Aquaponics Digest - Thu 01/01/98
Message 1: Re: Organic Fish Feed
from Gordon Watkins
Message 2: Re: Starting Seeds
from Gordon Watkins
Message 3: Re: Web links
from Gordon Watkins
Message 4: Seedlings
from S & S Aqua Farm
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| Message 1 |
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Subject: Re: Organic Fish Feed
From: Gordon Watkins
Date: Thu, 01 Jan 1998 12:29:05 -0600
Hi Paula,
This project is still in the discussion phase and rations are yet to be
developed. I think this is an excellent forum for discussing most
appropriate formulations and would like to hear from you and others as
to what a well-balanced ration would consist of. I have contacts with
organic growers across the country and I'm pretty confident we can come
up with the ingredients, with the possible exception of organic fish
meal, which I would prefer to avoid if possible. In spite of some recent
discussion to the contrary, I'm still leery of re-feeding same-species
byproducts.
"Fish Nutrition", by John Halver, 1989, provides the following 32%
protein formulation for tilapia:
Fish meal 12%
Soybean meal 34%
Rice bran 29.6%
Ground sorghum or corn 17.3%
Fat 1.9%
Organic binder 2%
Dicalcium phosphate 1.5%
Vitamin mix 0.5%
Trace mineral mix 0.5%
I'd like to hear some critique of the above formulation and
alternatives that anyone knows of, particularly substitutes for fish
meal. Of course, I would prefer to come up with a minimally processed
feed which I could produce on my farm or in the greenhouse and I plan to
continue working towards that goal, but, in the meantime, I would sure
like to have an organic alternative to Cargill feed.
I'm looking forward to comments on this topic.
Happy New Year,
Gordon
S & S Aqua Farm wrote:
>
> At 11:09 AM 12/30/97 -0600, you wrote:
> >I've been talking with a feed manufacturer who is interested in
> >possibly producing a sample run of organic fish feed and who is
> >wondering how much interest there is from growers in such a product.
> >Would anyone on this list be interested in purchasing organic feed
> >acceptable in a certified organic program? Is anyone interested in
> >testing the product?
> > Thanks, Gordon
>
> Gordon - Tom says that we would be most interested. Do you have a breakdown
> of ingredients and nutrients (protein, etc)?
>
> We'd be interested in buying an acceptable product, and would be pleased to
> participate in a testing program in our system.
>
> Paula
> S&S Aqua Farm, 8386 County Road 8820, West Plains, MO 65775 417-256-5124
> Web page http://www.townsqr.com/snsaqua/
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Subject: Re: Starting Seeds
From: Gordon Watkins
Date: Thu, 01 Jan 1998 13:37:28 -0600
Paula,
If the seedlings must be transplanted into flats of potting soil for
hardening off prior to planting outside, it seems there's little to be
gained by growing them in the gravel. In fact it would require
additional labor over just seeding them directly into the flats to begin
with. I'm familiar with the hardening off process from having grown many
thousands of seedlings over the years, but I'm wondering if there's a
way to harden them in the beds. Perhaps it's too hard to lower the bed
temp sufficiently? From what you describe, it sounds impractical to
grow bare root seedlings for planting into the field in an aquaponic
system, or at least directly in the beds. Did I understand you
correctly?
Happy New Year,
Gordon
S & S Aqua Farm wrote:
>
> At 10:16 AM 12/22/97 -0600, Gordon Watkins wrote:
> Specifically, I'd like to start pepper
> >plants which I would harvest as bare root plants at about 8 to 10 inches
> >high for transplanting into the field. If possible, I would like to sow
> >the seed directly into the beds. Has anyone tried this?
> > Thanks, Gordon
>
> Gordon -
> >> Actually doesn't matter whether plants are started in
> the system or in potting mix, but hardening off is a necessity when
> considering moving to outside environments. Any plants grown under cover
> will not have had the opportunity (necessity) to strengthen for outside
> weather conditions. When we were growing bedding plants for spring sales, we
> moved them into potting mix in 4-packs or pots, left them undisturbed and
> shaded for 24 hours, then moved them into a cold frame with roll-up sides
> for gradual hardening off before being market-ready. I used the same
> process for peppers I planted in outside gardens for our pepper-sauce side
> business.
>
> > Paula
>
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| Message 3 |
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Subject: Re: Web links
From: Gordon Watkins
Date: Thu, 01 Jan 1998 13:40:15 -0600
Paula,
Can you show us a list of links you've already got?
Gordon
S & S Aqua Farm wrote:
>
> We're in the process of updating our web site, and would appreciate your
> suggestions for links to sites that you've found especially helpful.
>
> Our primary categories are those directly related to aquaponics or other
> integrated systems, sustainable ag, organic ag, permaculture, alternative
> agriculture/aquaculture, aquaculture, marketing (ag related), water
> conservation, and resource centers or sites that offer a wide variety of ag
> related info.
>
> We're open to all suggestions, and would appreciate your comments. You may
> respond off list if you'd like, but this probably is a topic of interest to
> all. The internet is a vast entity, and I don't know if any of us have the
> time to explore everything.
>
> Hoping to get a comprehensive listing.
>
> Paula Speraneo
>
> S&S Aqua Farm, 8386 County Road 8820, West Plains, MO 65775 417-256-5124
> Web page http://www.townsqr.com/snsaqua/
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| Message 4 |
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Subject: Seedlings
From: S & S Aqua Farm
Date: Thu, 01 Jan 1998 16:33:26 -0600
At 01:37 PM 1/1/98 -0600, Gordon Watkins wrote:
>Paula,
> If the seedlings must be transplanted into flats of potting soil for
>hardening off prior to planting outside, it seems there's little to be
>gained by growing them in the gravel. In fact it would require
>additional labor over just seeding them directly into the flats to begin
>with. I'm familiar with the hardening off process from having grown many
>thousands of seedlings over the years, but I'm wondering if there's a
>way to harden them in the beds. Perhaps it's too hard to lower the bed
>temp sufficiently? From what you describe, it sounds impractical to
>grow bare root seedlings for planting into the field in an aquaponic
>system, or at least directly in the beds. Did I understand you
>correctly? Happy New Year,Gordon
Gordon - It's not the temperature difference that will affect the plants,
but rather wind and rain (or overhead watering) that will create the biggest
problems. In this respect, it's no different whether you grow in soil,
gravel, or any other media indoors. When you take your plants outside, they
must adapt to a whole new set of environmental conditions, and I didn't mean
to infer that you hadn't any experience with this.
The advantages to growing seedlings in the gravel beds are, in my opinion:
1) Overall health of the plants - having germinated and grown in a system
where there is no stress from lack of water, where temperature is relatively
stable, and having a constant supply of "slow-release fertilizer" to supply
nutrient needs.
2) Reduced transplant shock - because the gravel is easy to loosen before
removing seedlings, very little damage is done to the root system.
We've had great success moving seedlings from one grow bed to another within
the greenhouse. I've transplanted basil from my seedling bed to grow-out
beds in the middle of the summer, during the heat of the day, because that
was the only time available.
We've grown dry-rooted seedlings for other growers, and had them transported
for planting into their grow-out spaces with near perfect results (Lemon
Verbena, for example, as well as tomatoes).
I would think it possible to directly transplant seedlings if you were to
simulate outside conditions. Perhaps a strong fan creating sufficient air
movement to strengthen stems to the point where a strong wind would not
cause additional stress to the plant. Would certainly be worth exploring.
Paula
S&S Aqua Farm, 8386 County Road 8820, West Plains, MO 65775 417-256-5124
Web page http://www.townsqr.com/snsaqua/
S&S Aqua Farm, 8386 County Road 8820, West Plains, MO 65775 417-256-5124
Web page http://www.townsqr.com/snsaqua/
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