Aquaponics for the Frozen Tundra
“factories only heat the
things that need heating,
and they keep those things
as separated from the rest
of the factory as possible.”
Transport Zone: This zone moves the fish waste
between the other zones. The transport zone includes any
solids filtration devices, such as swirl or suspended solids
filters. The only requirement for this zone is that the water
shouldn’t freeze.
Nitrification Zone: This zone converts fish waste into
the epic nutrients that create the massive growth aquaponics
is famous for. The organisms living in this zone vary in their
effectiveness based on temperature, providing the maximum
nutrient conversion rate at 85°F, continuing to nitrify at
reduced rates until they hit 32°F, when they stop. Below 32°F,
the organisms don’t die, but sort of get stuck in one place
(the ice). The main thermal requirement of the nitrification
zone is that temperatures don’t change too quickly because
the warm-water organisms go to sleep faster than the coldwater ones wake up, and vice-versa.
A freezer makes a good aquaponic reservoir.
Root Zone: The thermal
requirements of this zone depend
on the types of plants grown.
Tomatoes, for example, grow
slowly with root temperatures
below 70°F while spinach does
just fine down to 40°F. On the
other hand, many root diseases,
such as pythium, wreak the
most havoc at warm temperatures.
Temperature swings also matter to roots,
and some plants cannot tolerate dramatic changes.
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Maximum Yield USA | January 2015