Around the world we see historic opportunities to rethink, reshape and rebuild how local food is produced, while improving local economies. Today's food supply is dependent on petroleum. Food prices will increase as oil becomes more scarce. This reality is driving global interest in aquaponics.
AquaPlanet is about finding the right fit.
Our approach is scalable, using a simple system with potential to transform agriculture, worldwide. Scalable means low capital and operational costs. A small system can be scaled up to many acres, with low risk, low capital expense and a rapid return on investment.
Our approach is unique, following the method of our associate Dr. Mark McMurtry, who pioneered the research and development of ebb-and-flow systems at NC State University. We share our numbers.
We are designers and scientists. We work with communities and businesses to create new solutions. The process is just beginning.
Modern aquaponics is generallly credited to The New Alchemy Institute, where, in the early 1970's, a method was devised for floating vegetables in fish tanks. Over time the practice has evolved into two different methods, basically the deep raft and the ebb-and-flow.
AquaPlanet follows the method established by Dr. Mark McMurtry, who transitioned ebb-and-flow aquaponics from a curiosity into a science at NC State University. This method is the most widely-practiced in the world by hobbyists, yet few realize its origin and potential for scaling up to acreage, with incredible volumes of fish and vegetable production.
Aquaponics is an engineered system that spans four realms: Fish; Vegetable; Microbe; Human.
Aquaponics uses recirculated water from fish tanks to grow more food faster, using a small fraction of the water needed by traditional crops. We have the numbers, we produce results.
We promote two key value points, which are integral:
1. Food production
2. Education
Scalable aquaponics is about acreage. Contact us for a sample spreadsheet that shows realistic near-term potential of aquaponics. We will work with you to design the right fit for your community.
Future collaborations will bring in professionals from across the creative and technological spectrum.
Our Fish Garden program will include all ages.
SunFish Greenhouse System - Partnering with solar companies to link solar heat and power with local food. Please inquire about puchasing a SunFish system.
Fish Garden - A partnership with Shanghai's Sage Vision to develop a public demonstration / education program, scalable for cities around the world, starting in Martin Luther King's historic neighborhood.
Commercial Aquaponics - A range of corporate organic growers are preparing to scale up their local food options with scalable aquaponics.
CitiQuaria - Modular system of acrylic, wood and metal for patios, scalable to exhibit size. This concept bridges the aquarium and home vegetable grower end user.
Solar Technology Convergence - Working with solar companies to link solar power directly with food production. Solar power in agricultural applications has been limited. Yet a production system like aquaponics opens new possibilities for solar, to run pumps, aerators, fans and to provide heat.
Economic Models - What's the annual dollar value of greens and tomatoes in a city like Chicago? We are working on models to see the potential opportunity for development.
Commercial-grade aquaponics starts in MS Excel, with planing for key variables: Market price of key crops; Yield and growth rates; Cost of install; Cost of Operations; expected ROI.
Our unique approach to scalable aquaponics means that install costs and time frame are kept to a minimum; Lower costs per square foot; Faster first harvests; Lower operational costs; Better ROI.
Planning for construction includes detailed models, site-specific decisions, supply chain logistics and training of key stakeholders.
We're all about scalability. We design to fit a range of markets, including:
• Consumer / residential
• School or university
• Community
• Commercial operations
Every project is different and offers a new opportunity for innovation.
The design process considers new systems and technologies that can improve the state-of-the-art. For scaling up we follow a stepped method, over time, to build on success and reduce risk.
Good planning and design yields seamless installations. We use local resources and logistical planning to be up and running in a matter of days, with harvests just a few weeks from breaking ground.
For commercial operations, the preliminary installation is extremely important, as our modular systems are intended to be replicated over time. Community stakeholders can get involved with installation as part of our Fish Garden program.
Our Fish Garden progam will help define the future of local food through scalable aquaponics.
We work with school science programs and community groups to establish a foundation of research data that can be shared with a wide network.
Please inquire about our sample curricula. Stay posted for updates!
Founder and Principal Bevan D. Suits is an industrial designer who has been researching and developing sustainable biosystems since the mid-eighties while attending the Minneapolis College of Art & Design. He is a lifelong student of biology.
Mr. Suits brings a range of skills and interests to the arena of agricultural innovation, for the benefit of everyone.
Associate Mark McMurtry, PhD, created a science of ebb-and-flow aquaponics while at NC State University in the late eighties and early nineties. Leading a world-class team of scientists, his peer-reviewed research remains unparalleled in scope and depth for his early aquaponics system called IAVS (Integrated AquaVegeculture System). This approach exceeds all others by a wide margin in terms of development costs, speed of install and yield. AquaPlanet is proud to represent this work and use it as a foundation for commercial aquaponics.
Shanghai associate Lynn King's group Sage Vision is a recognized leader in helping corporations and executives make informed choices about next-level sustainability.
Lynn’s professional specialties cover Stakeholder Facilitation, Organizational Change, Intercultural Competency and Conflict Management. She holds a Certificate in Organization and Systems Change (OSD) from The Gestalt Institute, an MA in Organization Development from The Fielding Institute, and a BA in Visual Art, Art History, and East Asian Studies from Princeton University.
We're located in Decatur, GA, USA
Office: 404 963 5998
Cell: 404 421 1894
Please let us know your area of interest:
• Project development, local and international
• Training, curriculum development
• Sunfish Greenhouse
• Fish Garden Institute
• The Aquaponics Guidebook
The Aquaponics Guidebook has helped thousands of people around the world get the straight story on the future of food. London's Ecologist magazine calls it "The ultimate inspiration for anyone inspired by the idea of producing vegetables and raising fish...in a sustainable way."
Order via PayPal, we email it to you directly!
If you care for a preview, please inqire and we'll email you a sample.
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