With aquaponics, the idea goal is to cultivate plants and crops in a controlled environment to achieve the best harvest at a faster rate than with traditional in-soil farming. This can be undertaken in either an indoor or an outdoor setting, where the results will be virtually identical.
The difference between the two will be in the amount of work required in an outdoor setting to combat the weather conditions, to control pests, to fight diseases, and even to protect the fish from harsh direct sunlight. Constant vigilance is required to offset these challenges, and that incurs more expenses and more stress.
A practical solution to balance the scales between starting an indoor or outdoor aquaponics farm is a greenhouse. It eliminates a host of challenges, affording protection against the elements while offering more control over the infrastructure.
Benefits Of A Greenhouse In Aquaponics
Practitioners of aquaponics understand the requirements of having a balanced system where the interdependent nature of the bio-sphere needs to flow seamlessly. Outdoors, there are numerous obstacles looming to create pitfalls that interrupt the cycle if not constantly brought under control.
With large commercial aquaponics farms, larger areas are needed to set up the system that most brick-and-mortar dwellings cannot house. The options are either to install the farm completely outdoors and overcome the challenges as they occur, or opt for constructing a greenhouse that can be customized to suit your personal circumstances.
Immediate advantages of a greenhouse stem from being able to create and nurture a micro-controlled enclosure where out-of-season crops can be cultivated.
Establishing this sheltered environment in a location where there is normally insufficient sunlight or heat can encourage the crops within to be grown to healthier fruition, and the fish reared in a protected underwater world,
Surrounded by ever-changing seasons or just a naturally colder climate, that warmth can be provided by heat lamps, heat blowers, or some other source of artificial heating. To discharge any excess heat build-up, air vents can be installed to reduce overheating and regulate the temperature.
Conversely, if there is too much heat on the outside that, too, can be mitigated from the glass or plastic material that the greenhouse itself is composed of, or from cooling fans installed inside.
The prime objective of selecting an aquaponics greenhouse is to optimize the health and growth potential of the crops by creating ideal growing conditions and at the same time nurture the lives of the fish. One of the best ways to do that is to protect them from adverse weather fluctuations, pests, and diseases.
A greenhouse affords all of these benefits and is undoubtedly value for money even after the initial investment needed for extra equipment.
The Future Of Aquaponics Greenhouses
Recent studies have highlighted the benefits of utilizing greenhouses for aquaponic farming, not just for commercial growers but for personal ones as well. The flexibility in size availability makes it convenient for all types of environments and growers.
A popular type of greenhouse is euphemistically called the Growing Dome. It is classed as the best for a variety of reasons that include its diverse sustainable growing environment, its ability to foster hybrid conditions, and the inclusion of an above-the-ground year-round pond that is a perfect site to house a fish tank.
Within the Growing Dome greenhouse, there are generally two types of systems, Stand-Alone or Modular. Both have exceptional components that enhance the operational capabilities, but the choice of which is better boils down to the preference and objectives of the individual farmer. With either one, there is a possibility of having two income streams under one roof.
Traditionally in aquaponics, the fish are just a part of the biosphere with their waste being the main bi-product. In a Growing Dome, they can be harvested and sold on to create additional revenue, a major boon for growers both large and small.
This increase in profits will significantly attract more investors into this sector of greenhouse aquaponics farming, especially in colder climates where growing seasons are shorter and more challenging.
Tips For Using An Aquaponics Greenhouse
At the outset, it is important to take under consideration that there are two distinct lifeforms housed under one roof, each requiring different needs to survive and thrive. Crops require more sunlight and heat but can cope with slight fluctuations better compared to their fishy co-inhabitants
To maximize their potential, placing the grow beds in a position where they can take advantage of those two life-giving resources will result in heavier crops and increased production.
Fish, on the other hand, fall into the sun-dodging category, preferring to reside in the shade. If the tanks overheat due to incorrect placement in direct sunlight, the dissolved oxygen will decrease to dangerous levels and can risk the lives of the fish. A key point to remember is that it is a much more arduous task to cool down a fish tank than it is to heat one up.
Fortunately, there are greenhouses specifically manufactured for aquaponics, having an insulated south-facing wall to guard against direct sunlight, yet allowing in enough heat and light for plants and crops to flourish.
Employing the use of one of these greenhouses is a perfect choice to encourage year-round crop growing and harvesting. Its construction allows the warmer interior to be maintained at a stable temperature, while the north wall is ideal for placement of the fish tank, being as it is in a more shaded and cooler zone.
This level of strategic insulation saves on heating expenses and assists in minimizing unwanted temperature fluctuations.
There can be no denying that insulated greenhouses retain more heat than uninsulated ones. They are simply easier to manage in seasonal areas where the temperature can swing from one extreme to the next, from freezing cold to blazing hot.
In harsh winters, an uninsulated greenhouse can be unviable to run, the frozen temperatures on the outside mimicked on the inside, heating costs through the roof, and the effort required to keep the crops and the fish from freezing a constant battle of life and death.
Better Aquaponics Crops In A Greenhouse
Maximum productivity is the ultimate goal when deciding to erect a greenhouse over an aquaponics operation, not only from the choice of fish and crops that need to complement each other but also the layout of the farm itself.
With a brand-new greenhouse infrastructure, a blank canvass is there for your specific requirements and goals. Those can range from the walking distance between crops that need to be tended to regularly, to what the surface of the ground is composed of.
Concrete is a top choice as it can be laid level and smooth and, although expensive, is a good option if wheelbarrows are to be used frequently, as well as being easy to clean. Gravel, pavers, and even dirt can be used, each having its pros and cons, from price, ease of availability, to lack of drainage and uneven surfaces that can impede the movement of produce and equipment.
When the pros and cons of utilizing greenhouses in aquaponics farming are weighed up, the questions to be asked are not whether they should be used, but why are they not being used more often? The reasons for their usage easily fall into the positive categories.
Experienced farmers understand that aquaponics doesn’t need greenhouses to be a successful endeavor. But if greenhouse usage can increase productivity, can further protect the living organisms within, and in some quarters is being hailed as the future of agriculture, then surely, it’s better to be ahead of the curve rather than be left behind it.
