From steved@ncatark.uark.edu Tue May 18 21:45:16 1999 Date: Tue, 18 May 1999 17:29:29 +0000 From: Steve Diver To: sanet-mg@ces.ncsu.edu Subject: Aquaponics Short Course SAN-netters, The commercial adaptation of aquaponics over the last 10-15 years is one of the biggest success stories in sustainable food production. The aquaponic cycle of nutrient generation (fish manure, algae, fish chow) and water restoration (constructed wetland hydroponics) is a good example of integrated agriculture, where waste from one system serves as fuel for the second biological system. Here's a short course in case you or one of the greenhouse growers/farmers in your region are interested. The aquaponics program at The University of the Virgin Islands is outstanding. Steve Diver ========================================= ========================================= Subject: Aquaponics Short Course From: james.rakocy@uvi.edu (James Rakocy, Ph.D.) Date: Sat, 15 May 1999 17:15:37 -0400 (AST) This is a reminder that The University of the Virgin Islands is offering a short course on aquaponics and tilapia aquaculture this summer. The announcement is also on the WWW at the following address http://rps.uvi.edu/AES/Aquaculture/UVIShortCourse.html Our homepage address is: http://rps.uvi.edu/AES/aes_home.html Since our last announcement it seems that several new people have joined the list. With this course we will not only answer many of your questions, but we will describe the range of options that exist setting up aquaponic systems and the principles that you need to know for efficienct operation. By the end of the course you will able to design a commercial-scale facility and write a business plan. Plus you will get plenty of hands-on experience as you will be charged with running 14 systems as part of your training. Jim R. UNIVERSITY OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS AQUAPONICS AND TILAPIA AQUACULTURE SHORT COURSE July 11-17, 1999 Program A 7-day course that will provide in-depth knowledge of the principles and practical application of the aquaponic and greenwater tank culture systems that have been developed at the University of the Virgin Islands. Participants will be introduced to a variety of system designs using hydroponic plant culture (aquaponics), suspended growth processes (greenwater tank culture), or rotating biological contactors and settling or filtering of solids for maintaining water quality. Fish production instruction will be conducted using both the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) as well as the Florida Red tilapia. Hydroponic plant production will focus on lettuce, but will also cover many other vegetables as well as culinary and medicinal herbs and ornamental flowers. Topics Aquaponic system System design and management Components Construction techniques Operation Water quality Fish production Stocking rates Growth and survival rates Feed and feeding methods Harvesting Processing Plant production Seedling production Transplanting Disease and insect control Harvesting and packaging Greenwater tank system Fish production Stocking/Growout Water quality management Feed and feeding methods Sludge use for field crops Economics Capital budgeting Operations plan Marketing Fingerling production Brood stock management Breeding Fry sex reversal Fingerling rearing Instruction Each day will include a half-day of classroom lecture and a half-day of hands-on field work. Participants will learn the technology through presentation of the theory and practical skill development. Each student will be given a notebook of reference materials. Water quality labs will cover the standard methods of analysis and the use of water quality test kits. Field work will include fish handling, vegetable production and system operation. Facilities UVI is located in the heart of beautiful St. Croix. The Aquaculture Program operates 12 research-scale systems (6 aquaponic and 6 greenwater) as well as a commercial-scale aquaponic system, a greenwater demonstration system with vegetable garden, a fry sex-reversal system, a recirculating system for fingerling rearing and a purge system. The program produces about 20,000 lbs. of tilapia annually and more than 1,000 cases of vegetables. Cost This course will cost $985. The fee covers course materials, dorm room on campus for 8 nights (July 10-18), graduation banquet and a sailing trip to Buck Island National Park for a day of snorkeling amid spectacular coral reefs. Meals cost $3-6 each at the school cafeteria. Airfare to St. Croix, USVI is not included in the registration fee and should be arranged separately by each individual. Registration Register by contacting Dr. James Rakocy at the address below. Please provide name, address, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail address and a brief description of background and experience with tilapia production and/or hydroponics. Enrollment is limited. A $300 deposit, payable to the University of the Virgin Islands, is necessary by June 15, 1999 to reserve your place in this course. The balance will be due the first day of class. Instructional Staff Dr. James Rakocy System design/production Donald Bailey Business planning/operations/aquaponics John Martin Greenwater systems/extension R. Charlie Shultz Water quality/pest management/vegetable production For more information and to register contact Dr. James Rakocy, RR 2, Box 10,000, Kingshill, VI 00850, Phone: 340-692-4020, E-mail: jrakocy@uvi.edu ================================================ To Unsubscribe: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with the command "unsubscribe sanet-mg". If you receive the digest format, use the command "unsubscribe sanet-mg-digest". To Subscribe to Digest: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with the command "subscribe sanet-mg-digest". All messages to sanet-mg are archived at: http://www.sare.org/san/htdocs/hypermail