Now, more than 10 years after I started my journey into Aquaponics, I have the opportunity to expand and upgrade my system. The past few years, health issues have precluded keeping my prior system operating. Heating costs, cover repair, pests caused me to wind down my hobby system, but keep the greenhouse intact.

Over the years I've continued to search for the perfect system, one that requires little cost, in terms of heating and cooling, and minimal labor to operate, and that produces enough vegetables to feed small neighborhood. I've watched closely as Nelson and Pade www.aquaponics.com have refined their systems and expanded their options. Having attended their Master class, and several from others, They have done a great job of engineering and patenting a system that is highly efficient, food safe, and plants that look great (clean white lettuce roots that look and sell well). Their patented system, virtually eliminates fish solids in the raft system.

As I have enjoyed the development and testing of home Aquaponic production, I've found that the biggest drawback to Aquaponics in a cold climate is greenhouse heating. Cooling is easily managed by traditional swamp walls and fans or other types of ventilation. After much research and investigation, I plan to build a larger greenhouse that incorporates a Geo-Solar design through the use of a solar storage battery of gravel below the greenhouse. This bed, 4' to 8' deep depending on the needs, is interlaced with 4" perforated pipe that circulates air from the greenhouse down through the beds, to cool in the day, and heat at night. In testing and production its been sufficient to keep the greenhouse temperatures in the 55-65 degree range or greater, even in the dead of winter, on the coldest nights.

Augmented with solar electric, and an emergency backup water heating system, if needed, this will be more than be adequate to keep rainbow trout and vegetable crops growing year round. While not optimal as you would want for a commercial system, for my goals and wants, this is perfect. A little less production than a Tilapia system with closely controlled temperatures, but a more robust system - even if less efficient - that can take the ups and downs of seasonal temperatures, and then I'll vary the crops with season.

In the coming blogs I'll share my research and links to relevant information and sites. In the end I plan to have a solid system that is self sustaining, requiring no "regular" energy from the grid.