruits.
Glasshouse Crops Institute in the Most of these systems are outdoors,
United Kingdom. The but increasing areas are going under Marketing
cover. All living lettuce is grown this Hydroponic food production became
development of commercial NFT
way—mostly the fancy-type lettuce significant during the 1980s and has
cropping enterprises around the
varieties. If the roots are placed in continued to expand rapidly worldwide
world, has been mainly due to
water, the lettuce stays much fresher since then. The millions of tonnes of
the work contained in this than if it is cut. A high proportion of hydroponic produce grown around the
visionary book. fresh herbs are grown hydroponically, world annually are sold as quality or
some as living herbs but most as fresh greenhouse produce and rarely as
cut. Increasing numbers of Asian hydroponic. Why is this? I don’t know,
In his foreword, Dr Cooper throws
greens are being grown this way—as but I’ll have two guesses:
out some challenges for the global
with lettuce, it has the major benefit of • The primary aim of growers
horticultural community to take up,
eliminating soil contamination. producing a quality product is to have
and suggests that we have not yet
With both fresh cut herbs and Asian that quality recognised. To promote
written the last word on the greens, there is no differentiation hydroponics requires an expensive
intriguing relationship between between whether they are grown in the education campaign and introduces
plants and nutrients in a soilless soil or in hydroponics. The difference confusion. Better to spend that
only shows sometimes in that the money advertising good quality.
environment.
hydroponic produce is often of better • For most people their exposure to
quality. The cost of producing the name hydroponics is through
hydroponically is usually higher than media stories about illegal cannabis
Casper Publications Pty Ltd.
soil growing, but is typically offset by growing—not a good look.
PO Box 225 Narrabeen
higher and especially more consistent
NSW 2101. Australia
Initially, hydroponic lettuce was often
production and quality.
[email protected]
marketed as hydroponic or ‘hydro’, but
Other Australian hydroponic produce this is now less common. Presumably
www.hydroponics.com.au /buynow
Virtually all the greenhouse cut flowers customers are looking for quality living
8. Practical Hydroponics & Greenhouses .November. 2013
fancy lettuce and aren’t interested in should be able to grow quality produce
how it is grown. The quality of the end year round.
product is what is important. Note that major supermarkets
require their produce suppliers to have
Culture of denial?
a substantial food safety quality
The reason for poor staff knowledge is
assurance scheme. A compulsory part
basically ignorance, rather than a
of these schemes is that they require
‘culture of denial’. Whether produce is
regular audits for which the grower
hydroponic is well down the list of
pays thousands of dollars per audit.
knowledge priorities, compared to for
example country of origin. Whether Modern glasshouse production
hydroponic or soil grown often can’t be Modern glasshouse and hydroponic
determined, because produce can be technology brings many benefits to the
mixed right from the pack house. environment and the consumer. For
Your question implies that there is example, let’s consider tomatoes, the
something ‘bad’ about hydroponic major hydroponic crop.
produce. This is wrong. In the open field and unheated
Sometimes people assume that all greenhouses, problems often arise
the ‘goodness’ in vegetables comes into when the air gets cold and the relative
the plant from the soil via the roots. humidity very high. These conditions
This is incorrect. The major ‘food’ of lead to infection with powdery mildew
plants is light, normally sunlight. The and botrytis(grey mould), which have to
process of photosynthesis uses the be controlled with sprays. Growers will
energy from the sunlight to produce allow for the legal withholding period
sugars and oxygen. In the allied after spraying before harvesting, but in
process of respiration, the sugars are a modern glasshouse these conditions
converted into the myriad of never arise and powdery mildew and
compounds distributed around the botrytisare virtually things of the past
plant to help it grow and produce and these sprays are not needed.
flowers and fruit. Gas is used for heating, usually

The roots take up water and mineral during the night. Burning the gas
ions. In soil growing, the minerals come produces CO2, which can be used to

from the soil and added fertilisers. In increase production during
hydroponics, the mineral ions are all in photosynthesis, however, this can only

the nutrient solution. The form of the happen through the day. What is now
mineral ions is the same regardless of done is to burn gas to produce CO2
their source. For example, plant roots through the day for use by the crop. The
take up nitrate ions. Nitrate ions are heat produced heats water for storage
identical regardless of whether they in a large insulated tank, and the hot
started as chicken manure, attached to water is used to heat the glasshouse
soil particles after a thunderstorm, or when needed during the night. This
industrially produced from nitrogen in gives a substantial reduction in CO2
the air to make an inorganic nitrate emissions into the environment.
fertiliser. In hydroponics, water and
Glasshouse growers are well
mineral ions are usually more readily
advanced in the use of Integrated Pest
available for uptake by the plant roots
Management (IPM), which significantly
than in the soil and hence, the effective
reduces the use and severity of
root volume is much smaller than in
chemical sprays. There are an
the soil.
increasing number of types of
In general, open field growing can
beneficial insects now available in
sometimes give excellent produce, but
at other times have major difficulties. A Australia so that many growers are
combination of greenhouse growing now virtually using only biological
with hydroponics significantly reduces control of pests and diseases. One
the variability. Growers will always aspect of this is to install fine screens
have different levels of skills, but a over glasshouse openings to exclude
good greenhouse hydroponic grower major pests. b
Practical Hydroponics & Greenhouses .November . 2014. 9