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Aquaponics Short Course



SAN-netters, 

The commercial adaptation of aquaponics over the last 10-15 years
is one of the biggest success stories in sustainable food production.

The aquaponic cycle of nutrient generation (fish manure, algae, 
fish chow) and water restoration (constructed wetland hydroponics) is 
a good example of integrated agriculture, where waste from one 
system serves as fuel for the second biological system. 

Here's a short course in case you or one of the greenhouse 
growers/farmers in your region are interested.  The aquaponics 
program at The University of the Virgin Islands is outstanding.

Steve Diver

=========================================
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Subject: Aquaponics Short Course
From:    james.rakocy@uvi.edu (James Rakocy, Ph.D.)
Date:    Sat, 15 May 1999 17:15:37 -0400 (AST)

This is a reminder that The University of the Virgin Islands is
offering a short course on aquaponics and tilapia aquaculture this
summer. The announcement is also on the WWW at the following address
http://rps.uvi.edu/AES/Aquaculture/UVIShortCourse.html  
Our homepage address is:  
http://rps.uvi.edu/AES/aes_home.html 

Since our last announcement it seems that several new people have
joined the list. With this course we will not only answer many of your
questions, but we will describe the range of options that exist
setting up aquaponic systems and the principles that you need to know
for efficienct operation. By the end of the course you will able to
design a commercial-scale facility and write a business plan. Plus you
will get plenty of hands-on experience as you will be charged with
running 14 systems as part of your training.  Jim R.

UNIVERSITY OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS

AQUAPONICS AND TILAPIA AQUACULTURE SHORT COURSE

July 11-17, 1999

Program
A 7-day course that will provide in-depth knowledge of the principles
and practical application of the aquaponic and greenwater tank culture
systems that have been developed at the University of the Virgin
Islands.  Participants will be introduced to a variety of system
designs using hydroponic plant culture (aquaponics), suspended growth
processes (greenwater tank culture), or rotating biological contactors
and settling or filtering of solids for maintaining water quality. 
Fish production instruction will be conducted using both the Nile
tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) as well as the Florida Red tilapia. 
Hydroponic plant production will focus on lettuce, but will also cover
many other vegetables as well as culinary and medicinal herbs and
ornamental flowers.

Topics
     Aquaponic system
        System design and management
           Components
           Construction techniques
           Operation
           Water quality
         Fish production
           Stocking rates
           Growth and survival rates
           Feed and feeding methods
           Harvesting
           Processing
         Plant production
           Seedling production
           Transplanting
           Disease and insect control
           Harvesting and packaging

     Greenwater tank system
        Fish production
           Stocking/Growout
           Water quality management
           Feed and feeding methods
           Sludge use for field crops

     Economics
           Capital budgeting
           Operations plan
           Marketing

     Fingerling production
           Brood stock management
           Breeding
           Fry sex reversal
           Fingerling rearing

Instruction
Each day will include a half-day of classroom lecture and a half-day
of hands-on field work.  Participants will learn the technology
through presentation of the theory and practical skill development. 
Each student will be given a notebook of reference materials.  Water
quality labs will cover the standard methods of analysis and the use
of water quality test kits.  Field work will include fish handling,
vegetable production and system operation.

Facilities
UVI is located in the heart of beautiful St. Croix.  The Aquaculture
Program operates 12 research-scale systems (6 aquaponic and 6
greenwater) as well as a commercial-scale aquaponic system, a
greenwater demonstration system with vegetable garden, a fry
sex-reversal system, a recirculating system for fingerling rearing and
a purge system.  The program produces about 20,000 lbs. of tilapia
annually and more than 1,000 cases of vegetables.

Cost
This course will cost $985.  The fee covers course materials, dorm
room on campus for 8 nights (July 10-18), graduation banquet and a
sailing trip to Buck Island National Park for a day of snorkeling amid
spectacular coral reefs.  Meals cost $3-6 each at the school
cafeteria. Airfare to St. Croix, USVI is not included in the
registration fee and should be arranged separately by each individual.

Registration
Register by contacting Dr. James Rakocy at the address below.  Please
provide name, address, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail address and a
brief description of background and experience with tilapia production
and/or hydroponics. Enrollment is limited.  A $300 deposit, payable to
the University of the Virgin Islands, is necessary by June 15, 1999 to
reserve your place in this course.  The balance will be due the first
day of class.

Instructional Staff
Dr. James Rakocy   System design/production
Donald Bailey      Business planning/operations/aquaponics
John Martin        Greenwater systems/extension
R. Charlie Shultz  Water quality/pest management/vegetable production

For more information and to register contact Dr. James Rakocy, RR 2,
Box 10,000, Kingshill,  VI 00850, Phone: 340-692-4020, E-mail:
jrakocy@uvi.edu
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