Applied Aquaponics at UC Merced Sustainability Proposal By: Pawanpreet Kaur, Rolando Romero, Bobby Lui, & Catherine Hall

Basic Overview of Aquaponics

Executive Summary Aquaponics is a newly emerging technology for sustainably growing food using less water, soil, and pesticides, while also eliminating the harmful gas emissions from transport. The benefits of aquaponics are abundant, including: ●A more cost-efficient model for growing food, due to the minimal amount of supplies that are necessary for production ●Conservation of space; growers will not need an entire farm to grow their produce ●The ability to grow food year-round and at a faster rate than traditional farming

Project Overview ● UC Merced strives to be an innovative and self-sustaining campus. One way the school could build upon this is by implementing aquaponic systems on rooftops of every building in the school. ● Conventional farming is very outdated, especially in California, because it is not the best for conserving water.

Objectives Aquaponics can help UC Merced conserve water by using hydration systems to grow food instead of transporting food into the campus. The low-energy design of aquaponics systems will save resources such as electricity and money. ● Growing produce ourselves will provide low-cost and abundant organic produce for the dining hall. ● Research aquaponics at UC Merced to see if it is a viable alternative for farmers in the Central Valley.

Technical Descriptions and Processes ● Aquaponics uses the recirculation of water to utilize fish waste as a fertilizer for plants and, in return, use the plants to filter the water. ● Unlike traditional farming, aquaponics does not require pesticides, extensive water usage, tilling, or weeding. ● The small filtration system circulating the water and nutrients between the plants and the fish recycles water and uses minimal energy. ● 3 systems used: o 1) Raft System 2) Media Bed System 3) Nutrient Film Technique (NFT)

The 3 Aquaponic Systems Raft System Media Bed System NFT System Raft System Media Bed SystemNFT System

Project Management and Budget ● Budget based on Aquaponics research at the University of Hawaii at Manoa ● UC Merced can mirror this budget and use it as a starting point Source: Source: (Total) (Lettuce) (Tilapia-fish) Investment Cost: $173,616 $43,462 $217,078 Operational Cost: $52,406 ($3.23/kg) $13,777 ($7.23/kg) $66,183 Annual Revenue: $77,012 $21,000 $98,012 *Annual production per unit area or volume: kg/m2(lettuce) & 5.16 g/L (fish)

Problems and Challenges ● Pest Control in Aquaponics is more difficult because there is a possibility of contaminating the water and changing the sensitive pH. ● It can be difficult to control for tank temperature, but tank temperature is important for fish survival. ● It can be difficult to initially estimate the correct population of fish fit for the tank. ● Aquaponics requires regular testing of pH levels.

Projected Benefits ● Tank systems save resources like water, soil, & farmland. ● Less use of toxic chemicals, no weeds & pests. ● 10 times more produce than traditional farming - grows 30% faster. ● Save thousands $$$ on water, pesticides, farm labor, equipment, etc. ● 100% organic produce for UCM students ● USDA census: 6,409 aquaponics farmers made $1.7 billion in 2007 Source:

University Research on Aquaponics ● UNCW has partnered with their different departments to create an aquaponics tank that allows plants and fish to exist. ● Added new water pumps to conserve water ● Professors have incorporated class material to engage their students about local food initiatives and sustainability. ● They have received funding from their different departments (Dining, Criminology, Sociology, ETEAL) ● This is a viable opportunity for UC Merced researchers.

Concluding Argument ● UC Merced is proud to be the most eco-friendly UC Campus. ● Aquaponics will make UCM even more sustainable, and will provide research opportunities in the field of agriculture. ● Saves water, money, & other resources ● Possible implementation of aquaponics in Central Valley farms in the future.