Aquaponics Hybrid Urban Growing Systems by Sahib Aquaponics:  “Nano” System

Aquaponics Hybrid Urban Growing Systems by Sahib Aquaponics: “Nano” System

Aquaponics News – Update

Aquaponics Hybrid Urban Growing Systems by Sahib Aquaponics:  “Nano” System

The idea of building the “Sahib Nano Hybrid Aquaponics System” came to me when my son indicated that he wanted to have fresh herbs and lettuce but did not have the space to grow it in his University student room. He said that often he would end up having to throw out the Basil, Parsley or other herbs and green leafy vegetables as he could not use them before they went bad. He loved the aroma and taste of what was growing in our research farm. Well, here is one version of Sahib’s Nano Hybrid Aquaponics System. Now he can grow his own food locally and naturally without the use of harmful pesticides and chemical fertilizers, and he can eliminate waste by only using what he needs for the meal he is cooking.

 

 

 

[nggallery id=5]

 

 

 

We will share numerous designs and variations in due course. You are welcome to share your ideas and designs by submitting them to sahib@sahibaquaponics.com. We will share them on photo gallery and write about them on our Blog. The best two designs in our opinion will be awarded a $100.00 gift certificate each towards cost of any of our future Aquaponics Workshops.

 

 


 

Over the course of the next few weeks, Sahib will share with you the endless possibilities of how to grow your own food locally and naturally without the use of harmful pesticides and chemical fertilizers by using these Aquaponics hybrid urban growing systems. These Aquaponics hybrid urban growing systems can be scaled to size and can be replicated. They can be modified to be operated off grid as well as expanded as the need arises. Such systems can be used to have fresh food at home, work or anywhere they are set up. They are excellent tools to use as teaching aids so that we can empower the future generation with the knowledge to grow their own food locally by natural means. Sahib’s Aquaponics hybrid urban growing systems can be the basis of feeding the family, the community as well as provide income to the urban farmer. Sahib will also share how such systems can be used in urban retail economy, both by food establishments as well as food/produce retail outlets to enable the consumer to purchase food that has been grown locally and by natural means. Food that is “live” (a new twist on the label “Fresh”), and the type recommended by most medical and health professionals as what we should be eating.

 

2012 Aquaponics training workshops by Aquaponics Urban Gurus

Next Aquaponics Workshop: March 10th & 11th 2012

http://www.aquaponicsurbanguru.com/training-introduction/introduction-to-the-world-of-aquaponics-basics-application/

Following the successful inaugural Aquaponics training workshops by Aquaponics Urban Gurus, Sahib Aquaponics will be holding numerous Aquaponics Workshops in 2012. These Aquaponics Workshops by Aquaponics Urban Gurus are an excellent place to learn Aquaponics and be empowered to build Aquaponics systems to grow organic food for their family without using harmful pesticides or chemical fertilizers, discover the potential to create another income source as well share such knowledge with many more to help provide sustainable solutions to the world hunger epidemic.

Sahib believes that such training should be affordable so as to enable all sectors of the society to educate and empower themselves in this wonderful way of growing organic food. He also believes in smaller class sizes (not to exceed 16 participants), so that the Workshop training can be personalized as much as possible. By being a participant in such Aquaponics workshops, you will really learn and be empowered to grow your own food locally and naturally.

Here is a recent e-mail from one of the Workshop participants…

“Hello Sahib,

 

I really enjoyed your 2 day Aquaponics class.  It was very informative and practical.  You made what seemed like complicated gardening into a fun learning experience.  Your explanations made it easy to comprehend the principles behind Aquaponics. Seeing your Aquaponics garden and your simple systems setup demonstration, removed all doubts.  Even though I am a beginner, I am confident that I can do this now.  It opened up a whole new world of providing healthy “organic” food for myself and others.  An excellent job done! I will recommend you classes to everyone.

Rajaji “

Sahib is using the profits from Aquaponics training workshops by Aquaponics Urban Gurus to fund the development of Aquaponics for the poor hungry world villages. He has set up a separate group for this called “Feed Hunger Now” (see link below). Will you help join Sahib…can we work together in this venture? What ideas do you have to help towards this goal?

http://www.feedhungernow.org/   

God bless,

Over the course of the next few weeks, Sahib will share with you the designs and pictures of Sahib’s Aquaponics Hybrid Urban Growing Systems.

The Hobby / Nano System

The Balcony / Patio System

The Zero Lot / Backyard Gardener

The Urban Farmer / Community Gardener

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sahib Aquaponics Free Farm Tour : Jan 2012

Sahib Aquaponics Farm Tour Jan 2012

Happy New Year!

 

We had 18 visitors on the first Free Farm tour last Saturday, one group from 9.00am and the other from 10.30am. Everyone who attended left with a big smile on their face and made comments that they would now seriously consider starting their own Aquaponics systems and look at attending the Aquaponics Workshops by Aquaponics Urban Gurus. There were a couple of educators in the groups, one who teaches elementary students and one who teaches high school students. At the end of the tour, Sahib informed the two educators that if they attended the next 2 day Aquaponics Workshops scheduled for March 10th & 11, he would donate a Nano or a Micro Hybrid Aquaponics system for them to teach their students.

Why?

Sahib shared with them the following example. He asked them, how do you start bonfire? Both answered that you should start with small twigs that will light easily than the big logs. Small children will learn this wonderful knowledge quickly and will be able to expand its use significantly as they grow. It is for this reason that Sahib stated that he would be happy to donate such systems to the educators to teach our children this wonderful way of life.

Here are some of the thank you e-mails we recently received following the Farm Tours…

“Hello David, I will like to thank you, John and Mr. Sahib for the tour this weekend.  I enjoyed it very much.”

“ I had a great time this past saturday.  It answered many questions that I had.  I am strongly considering your class possibly in March.  I should be able to bring more people interested in Aquaponics in March.  I will let you know the numbers and time.  Thanks again.

May God bless your endevour “   

[nggallery id=4]

Sahib loves to share his knowledge and encourage everyone to learn. His goal is to empower you to grow food for yourself, your family, your community and your business. Grown locally and grown naturally without any harmful pesticides or chemical fertilizers. He thus offers FREE Farm Tours of Sahib’s Aquaponics Research Farm.

FREE Farm tours are held the first Saturday of every month starting at 10:00am and last for about one hour. As Sahib’s Aquaponics Research Farm is located in a small facility, you will need to register as we try to limit our farm visitors to 12 per tour so as to be able to give you personal attention. Small or large groups are welcome and we encourage field trips for all class sizes. Please plan to have any groups with young children or those with special needs, be chaperoned.

http://sahibaquaponics.com/visit/visit/

Sahib Aquaponics Hybrid Urban Growing Systems: Update on “The Zero Lot / Backyard Gardener” System

Sahib Aquaponics Hybrid Urban Growing Systems: Update on “The Zero Lot / Backyard Gardener” System

Aquaponics News – Update

Sahib Aquaponics Hybrid Urban Growing Systems: Update on “The Zero Lot / Backyard Gardener” System

Sahib Sandwich Towers & Recirculating Wicking Beds

Last week, Sahib shared with you the prototype of the Aquaponics Hybrid urban growing system that we call “The Zero Lot / Backyard Gardener” System and introduced two growing methods, the raft system and the media beds. This week we have introduced what David Hart, one of Sahib Aquaponics key members called “Sahib Sandwich Towers” as well as recirculating wicking beds.

Four Growing Systems one small pumpThe idea of building the “Sahib Sandwich Towers” actually came to me last year when I tried using Nate Storey’s ZipGrow Towers. We have just been extremely busy in other Aquaponics research, preparing for the Florida and the Aquaponics Source Farm Tours, building  Phase II and organizing the inaugural Aquaponics training workshops by Aquaponics Urban Gurus (December 10th & 11th 2011), that we have only got around to actually building them now.

Let me state at the very outset. Nate’s ZipGrow Towers are excellent for vertical growing in Aquaponics Systems, and I recommend them wholeheartedly. They do provide excellent vertical growing mediums and are a valuable asset in Aquaponics. Having said that, I personally I found using them is at times a little challenging. They do require considerable force in pulling out the filter media and reinserting it with planted seedling. I was not always successful in being able to achieve this task successfully on my own. Further, always looking to maximize the growing space in my extremely limited urban space, I felt that one side of Nate’s ZipGrow Tower was being underutilized. I planned creating vertical towers of different widths and lengths that would be easy to use and provide two growing areas. The vertical towers would come apart like two slices of bread or a roll to allow for the transplanting of seedlings. Once all the seedlings had been transplanted on both sides on one half of the tower, the remaining tower would be guided back over the planted tower and be ready for hanging. The vertical towers would have fixed nuts & bolts on one side and allow flexibility of growing opening by use of a wing nut on the other side. When I described this to David Hart, he immediately said “Sahib Sandwich Towers’.

The following photographs will show you how they function and enable you to see how they have been built. We will be building them in various lengths and widths and they will be available for purchase shortly.  

We also incorporated two recirculating wicking beds in this system. They are watered manually as and when required (at present every two or three days depending upon the rain). Excess water flows back to the fish tank and is recirculated. These media beds do provide some additional filtration as well as give us the ability to grow an additional range of crops that do like to have some dry periods.

Over the course of the next few weeks, Sahib will share with you the endless possibilities of how to grow your own food locally and naturally without the use of harmful pesticides and chemical fertilizers by using these Aquaponics hybrid urban growing systems. These Aquaponics hybrid urban growing systems can be scaled to size and can be replicated. They can be modified to be operated off grid as well as expanded as the need arises. Such systems can be used to have fresh food at home, work or anywhere they are set up. They are excellent tools to use as teaching aids so that we can empower the future generation with the knowledge to grow their own food locally by natural means. Sahib’s Aquaponics hybrid urban growing systems can be the basis of feeding the family, the community as well as provide income to the urban farmer. Sahib will also share how such systems can be used in urban retail economy, both by food establishments as well as food/produce retail outlets to enable the consumer to purchase food that has been grown locally and by natural means. Food that is “live” (a new twist on the label “Fresh”), and the type recommended by most medical and health professionals as what we should be eating.

2012 Aquaponics training workshops by Aquaponics Urban Gurus

Following the successful inaugural Aquaponics training workshops by Aquaponics Urban Gurus, Sahib Aquaponics will be holding numerous Aquaponics Workshops in 2012. These Aquaponics Workshops by Aquaponics Urban Gurus are an excellent place to learn Aquaponics and be empowered to build Aquaponics systems to grow organic food for their family without using harmful pesticides or chemical fertilizers, discover the potential to create another income source as well share such knowledge with many more to help provide sustainable solutions to the world hunger epidemic.

Sahib believes that such training should be affordable so as to enable all sectors of the society to educate and empower themselves in this wonderful way of growing organic food. He also believes in smaller class sizes (not to exceed 25 participants), so that the Workshop training can be personalized as much as possible. By being a participant in such Aquaponics workshops, you will really learn and be empowered to grow your own food locally and naturally.

Here is a recent e-mail from one of the Workshop participants…

“Hello Sahib, I really enjoyed your 2 day Aquaponics class.  It was very informative and practical.  You made what seemed like complicated gardening into a fun learning experience.  Your explanations made it easy to comprehend the principles behind Aquaponics. Seeing your Aquaponics garden and your simple systems setup demonstration, removed all doubts.  Even though I am a beginner, I am confident that I can do this now.  It opened up a whole new world of providing healthy "organic" food for myself and others.  An excellent job done! I will recommend you classes to everyone. Rajaji “

Sahib is using the profits from Aquaponics training workshops by Aquaponics Urban Gurus to fund the development of Aquaponics for the poor hungry world villages. He has set up a separate group for this called “Feed Hunger Now” (see link below). Will you help join Sahib…can we work together in this venture? What ideas do you have to help towards this goal?

http://www.feedhungernow.org/   

 God bless,    

Over the course of the next few weeks, Sahib will share with you the designs and pictures of Sahib’s Aquaponics Hybrid Urban Growing Systems.

The Hobby / Nano System

The Balcony / Patio System

The Zero Lot / Backyard Gardener

The Urban Farmer / Community Gardener

Aquaponics Hybrid Urban Growing Systems introduced by Sahib Aquaponics

Aquaponics Hybrid Urban Growing Systems introduced by Sahib Aquaponics

Aquaponics News

Aquaponics Hybrid Urban Growing Systems introduced by Sahib Aquaponics

Sahib Aquaponics held their inaugural Aquaponics training workshops by Aquaponics Urban Gurus on December 10th, 2011. The Aquaponics Workshops were very well received by all who participated and hopefully the world will have another few people who will build Aquaponics systems themselves, enjoy this way of life and then share such knowledge with many more to help provide sustainable solutions to the world hunger epidemic. Reflecting at the end of the workshop, the question was asked as to what constitutes “success” to Sahib?

Tim Mann of Friendly Aquaponics recently wrote…"To Sahib what the word “success” means is that most (if not ALL) of the participants in the courses go out,  build and operate Aquaponics systems with the knowledge empowered that Sahib has imparted during the course to help end world hunger". Needless to say, I was very happy to read the following e-mail from one of the Workshop participants…

Dear Sahib, Just a quick note to again thank you for an interesting and educational two days.  We enjoyed it very much and our eyes were opened to a new concept.  We are already trying to locate the necessary items to build a system much like the one you demonstrated.  Keep up the good work!  Best wishes, Clyde and Trudy Edwards”.

The Aquaponics hybrid urban growing system that Sahib demonstrated during the Aquaponics Urban Gurus Workshop was a prototype. Over the course of the next few weeks, Sahib will share with you the endless possibilities of how to grow your own food locally and naturally without the use of harmful pesticides and chemical fertilizers by using these Aquaponics hybrid urban growing systems. These Aquaponics hybrid urban growing systems can be scaled to size and can be replicated. They can be modified to be operated off grid as well as expanded as the need arises. Such systems can be used to have fresh food at home, work or anywhere they are set up. They are excellent tools to use as teaching aids so that we can empower the future generation with the knowledge to grow their own food locally by natural means. Sahib’s Aquaponics hybrid urban growing systems can be the basis of feeding the family, the community as well as provide income to the urban farmer. Sahib will also share how such systems can be used in urban retail economy, both by food establishments as well as food/produce retail outlets to enable the consumer to purchase food that has been grown locally and by natural means. Food that is “live” (a new twist on the label “Fresh”), and the type recommended by most medical and health professionals as what we should be eating.

"The Zero Lot / Backyard Gardener" System

This was the Aquaponics hybrid urban growing system that Sahib shared with the Workshop participants. We introduced two growing methods, one based upon the raft system and the other using media beds. We explained the different Medias that could be used as well as explaining them how to mix media to assist in the planting of seedlings. Workshop participants gained hands on experience in the assembly process as well as seeing the complete system operate. They were shown the beauty and functionality of using the bell siphons (we used a modified design based upon Affnan's design), to aid in the aeration process. Workshop participants were requested to assemble a similar Aquaponics hybrid urban growing system and begin to grow food for themselves. Over the course of the next few weeks, we will add vertical towers ("Sahib Sandwich Towers") over the media beds, add an NFT system as well as introduce re-circulating media beds. In due course we will add some containers to be watered on occasions by the fish effluent water. As the fish grow in size or an additional fish tank is added, we will add additional raft beds to dramatically increase the overall growing capacity. The system will be designed to have a canopy to allow shade cloth as well as cover to collect rainwater for recycling. A small solar system will also be introduced so as to be able to operate the complete system off grid. We will post photos as we build and incorporate such additions as well as provide detailed cost analysis of the system. You will be able to build them yourself  with local materials or purchase them form Sahib Aquaponics.     

These are the types of systems that Tim Mann was referring to when he wrote… “Sahib is dedicated to “feeding the villages” of the world, are his words for teaching the poorest people in the world how to feed themselves using Aquaponics. He is developing Aquaponics systems in Winter Park, Florida, that are the prototypes for affordable systems that will be appropriate for economically disadvantaged and developing nations.” Sahib’s Aquaponics hybrid urban growing systems will be engineered to enable them to be built completely by locally sourced materials as well as complete packages so as to meet different needs and wants. This should ensure that they are affordable systems for the economically disadvantaged, where ever the need is, thus helping provide a sustainable solution to the world hunger epidemic. Water conservation, use of green technology, reducing the carbon footprint while providing a sustainable solution to help develop ecosystems and sustainable living food jungles thus helping reduce, perhaps even eliminate hunger,  are just some of the goals and end results of Sahib’s Aquaponics hybrid urban growing systems.

Sahib is accomplishing this in the most interesting place ever seen on an Aquaponics farm: in the “dead space” of a suburban strip mall in Winter Park, near Orlando in Central Florida. Recently an experienced Aquaponics gardener commented…” all the improvements that have been occurring at the "Urban Wasteland"… Now it has been transformed into a beautiful and productive "Urban Farmland"!” Tim Mann comments…” This is not only innovative on Sahib’s part, but perhaps prescient also. Although the politicians all say “we’re on the road to recovery”, there are others who talk of going back to basics and being responsible for our own food security. I can’t think of a better use for a lot of those empty strip malls we see nowadays: imagine housing the farming community in the buildings and growing the food in the empty parking lots!”

Sahib is using the profits from Aquaponics training workshops by Aquaponics Urban Gurus to fund the development of Aquaponics for the poor hungry world villages. He has set up a separate group for this called “Feed Hunger Now(see link below). Will you help join Sahib…can we work together in this venture? What ideas do you have to help towards this goal?

 God bless,    

Over the course of the next few weeks, Sahib will share with you the designs and pictures of Sahib’s Aquaponics Hybrid Urban Growing Systems.

The Hobby / Nano System

The Balcony / Patio System

The Zero Lot / Backyard Gardner

The Urban Farmer / Community Gardner

Small Space Aquaponics Feeds the Community

Small Space Aquaponics Feeds the Community

In a corner of a typical urban shopping centre tucked away in Florida sits what looks like a tiny service lane way. Except behind the timber gates is an entry into another world.  Its been transformed into something else. A maze of pvc pipes run by a small pump and powered by goldfish is growing all kinds of aquaponic produce. Builder and designer Sahib Punjabi enthuses about aquaponics and especially Murray Hallam when we arrived to see his system.

Sahib reaches over and shakes Murray Hallam’s hand. “I want to teach this right around the world just like you do.” he says, “because thats the only way.”

Hybrid Systems

Sahib has a hybrid mixture of floating raft and NFT running the length of this narrow corridor. An array of tote tanks line the side of the fence and from the ceiling dangle white pots growing a variety of herbs and lettuce. Visitors to his system delight in how he has managed to use every square foot of space to grow food. Any surplus of seedlings go outside and are planted in planter boxes around the car park that people are free to take home. Sahib sees aquaponics and permaculture as an excellent way to feed the planet.

We live in a very difficult environment to grow food.” says Sahib who explains that although Florida has ideal weather for three to five months of the year, the rest of the season can either get too hot or too cold to grow food.

“Believe it or not we get frosts here and it can also get very wet here.” he says. “The soil is a challenge because its sand – most of it.”

Sahib has also tried organic soil gardening but abandoned this method after experiencing soil contamination during heavy rainfall.

So Sahib turned to other methods of growing fresh food and discovered aquaponics. His passion turned into studying everything he could find on the subject.

“My wife said – you’re crazy!” he laughs, but the desire to learn all he could only drove him on. “I felt like I taught myself a (university) degree in this subject!”

Sahibs choice of fish to use in aquaponics is Koi because they are trouble free and easy to grow. His entire system is powered by a tiny 60 Watt submersible pump.

“This is something I learnt from Murray Hallam.” he says. “I’m using only one third of that pump’s capacity. Fifty percent of the pump’s water, I’m feeding back into the 1000 gallon fish tank, so that’s creating some aeration.”

Good aeration is critical to supply adequate oxygen flow in keeping your fish alive. Water is pumped the length of the yard to header tanks where the water is trickled back through the network of nft pipes and floating raft beds, returning back to the main fish tank completing the cycle.

 

Four Systems powered by one pump!

This one pump actually supports four different types of aquaponics systems. Floating raft, NFT (Nutrient Film Technique) in those long pvc pipes, a wicking bed media system which allows Sahib to grow tomatoes, peppers and flowers in them and finally his vertical hanging pots system. By mixing his systems, Sahib feels he can take advantage of his fish solids to directly feed his wicking bed system and the heavier feeding plants like tomatoes that require more nutrient.

And yet even in this small space, Sahib feels he can add more hanging planters and incorporate other methods of growing food. Outside his main fish tank he has coco coir stuffed into concrete blocks so he can manually divert water to this system to grow plants outside his system like strawberries.

“In derelict space I have tried to create something that can feed a whole bunch of people.” he says.

Sahib looks back at his system and smiles, “Its not commercial – but it could be if I wanted it to be.”