The
objective is the development of an Aquaponic Farm (Aquaculture
& Hydroponics) where Tilapia (Oreocromis niloticus)
are
cultured in Recirculation System, and the production of herbs and vegetables like watercress,
lettuce, tomato, peppers and the
like.
The farm will be made of two greenhouses
one for veggies & Herbs , the other for
Fish.
The model
should be able to deploy in any area, the requirements are
minimal when compared to a normal farms. It need access to clean
water an area of about 1/2 an acre to 5 acres, pumping,
filtering and purification equipment that could be build
using artisan methods and material.
The idea to use it as a "Social
Franchise" is born on the easiness of networking producers to
export, deal or process Tilapia, which could mean reduction on
unemployment of technical prepared people that currently have no
way to insure an income, improve the quality and level of life
of the farmers as well as an improvement on the general economy
of the country.
Additionally, the model could use the
experience of others firms like S & S Aqua Fram
(http://www.townsqr.com/snsaqua)
in developing a system or more close to us the Hydroponics Farm in
Guaicaipuro Fort, Miranda State.
The Herbs Greenhouse is composed of NFT tables build on house following
plans and using normal PVC pipes, connected to two water
system, feeding and return, getting water in their roots
constantly from the fish tanks, producing a healthy and bigger
plant, reducing the application of pesticides and improving the
shelf lifetime and quality, meaning benefits to customer,
producer and seller.
Every species growed is replicated in
germination beds according the individual procedure for the
plant.
The greenhouse in Margarita is a very
simple building, basically a shed, we don't have hurricanes nor
storms or the likes, 340 sunny days per year, water availability
is not the best but there is a reliable source, we don't need
heavy structure or anything like
it.
Fish greenhouse is about the same as the
Veggies, but it requires more solid floor, an electrical
installation
to support the pumping and filtering devices, designed to have 12-16
tanks of about 5000 Gal/ea.
The system work as follows:
-
The water coming out of the fish tank goes into
a sedimentation tank for 1 hour, where heavy solids go to the
bottom.
-
Then the water goes thru the
hydroponics beds leaving all nutrients into the roots of the
plants.
-
Just after leaving the
hydroponics
beds the water goes into a biofilter that will remove any other
impurities of the water.
-
Once out of the
biofilter the water is saved in a holding tank where it get
aeration and then goes back into the culture tanks.
