Growing Power Aquaponics Workshop Program
February through June 2016
Aquaponics classroom sessions are presented by University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of
Freshwater Sciences and Wisconsin Sea Grant on Fridays at the School of Freshwater Sciences at
600 E. Greenfield Ave., Milwaukee, WI. Refer to dates on Growing Power’s website announcement.
Workshop/Classroom session times will be 9 am – 12:00 pm: Lunch 12:00-1:00 pm:
Workshop sessions will reconvene from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Room 1099 or 3093 (dependent on class size)
Hands-on Aquaponic System Demonstrations are presented by Growing Power staff on
Saturdays and Sundays at the Growing Power farm at 5500 W. Silver Spring Dr., Milwaukee, WI.
Friday
Introduction
Presenter: Fred Binkowski, Wisconsin Sea Grant Aquaculture Specialist, Senior
Scientist and Director, Great Lakes Aquaculture Center, UWM-SFS
There is currently a grass-root resurgence of interest in commercial scale local food
production that emphasizes home or urban community-based farming. Urban
aquaculture and aquaponics provides local production of food, ensuring the ultimate
state of freshness and avoids the shipment of food from regional and national sources
as well as distant regions of the world where production practices and the unregulated
use of pesticide and chemical additives for preservation and storage are of concern.
State-of-the-art urban aquaculture/aquaponics promotes the use of integrated, fish and
vegetable/plant food production systems that utilize green technology, water reuse,
minimal effluent discharge, and energy and freshwater conservation. Urban
aquaculture/aquaponics may be a perfect catalyst for urban revitalization and provides
several advantages for economic development such as: involving new people and
potential investors, creating jobs where unemployment levels are high, and improving
the quality of life and the environment.
In a natural aquaponic rearing system, like those used at “Growing Power”, there are
three living components that the operator must keep in balance to be successful: the
plant crop, the fish crop, and the microbial community that breaks down waste in the
system, helping to maintain water quality by converting toxic wastes to forms usable by
the plant crop. The water quality of an aquaculture/aquaponic system is monitored using
a water chemistry measuring and analysis approach. Each of the three living
components must be kept in balance as the crops grow. This workshop will be
concerned with the fish and their needs and how they relate to the other living
components such as the plants and the bacterial community. Additionally, these three
components are supported by the physical system including fish tank, plant beds,
substrates, filters, aeration, and water recirculation.
Friday 9:00 -10:00 am
System Water Chemistry
Presenter: Robert Paddock, Senior Scientist and Assistant Dean of Facilities and
Marine Operations, UWM-SFS
Successful urban aquaponics involves keeping high densities of fish healthy over long
periods of time. Good water quality is critical to the health of the fish and the success of
the aquaponics effort and is controlled through maintaining proper oxygen levels in the
water, keeping pH within a specified range and removing ammonia and solids from the
water. This presentation will look at these parameters, how they affect the health of the
fish, how they interact and how they are controlled.
Providing the fish with an environment conducive to optimal growth is the objective of a
good water quality management program. Aquaponic system operators have a great
number of tools at their disposal to predict, detect, and resolve water quality problems in
systems that treat and reuse water. Careful monitoring and organized recording of vital
water quality parameters is essential.
Water quality topics that will be covered in the workshop include:
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Temperature
Dissolved Oxygen
Carbon Dioxide
pH
Total Ammonia-Nitrogen
Un-ionized Ammonia
Nitrites-Nitrates
Total Alkalinity
Turbidity
Chlorine
Friday 10:00 -11:00 am
Aquatic Microbiology
Presenter: Professor Ryan Newton, UWM School of Freshwater Sciences
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Nitrifying Microorganisms
Substrates
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Bacteria life history (environmental requirements)
Important water chemistry parameters: pH, oxygen, NH3, NO2, NO3, CO2,
hardness, alkalinity.
Monitoring and measuring instrumentation
Analysis
Upper and lower limits related to aquatic organisms and optimal conditions.
Commonly occurring fish pathogens
Diseases prevention/biosecurity
Friday 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Aquaponic System Design, Material Selection, and Construction
Presenter: Ben Wiedenman, Research Technician, UW-Milwaukee School of
Freshwater Sciences and Lead Aquatic Technician, Rose Innovations,
Milwaukee, WI
For an aquaponics system, in-ground and above-ground raceway construction and
support components are the most common approach. However, for some species of
fish, above-ground tanks such as round and oval are preferred based on swimming
behavior patterns of the fish. Plant growing system construction and materials would
include natural or artificial lighting, specialized substrates, ventilation/air temperature
control, water temperature control, pumps and plumbing design. An important aspect of
an aquaponic system is to balance the integration of fish and plants to maximize
production. This model represents the natural approach (Growing Power of Milwaukee,
Wisconsin). Hybridized aquaponics would include adding mechanical components
(clarifier and biofilter) to the natural aquaponic system with the goal of increasing
production.
Lunch Break: 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Friday 1:00 – 1:30 pm
Aquaponics: The Plant Part!
Presenter: Jessica Grow, Research Specialist, Great Lakes Aquaculture Center,
UWM-School of Freshwater Sciences
Growing food, of both the protein and produce variety, in an aquaponics system
requires a delicate balance of pre-system research, good house-keeping, prevention
practices, creativity, and a passion for growing. In this presentation we’ll review basic
plant biology and their needs, specifically in an aquaponic setting, as well as how small
changes to any one of the three water-dependent aquaponic components (fish, plants,
and bacteria) can affect the others. We’ll discuss various types of systems and which
growing media to use to provide the best environment for the plants that meet your
needs. We’ll touch on greenhouse management, nutritional availability,
deficiency/toxicity issues, and companion planting. One of the most important
techniques to implement into your aquaponic system is a preventative and integrated
pest management plan. We’ll discuss common greenhouse and aquaponic pests, what
signs to watch out for, and how to naturally deter or inhibit pest infestations.
Friday 1:30 - 200 pm
Fish Feed and Feeding Management
Presenter: Dr. Dong-Fang Deng, Fish Nutritionist and Senior Scientist, UWMSchool of Freshwater Sciences
Important elements related to fish nutrition include matching the diet with the species
being raised (protein, lipids, energy etc.), cost, availability, impact on water quality, shelf
life, system compatibility (such as use in integrated systems and RAS technology).
Feed management is an important aspect to the nutrition program which includes diet
selection for coldwater, coolwater, and warmwater fish, feed frequency, ration size as a
function of temperature and age of the fish, and environmental conditions (such as tank
shape, lighting, water flow, etc.). Optimal feed management is key to a profitable
aquaculture operation because feed cost usually accounts for 40-60% of production
costs in aquaculture. This presentation will provide a general guideline on 1) managing
feed to maintain its quality and shelf life; 2) selection criteria for the optimal feed for a
targeted species; 3) feeding for maximum growth and minimum waste production; and
4) improved product quality through feed management.
Friday 2:00 – 3:00 pm
Fishery Biology
Presenters: Fred Binkowski, Wisconsin Sea Grant Aquaculture Specialist,
Senior Scientist and Director, Great Lakes Aquaculture Center, UWM School of
Freshwater Sciences
Jeff Nuese, Researcher and Assistant Director, Great Lakes Aquaculture Center,
UWM School of Freshwater Sciences
This workshop will consist of primarily a classroom presentation which will include a
PowerPoint presentation and a Q&A session. The vertically integrated approach will be
described and discussed which includes broodstock development, reproduction, early
life stage culture (eggs, sac fry, larvae, post-larvae) and fingerlings to adult grow-out.
Broodstock development will be described as it relates to geographic strain selection
and genetic selection. Spawning techniques will include monitoring the gonadal
maturation (both males and females), and selecting the appropriate timing for artificial
fertilization including egg processing. Incubation techniques will be discussed as a
function of water temperature, disinfection, and incubation apparatus to maximize
hatching success. Temperature is an important parameter in all husbandry categories.
A temperature range from 5oC (41oF) to 22oC (72oF) is standard for a vertically
integrated fish aquaculture operation.
Early life stage feeding will utilize live foods from the onset of first feeding and then will
transfer to commercial feeds. The production, management and presentation of live
feeds are critical to the success of feeding sac-fry through the post-larval stage of fin
fish. At the fingerling stage, husbandry techniques become less complex and survival
rates usually are in excess of 90% of fingerlings to adult sized fish. Grow-out
husbandry techniques and feed requirements have been standardized for most
freshwater fin fish in commercial aquaponic operations. Yellow perch will be the target
species of this presentation. However, we will also provide information on alternative fin
fish species for aquaponic systems. This will include life history descriptions for
bluegills (bream), hybrid bluegills, crappies, walleye, hybrid walleye, etc.
Aquaponics System Demonstration presented by Growing Power Staff (Sat. & Sun.)
This workshop presentation will include information on design, material selection,
construction, and operation of both natural and hybridized aquaponic systems.
Additionally, a hands-on demonstration will be conducted including the complete set-up
of a natural aquaponic system. Students will have the opportunity to either learn or test
their skills in blueprint interpretation, engineering, carpentry, plumbing, etc. The
aquaponics team will also discuss the routine maintenance issues related to these
systems and describe the pathway of water circulation in the system.
The aquaponics workshop team will provide information on plant substrates and plant
selection. An important aspect related to aquaponic systems is the biosecurity of these
systems. A discussion on this topic will address important issues like preventive
hygiene measures and sanitation related to the general health of the biological system.
As a follow-up to the water chemistry session that you attended on Friday, you will
review the important chemical parameters associated with an aquaponic system, such
as oxygen, pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. These chemical elements are critical to
the success of an aquaponic system as it relates to both plant and fin fish health. Water
chemistry is also important to the successful production of these systems. Marketing
issues will also be discussed which is essential for providing a good quality product for
the consumer in your community.