Fish Management in Aquaponics

31 Pages·2016·2.35 MB·English

Fish Management in
Aquaponics
William Lynch Jr.
Millcreek Perch Farm, LLC (owner)
Ohio State University Extension Program (retired)
Marriage of plant & fish production, hopefully
with few martial problems!
Plants depend on fish wastes for nearly all
nutrient requirements, but also bacteria to
transform ammonia / nitrite into nitrates readily
usable by plants.
Fish depend on bacteria to transform ammonia
/ nitrite into nitrates readily usable by plants so
as to minimize nitrogen compounds returning to
the fish production tanks.
Marriage of plant & fish production, hopefully
with few martial problems!
Plants depend on fish wastes for nearly all
nutrient requirements, but also bacteria to
transform ammonia / nitrite into nitrates
readily usable by plants.
Fish depend on bacteria to transform ammonia
/ nitrite into nitrates readily usable by plants so
as to minimize nitrogen compounds returning
to the fish production tanks.
Marketing
Potential Markets
Availability
Readily available sources in the
quantities you need when you
need them
Compatibility
Is the species of choice compatible
with the growth requirements of
plants & bacteria
Feed & Heating Considerations
Different costs for different species
Bluegill sunfish
Channel catfish
Goldfish / koi
Largemouth bass
Tilapia
Yellow perch
Goldfish / Koi
Yellow perch
Sunfish
Rainbow trout
Largemouth bass
Channel catfish
Source: 2012 USDA Census of Aquaculture
Species Stocking Food Fish*
Sunfish (Bluegill, Redear)
Channel Catfish
Goldfish / Koi
Largemouth Bass
Tilapia
Yellow Perch
*
= HAACP Requirements May Be Needed
Ease of Growing Rank
Species Stocking Food Fish*
Sunfish (Bluegill, Redear) 5
Channel Catfish 4
Goldfish / Koi 2
Largemouth Bass 6
Tilapia 1
Yellow Perch 3
*
= HAACP Requirements May Be Needed
Species In Ohio 1-Day Overnight
Transport Shipping
Sunfish Yes
Channel Catfish Yes
Goldfish / Koi Yes
Largemouth Bass Yes
Tilapia Yes
Yellow Perch Yes
Choose between small (1-2 inch) or advanced
fingerlings (3-4 or 4-5 inch).
Amount of feed per day drastically different
between sizes – impacts nutrients available to
plants.
Always buy feed-trained fingerlings – you would
prefer not to have to feed train them yourself.
If possible, buy the upper 50% (length)
produced by the hatchery.
Do not buy the cheap runts, you will be sorry!