Aquaponics:How To Start Small And Grow From Cash Flow

There was an awesome article in the recent newsletter that Tim & Susanne put out with aquaponic tips and advice that I thought I'd share because it has a wealth of good info and advice for folks starting out or thinking about aquaponics. 

How To Drive Success: Don’t start big with lots of expenses and hardly any cash flow; rather, start small and generate cash flow right away!

It's funny how many people claim to be "commercial aquaponics experts", but have never done it for a living themselves. From a couple of people who have done so, and who came up the hard way (we didn’t have our manuals, our CAD drawings, and our unlimited support services to draw on when we started!) here's our short list of what's necessary for success in commercial aquaponics.

1. Research thoroughly and learn everything possible you can about aquaponics before starting. Doing your due diligence first can save you from mistakes costing hundreds of thousands of dollars, or worse, thousands of hours of your life! How do you do this?

Contact people who are doing it, and confirm that their approach really works. Insist on numbers, contacts to call, and real people that you can confirm are actually operating the farm. Ask for the number of their produce distributor, or three of the markets they sell to; then call these people and confirm. You get the idea.

Why This Is So Important: There’s one aquaponics farm that recently lost their $1.4 million investment after only 5 months in actual operation. When we analyzed their failure mode, we realized immediately (from publicly-available photos) that they were planting their lettuce at one-third the density we successfully grow ours at, and only using 70% of the available floor space inside their greenhouse for vegetable troughs.

They had also paid three times as much for their greenhouse and aquaponics systems as they should have cost, because they simply hadn’t educated themselves and shopped around first.

(Below) After the $1.4 million was all gone: dry troughs, no fish, no income, and no more aquaponics. This is not where you want to end up.

They were only getting one-third of the production that was possible out of their greenhouse and raft area; and their farm cost them three times what it should have. The solution would have been so simple: all they needed to do was to drill more holes in their rafts, and use the planting and transfer technology that we teach.

The really sad thing about this failure is that if they’d simply invested $1,495 in one of our trainings before investing $1.4 million in their farm, they wouldn’t have made this mistake, and might still be in profitable operation.

Insist on getting information from people who are actually doing it, not just talking about it. See their operation, don’t just listen to “how much they know”. If they truly want to help you, why don’t you have them send you a copy of the cash flow spreadsheet from their profitable commercial aquaponics operation? And remember: keep a sharp eye on your wallet!

2. Don't wait until you have lots of money to invest in your operation: start building and operating an aquaponics system now! Build a small backyard system if that's all you can afford; the food you grow with it will save you money. You will gain valuable experience with even a small system that will be critical to your success at a commercial-scale venture.

There are many reasons to start small, even if you have several hundred thousand dollars burning a hole in your pocket. Here are five of the most important ones:

A. Even we have no idea what will grow best in your location, with your greenhouse, your sunlight exposure and hours, temperature, humidity, etc. After doing two or three “test grows” in a small, affordable system (and greenhouse, if necessary in your location), you will know what grows best.

B. Even we have no idea what will sell best in your location, with your local economy, your local produce distributors and outlets, and your local consumers. After each of the “test grows” mentioned in “A” above, you will have produce to do test marketing with. Take this produce to all the outlets you identify that might be interested, and find out what they’re willing to pay, as well as the quantities they need. Yes, need, because commercial aquaponics is not about the “great produce” you have, how cool your aquaponics system is, or what a great farm name you’ve come up with, but about your market’s needs! If you don’t supply what the market needs, you can forget staying in business.

C. Even if the aquaponics technology you are starting with is well-developed and already profitable (as ours is) your situation will be different than ours in ways we can’t predict and you can’t plan for. You will discover new information while operating your first small system which you can apply to your large commercial-scale system.

If you’ve built your 20,000 square feet of aquaponics and then discover something that gives you 20% (or 100%) more production or income, it’s too late: you’ve spent your money and have to live with your system the way it is.

D. If you make a mistake starting with a small system, it's far easier to correct. Let's use a metaphor to understand this statement: imagine learning how to drive in a Toyota Corolla with an automatic transmission; it's a maneuverable little car that turns and stops on a dime: you'll learn pretty quickly, and even if you run into something it hopefully won't do much damage.

Now, picture learning how to drive in an 18-wheel Peterbilt semi truck with a full load. It weighs over 40 tons, and doesn't accelerate or stop very quickly; it makes huge wide turns, and you can't ever see directly behind you; you're always inferring what's there from what's in your side mirrors. In order to stand a chance in a semi, you need to already be a good driver before you even step into one!

What we can guarantee is that, in your physical environment, with your market, your temperature regime, and your skill sets; you will learn so many things in your first few growing cycles (in your small test system) that you will be able to build your large commercial system more economically, and also operate it more productively, than if you hadn’t done the test grows with the small system.

E. It’s also fun: it’s easy to get started with a small system, but they’re just as much fun as a big one to see the little sprouts and fish get big, and finally harvest and eat, or share with your friends.

How did we choose our aquaponic training?

   During tours or general conversation with my customers, I am often asked how I learned to grow aquaponically and what brought us to this point. In 2013 when we were contemplating the purchase of this land, I knew I wanted to get more experience with organic vegetable growing so I signed up for a 6 month internship at White Violet Center for Eco-Justice, which is an organic farm in Indiana owned by Catholic nuns.  At that point I think I knew very little about aquaponics or why someone would even consider growing food that way. As part of our internship we were required to do a project before we left the program. Since I had spent 30+ years in  food service management, with the last 18 of those years being in institutional food service management, I decided to do an analysis to see if the land that White Violet owned could supply most of the food that the sisters needed for their facilities. In doing my research I came across information on aquaponics and the high density level of growing that you could do in a small footprint of land. Aquaponics seemed to be very well suited to what we wanted to do with our farm, since most of our land is comprised of a steep slope. We needed a way to grow efficiently and since we are on a well, we needed to be able to grow food without the need for lots of irrigation. I also knew that I would be the main person to take care of the crops and I wasn't really fond of spending my days weeding.
   In case you haven't figured it out by now, I'm the type of person who researches any large investment extensively before pulling the trigger. And that is exactly how I viewed going to aquaponic training...as an investment. An investment in the future food supply for me and my family and an investment in something that I could build upon for the future. Sure there are lots of videos out there on You Tube that will teach you how to build different types of aquaponic systems but what would happen when I have a question down the road?..."Will there be a video that addresses my specific question?" I chose Friendly Aquaponics training classes because of the experience of the instructors. They have real world experience and have grown large amounts of produce for close to 10 years. They don't sell expensive equipment packages, like some of the other companies I researched, but would teach me how to build a system myself and they would be there to answer any questions I would have for as long as I have my system.
 One of my favorite sayings is something that one of my college professors used to say, "You don't have to know everything...you just have to know where to find it." I "found it" when we went to the training that Friendly Aquaponics held in Tennessee. I didn't have to know everything but I knew that if I went to the people who could show me how to build a system and give me step-by-step manuals that would help me design and run a system that I would have peace of mind in knowing I could do it. And if I get really stuck and need help, they have been there to answer my e-mails and help me out.
 It seemed like a lot of money when we signed up for the training because we had to take a week off of work, plus pay for a hotel and gas to drive to Tennessee. But it's been worth every penny to know that we are able to grow our own food supply and have chemical-free food throughout the year. I've spent my life in the food service business and I don't know about you but when I see the decline in food quality on the supply side of the industry, it scares me to death and makes me proud to be a primary food producer.
   It makes us really proud to be able to "pay it forward", by being a training center here in the Northeast. By working with Tim & Susanne, from Friendly Aquaponics, we want to share with people the step by step process of creating a system, whether it's a small table-top size system or a huge, commercial one) so you can return home and become primary food producers too. To sign up for training, just like what we went through, go to http://www.friendlyaquaponics.com/pennsylvania-training/

Summer 2016

  It was a busy spring, even though the weather was really cold and odd. We had a stretch in April or May where we had constant rain and cool temps and then we got hit with summer-like temps. Of course all the trees started to blossom and then in early May we had the biggest snowfall of the entire winter....4". Since then it's been very dry. We've had 9.72 inches of rain so far for the year and we should be around 11.57" by now. That 2" shortfall sure makes a huge difference if you are a soil-based grower. If you grow aquaponically, you know you don't have to worry about irrigating (or weeding) and you are going to use up to 90% less water to grow your products.
  We only have a tiny amount of land that we can "use" at this point. Most of our land is still in CREP (conservation program) and we can't do a thing with it. Most days I've cursed that I can't use that land for something but it's taught me a really important lesson in this first year of growing. Weeding is a time consuming job and when it's just one person that is taking care of everything, every minute counts. It takes so much water (especially this year) to irrigate and keep things growing as they should. Like many households in our area, we operate off of a well and you cannot do a lot of watering without drawing too much off your well. Ask me how I know this...  Even though we capture all of the rainwater that comes off the barn and greenhouse roof and can hold 750 gallons, it can't get you through long dry periods. It sure helps but if you're doing a lot of soil based growing, you're going to have to run a bunch of irrigation lines and drill another well. That is why I love growing aquaponically. No weeding and No watering!
   We finished off the outside trough in early spring and got it up and running in April. We purchased 37 fish from the guy we usually get our fish from in the Williamsport area. With an outside system the fish density needs to be greater due to dilution from rainwater in the outside trough. We put the fish tank inside of the greenhouse, hoping that would extend our growing season even longer, since that space will stay warmer than being outside in the elements. We plumbed everything outside so that we just have to undo two clamps and we can pull the pump off and not have any freeze-ups. We have a clean-out on the other line so we can take a shop vac to suck out any remaining water after we cap the line coming out of the trough. Time will tell this winter if I thought through everything. We're hoping to be able to grow in that trough into later fall/early winter months (maybe November).
    In June we started selling at Farm Days, on Fridays from 3 - 6 p.m. It's a collaboration with our neighbor who has a yarn and spinning shop. It's just the two of us for now. Yorkshire Meadows (my neighbor) sells all sorts of baked goods, jams and jellies, lemon and lime curd and yarn supplies. We sell on Fridays, at 9646 N. Elk Run Rd., Mansfield, which is the location of Yorkshire Meadows. We also sell our products here on the farm and have a wonderful following of folks for the honey and maple syrup products, along with the eggs and produce that we raise ourselves. Farm Days will run until the end of August.
     It's hard to believe how far we've come in our first year. We've learned so much about growing aquaponically and in extreme weather conditions. I think every day there is something new to learn. Right now I am experimenting with a new fish food in our smaller system. The tried and true fish food comes from Idaho and the shipping cost is outrageous (3x the cost of the food itself). I found a local aquafeed company and I am testing their food to see if the plants like it. Yes, you read that correctly. The fish sure do by the splashing I hear when I feed them. The most important aspect is whether the waste that the fish create is something that the plant roots can uptake nutrients from. If the roots turn black and the plants die off, then it's a no go. If the roots stay white and the plants continue to thrive, then it's a winner. See what I mean about learning new things. Always something to expand our minds and our comfort zones. Information like this will be in the commercial training that we just announced that we'll be hosting Sept 26 - 30. For anyone wanting to learn about aquaponics, this is your chance. For more information, go here .
  Till next time, enjoy your summer!
    

Commercial Aquaponic Training - Pennsylvania

We’re excited to announce that we’ll be hosting a commercial aquaponic training September 26-30, 2016…just like the one that Linda and I attended. All the nuts and bolts of starting a system for anyone that wants to grow food, whether it be just for your family or to do it on a commercial scale. This is a must attend if:

• You’d like control over how your food is grown and want to grow food for your family in your backyard without weeding and watering.
• You want to make money selling food
• You want organic produce without paying organic prices
• You want a small tabletop system for your apartment or condo

Space is limited. For more details, go here
 

Quick Catch-up...

So much has happened since the last post in August. In the last post we had just acquired the fish for our system and the little guys ranged in size from 2-4 inches. I would guess that they range in size now from 6-8”.  We did lose one fish but the 20 fish that we have left are producing the beautiful vegetables that you see in the photo above.
We’ve been really fortunate with the warm temps we’ve had thus far this “winter”. On Christmas eve I was wearing shorts because it was in the mid-60’s outside. That was really bizarre but I’ll take it (except I’m not real fond of the mud we currently have). And it’s been raining A LOT! Which also means that it’s been cloudy A LOT. So glad we installed the big lights because the lack of sun would be a killer for us right about now. I think over the last two weeks, we’ve had one day of sunshine. When the lights are on, I swear I can see things grow. The lights are fantastic.

We have about 1/2 of the raft space planted out in some type of greens. We have beta blend (baby beet greens), head lettuce, Kweik lettuce (a beautiful lime-green lettuce similar to butterhead lettuce), a gourmet blend, a mild mustard blend and pomegranate crunch (a beautiful variegated red leafed lettuce that has a nice crunch to it). I’m working on the re-seeding rate to determine how often I will get a harvest from them for market. Although we can get four cuttings from a raft, three seems to be optimal with the best re-growth rate. In about one quarter of the raft area we have cauliflower, broccoli, kohlrabi, carrots, fennel, garlic, basil and peppers.
It has been fascinating to watch the system and learn its nuances. Today’s stats on the greenhouse: The air temp is 60 degrees (lights are on cause guess what…it’s CLOUDY AGAIN). The water temp is 58.9 degrees. In the aquaponic training that we attended, we were told that the nitrifying bacteria will not do well or will die if the water gets to 65 degrees or below. We haven’t had 65 degree water for quite some time (since end of fall when the sun actually did shine) but everything is thriving. We are taking this risk and doing this experimental growing to see how cool can a system like ours go and still grow veggies in the winter. The only heat to the system are (4) 300 watt aquarium heaters (2 in each fish tank) to heat the approx. 4000 gallons that we have in the whole system. I think the saving grace for our system has been the lights. The tilapia are fine…they can live in water as cold as 40 degrees. They do eat less and consequently will poop less so we’ll need to monitor the nitrate levels to make sure the plants are getting the amount of nutrients they need.  Right now we’re selling lettuce greens and our free range eggs. We’ve had a bunch of new customers over the last week and our girls are doing a great job of keeping up with the egg demand.
Speaking of growing, the girls are looking beautiful and have quite the personalities. We bought an electrified net type of fencing because our neighbors weren’t as fond of their free ranging as we were. That worked well for most of the girls for a day or two. You have one or two rebels in every crowd and our flock is no exception. I put up another 4’ of fence on top of the electrified 4’ fence and there are two that are sassy chicks who should be wearing a giant “S” on their chests. They jump to the top of that 8’ fence in a single bound and out they go. But they do return when they’ve made sure the bird feeder clean-up near the house is taken care of and they’ve made their rounds. When I do a head count at bed-time they’ve made it back safe and sound.
 

We've started framing out an outdoor trough that will hold the big, sprawling things like tomatoes, cucs, and zucchini . My son came up just before Thanksgiving and helped me frame out this 44’ trough. I got it insulated yesterday so that we can start it early in the spring and continue late into the fall and the water warmth will hopefully be maintained. This will be maintained separately from the inside system (it will have its own fish tank and own water pump) and shut down in late fall. I’m building it so we can drain the return water line to avoid any nasty busted pipes and the fish will go inside and join their friends in the greenhouse. We’re working on the planting dates for the items that will be grown outside, because we can start them in the greenhouse and get a jump on growing for early harvests. At least that is the hope….
In other news, we got the farm’s boundary lines identified with a surveyor. I made up stakes with colored streamers and marked out key areas. This will be necessary next fall when our land comes off of the CRP program and we can create pastures. There always seems to be lots of projects to be done around here, especially since my mom has lived here for almost 30 years and hasn’t kept up the maintenance on many of the outside buildings. I see some new shingles in our future for these buildings.
I think that fast-forwards you to the end of 2015 and what we’ve been up to here at New View Farm. We wish you all a bountiful 2016, full of good health and prosperity. We’ve been blessed with a productive year and look forward to producing amazing food in 2016. See you next year!

LiveJournal Tags: greenhouse,tilapia,New View Farm,fish,troughs,surveyor,aquaponics