Portable Aquaponics

Abstract

Increasing demands on our natural resources require unique solutions. Our design combines an aquaculture subsystem with a hydroponics subsystem to maximize efficiency and fully utilize all resources with minimal waste and environmental impact. Current aquaponics designs use either rectangular raceways or circular tanks for the aquaculture subsystem. Circular tanks are very common and offer the advantage of efficient solid waste removal. Solids can be pushed down towards a center drain and flushed out of the system easily with rotational flow within the tank. Raceway designs are also used extensively and offer the advantage of better utilization of floor space. Our design brings these two configurations together by creating circular flow in 3 hydraulically separate units within one rectangular raceway. In this way, solids removal is maximized and floor space is utilized fully. Our system is also designed to be fully portable on a flatbed trailer so that it can be used as an education exhibit around the region.