Best Practices & Lessons Learned for Aquaponics in Schools

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Best Practices & Lessons Learned for Aquaponics in Schools Aquaponics in Education Conference October 13, 2012

Transcript of Best Practices & Lessons Learned for Aquaponics in Schools

Page 1: Best Practices & Lessons Learned for Aquaponics in Schools

Best Practices & Lessons Learned for

Aquaponics in Schools

Aquaponics in Education Conference October 13, 2012

Page 2: Best Practices & Lessons Learned for Aquaponics in Schools

About Hapa Farms

Innovative Aquaponics •  Sustainable farming •  Minimal resource requirements •  Utilize marginal farm lands

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Aquaponics in Schools •  I’m a farmer •  Designed, implemented, and built

aquaponic programs for schools •  Partner with isisHawaii and Dr. Clyde

Tamaru’s lab (CTAHR)

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Goal of Aquaponics in Schools

Self-sustaining program: •  Independent maintenance of healthy

systems by school faculty, staff, students, parents

•  Teachers have a good understanding of science behind aquaponics to develop curriculum

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Considering Aquaponics? •  Many dive straight into building an

aquaponic system without the proper preparation and understanding of what is involved – This can lead to becoming overwhelmed after

the system is in place

•  These are some things to consider before you get started (or work on now if you already have a system but haven’t addressed these points)

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Involvement & Investment •  Aquaponic system care is a 7 day/week

job – no holidays or weekends! •  The more that are involved with the care &

maintenance, the better – Science, Social Studies, Economics, English

teachers – Maintenance staff – Administrators – Parents – Don’t limit yourself

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Site Preparation

•  Ground prep – Gravel/cement

•  Electrical outlets •  Water/sinks •  Fenced enclosure

– Security – Safety (City Bldg Code §3109)

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Materials Selection

•  Everything that touches the system should be food safe

•  What’s safe & what’s not is always being debated but a recent study at Goethe University in Frankfurt found that PET leaches hormone-disrupting chemicals into water

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System Build •  Build your own system, don’t have it built

for you •  Everyone that will be involved should help

with the system build – Starts investment in system(s) – Provides deeper understanding of how the

system works

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So now you have an aquaponic system…

•  Many different possibilities •  With a little bit of creativity you would be

amazed with what you could do with your system(s)

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Beyond the Basics

•  As you get creative & explore what you can do with aquaponics, you will inevitably have questions and run into problems

•  There are so many people doing aquaponics now but rigorous scientific research is relatively new and rare – This can lead to conflicting information

•  Here are a few common myths and problems that I’ve run into with schools…

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Myths

•  All poop is the same •  Can’t grow some plants because they

don’t like “wet feet” •  Vegetables from system taste fishy •  Want to get rid of all the poop in my

system

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Common Problem 1

•  Problem: Grow space becomes a premium

•  Solution: Add on low-cost static hydroponics or static aquaponics, or expand in-ground using aquaponic water for fertilizer

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Common Problem 2

•  Problem: I don’t like tilapia •  Solution: Try it! Or try to use a different

fish (like Pacu)

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Common Problem: (Lack of) Attention to Food Safety

•  I’ve seen a lot of practices at schools which I would deem unsafe from a food safety standpoint

•  It will just take one suspected incident of food-related illness traced to an aquaponic system for aquaponics to be eliminated from schools statewide

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Importance of Food Safety

•  Salmonella, E. Coli O157:H7, Rat Lungworm Disease

•  In June, E. Coli O145 outbreak sickened 14 adults and killed a 21 month old baby

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Food Safety

•  Can be a relatively inexpensive process •  Does not need to be implemented

immediately but should be kept in mind throughout planning, prep, and build

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Good Agricultural Practices •  Avoid contamination from feces of warm-blooded

animals –  No overhang over systems –  No clutter in enclosure

•  Avoid contamination from slugs –  No plants touching ground (i.e. no path for slug between ground

and system) •  Water from system shouldn’t touch plants •  Two sinks

–  One designated for hand washing only •  Signs of rules •  Educate everyone in contact with system of food safety

rules

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In Conclusion…

•  I’m not trying to scare you - aquaponics is safer than ground farming

•  Provides hands-on learning experiences for students incorporating STEAM values and active, movement-based learning

•  Applications in curriculum are endless


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