KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY AQUAPONICS Production Manual A Practical Handbook for Growers JANELLE HAGER • LEIGH ANNE BRIGHT • JOSH DUSCI • JAMES TIDWELL ii KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY AQUAPONICS Production Manual LAND GRANT PROGRAM A Practical Handbook for Growers Janelle Hager Research and Extension Associate Aquaponics Kentucky State University [email protected] Leigh Anne Bright Senior Research Associate and Assistant Graduate Coordinator Kentucky State University [email protected] Josh Dusci Graduate Research Assistant Kentucky State University [email protected] James Tidwell Professor and Chair KSU Distinguished Professor Kentucky State University [email protected] School of Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences College of Agriculture, Community, and the Sciences Kentucky State University 400 East Main Street Frankfort, Kentucky 40601 To learn more about our programs, contact [email protected] or follow us on social media! KYSU.EDU/AG | @KYSUAG Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability. 2021 KYSU-000086 iii Contents Authors ...................................................................................................................................ii About the Authors .............................................................................................................vi Figure Credits .....................................................................................................................vii Table Credits ......................................................................................................................viii Forward ....................................................................................................................................1 The Big Picture ..............................................................................................1 I. Overview .....................................................................................................2 A. Definition ................................................................................................................2 B. Context ...................................................................................................................2 C. Importance ............................................................................................................2 D. System Types .......................................................................................................3 II. Structure and Design ..............................................................................3 A. Fish Culture .......................................................................................................... 4 B. Solids Filtration ................................................................................................... 4 1. Sedimentation .......................................................................................... 4 2. Mechanical Separation ...........................................................................5 C. Biological Filtration ............................................................................................6 D. Plant Culture or Hydroponic Subsystem ...................................................6 1. Media-based Systems .............................................................................6 2. Deep Water Culture ................................................................................8 3. Nutrient Film Technique ........................................................................9 E. Sump .....................................................................................................................10 III. System Technology ............................................................................... 11 A. Water Sources ..................................................................................................... 11 1. Rainwater ................................................................................................... 11 2. Well water .................................................................................................. 11 3. Municipal Water ....................................................................................... 11 4. Surface Water .......................................................................................... 12 B. Disposal of Waste ............................................................................................. 12 1. Mineralization........................................................................................... 12 2. Direct Application .................................................................................. 13 IV. Grow Out Management ...................................................................... 14 A. Suitable Species of Fish for Culture ..........................................................14 B. Species Overviews ........................................................................................... 15 1. Tilapia ......................................................................................................... 15 2. Common carp or Koi.............................................................................16 3. Channel catfish........................................................................................16 4. Largemouth bass ...................................................................................16 5. Rainbow trout ..........................................................................................16 6. Barramundi ...............................................................................................16 iv C. Fingerling Production and Supply .............................................................16 1. Supply .........................................................................................................16 2. Production ................................................................................................ 17 D. Fish Stocking ...................................................................................................... 17 1. Sequential Rearing ................................................................................ 17 2. Stock Splitting ......................................................................................... 17 3. Multiple Rearing Units .......................................................................... 17 E. Plants ..................................................................................................................... 18 1. Staggered Crops ....................................................................................19 2. Batch Crops ..............................................................................................19 3. Intercropping ...........................................................................................19 V. Feed ......................................................................................................... 20 A. Formulated .......................................................................................................... 21 B. Supplemental .................................................................................................... 22 C. Alternative Diets .............................................................................................. 22 VI. Water Quality Parameters .................................................................23 A. Dissolved Oxygen ............................................................................................ 23 B. Temperature ....................................................................................................... 24 C. pH .......................................................................................................................... 24 D. Total Ammonia-Nitrogen .............................................................................. 25 E. Alkalinity .............................................................................................................26 F. Cycling the System .........................................................................................26 G. Corrective Measures ....................................................................................... 27 VII. Plant Nutrient Dynamics ...................................................................28 A. Providing and Measuring Plant Nutrients ...............................................29 B. Common Nutrient Deficiencies ..................................................................30 1. Nitrogen ....................................................................................................30 2. Phosphorous ...........................................................................................30 3. Potassium .................................................................................................30 4. Calcium ...................................................................................................... 31 5. Iron ............................................................................................................... 31 VIII. Integrated Pest Management .........................................................32