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Ouroboros Farms
What is Aquaponics?
Aquaponics is a synergistic growing technique in which both fish and plants are grown together in the same system. The fish waste feeds the growing plants and the plants, in turn, clean and filter the water that is returned to the fish environment.
Biodynamic Nutrient Cycle
What is Aquaculture?
Aquaculture is commonly known as fish farming. Fish farmed in manmade tanks generate massive amounts of wastewater containing feces, nutrients and chemicals. When farmers flush the waste from their tanks, natural waterways suffer the consequences. Excess nutrients can cause algae blooms which remove dissolved oxygen in the receiving waterways. Zero oxygen content results in fish kills.
What is Hydroponics?
Hydroponics is the soilless cultivation of plants requiring the input of synthetic chemicals. Synthetic chemicals must constantly be replaced, monitored and purged, making hydroponic systems expensive and difficult to maintain. Disposing of the salts and chemicals remaining after plants absorb needed nutrients can be an environmental burden.
What is the difference between Hydroponics and Aquaponics?
Hydroponics uses chemical fertilizer and these chemicals may be flushed into septic and sewer systems, creating a significant environmental burden. In its recirculating system, aquaponics uses nutrients produced by fish to feed its plants. The plants naturally filter waste byproducts out of the water that returns to the fish, creating a perfectly synergistic cycle.
Is aquaponic farming a closed loop system?
Aquaponic farming is a nearly self-contained, closed loop system. Once the fish tanks are filled, we still need to top off water lost to transpiration and evaporation, but aquaponic systems use 90% less water than required by traditional soil-based farming methods.
Why do plants grow so quickly & prolifically in aquaponics systems?
Soil-based plants spend precious energy competing for nutrients and battling invasive weeds, making less energy available for growing. Because they are continuously bathed in nutrient rich water and don’t compete with weeds, our plants grow faster and stronger than soil-based plants. Lettuce is typically ready to harvest in 21-30 days vs. a traditional 45-60 day growing cycle.
Tell us about your fish
We will have carp, catfish, bluegill and trout. They will generate natural fertilizer for plant food. We are exploring breeding indigenous species, including Mosquito Fish and Sacramento Black Fish. Our fish are only our “assistant farmers;” we are not selling them for human consumption at this time.
We feed our fish lettuce trimmings, worms, and insect larvae. We supplement our natural food supply with commercial fish food.
Where do you get your fish?
We purchase our fish from certified California aquaculture facilities.
Isn’t it unnatural to grow plants in water?
Cultures all over the world have been growing in water for thousands of years. Egyptian hieroglyphic records record growing plants in water. The hanging gardens of Babylon and the floating gardens of Mexico’s Aztecs are among other ancient examples.
Is the nutritional value the same for plants grown in water as plants grown in soil?
Yes. The nutritional content is dictated by the type of produce being grown, not by the growing method. Aquaponics delivers the same amount of nutrition while it protects consumers from ingesting potentially harmful chemicals from pesticides and synthetic fertilizers along with their nutrition.
Where do you get your seeds?
We purchase our seeds from certified organic seed suppliers. Many of our seeds are also biodynamically certified.
How much does all this cost?
The cost is similar to soil-based organic farming.
What can you grow?
We can grow nearly anything that is grown in the ground. Plants with heavier fruits can be planted in media beds and may be staked for support, but their roots will still be immersed in nutrient-rich water cycling through the system.
What do you grow?
We are always experimenting with different varieties and organic seed sources, but primarily we’re growing custom lettuce mixes, kale, chard, various herbs, microgreens, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, beans, peas, spinach, squash, tomatoes, and edible flowers.
It looks like you’re using a lot of water in your system. Do you use more water than traditional soil-based farmers or organic soil-based farmers?
No. We use only 10% of the water required by traditional soil-based growing methods. The fish naturally release nitrites into the water. As the fish water flows through the system, nitrifying bacteria convert ammonia into nitrites and then into nitrates, which the plants readily absorb as nutrition. The naturally filtered water is returned to the fish tank to repeat the cycle.
Are you organically certified?
Because aquaponics is an emerging farming method not based in soil, and existing organic certification standards focus on traditional soil-based growing methods, certification is a challenge. The Aquaponics Association is working with certifying agencies to develop organic standards.
How does aquaponically grown produce differ from soil-based organically grown produce?
We use different inputs into our system. Many of the inputs allowed in soil-based organic farming are toxic to our fish.
Notes & Resources
www.coopext.colostate.edu/adams/gh/pdf/Intro_Aquaponics.pdf
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