WESLACO – It’s a tidy little system that you can set up in your backyard, a commercial warehouse or on your desktop — on a real desk, not a computer — that produces both edible fish and vegetables, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Research expert in Weslaco.
Andrew McArdle, a research associate at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Weslaco, shows fish and plants to be discussed at the aquaponics field day Nov. 7. (AgriLife Communications photo by Rod Santa Ana)
It’s called aquaponics, said Andrew “Andy” McArdle, a research associate at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Weslaco.
Waste from fish in a fish tank flows in water to a container with plants that “float” and grow by absorbing the fish nutrients. The water is then pumped back up to the fish tank, and the process circulates like that 24-7.
To demonstrate and explain aquaponics, the AgriLife center will hold a field day from 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Nov. 7.
Attendance is free. The center is located at 2415 E. Highway 83 in Weslaco.
“Anybody who is curious about the possibilities of growing both fish and vegetables either in their backyard or on a commercial scale is welcome to attend,” McArdle said. “Aquaponics is starting to become a popular hobby and is showing potential of how our future foods will be grown, although the idea of such a system dates back to the ancient civilizations of the Egyptians and Aztecs.”
At the field day, McArdle will explain how aquaponics works, its potential as both a hobby and a commercial enterprise, as well as his current research on aquaponics, which includes studying the cycling process and which varieties of vegetables perform better.
“We’ll also have a guest speaker, Peter Woods, who has started a commercial venture in aquaponics near Bay City,” McArdle said. “Other such commercial ventures exist across the U.S., in Texas, Colorado and even in Hawaii to name a few, but at this point many are trying to decide if it’s economically feasible to operate such a system. Those currently in production sell their produce to high-end restaurants and farmers markets.”
Also on the agenda are two other researchers at the center, Dr. John Jifon, a plant physiologist, who will discuss plant varieties that can be used in aquaponics, and Dr. Manuel Campos, a research associate, who will discuss biological control of pests.
Set up correctly, McArdle said there are many advantages to producing food using aquaponics, including the use of 95 percent less water than traditional soil cultivation.
“It saves water, there is little waste, there is a constant source of nutrients, no herbicides or fertilizers are necessary, and production turnaround time is reduced,” he said. “It’s possible to go from seed to harvest in 34 days and the results are premium-quality vegetables.”
McArdle said he explains to beginners that aquaponics involves the farming of three things: fish, vegetables and bacteria.
“The bacteria grows naturally; there is no need to add bacteria,” he said. “In fact, the only input is fish feed. The bacteria neutralize the toxic wastes from fish and convert them to nitrates, which are one of the primary macronutrients that help the plants thrive while suspended in a column of water.”
Plant growth doesn’t start until the bacteria, which is found in the air and throughout nature, begins converting fish waste, he said.
“Set up indoors, aquaponics has the potential to produce food year round at reduced costs,” McArdle said. “And unlike hydroponics, which also involves growing plants in a soil-less environment, there is no need to add fertilizer because the fish provide the necessary nutrients in aquaponics.”
For more information, contact McArdle at 956-968-5585.
