Designing an Aquaponic Greenhouse for an Urban Food

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  - 2.3.2 Aquaponic System Structural Components

  - 2.3.3 Composition of Fish and Crops in Aquaponics

• Chapter 3 Methodology
  
  
  • 3.1 Assessing Stakeholder’s Needs
  
  
  • 3.2 Understanding Aquaponic Greenhouse Systems and Evaluating Design Options
  
  
  • 3.3 Designing Greenhouse Structure
    
    
    • 3.3.1 Exterior
    
    
    • 3.3.2 Interior Layout...................................................................................................................
    
    
    • 3.3.3 Interior Heating
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • 3.4 Designing Growing System
    
    
    • 3.4.1 Plant and Fish
    
    
    • 3.4.2 Bed
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • 3.5 Developing a Cost Estimate for Building and Operating Greenhouse
  
  
  • 3.6 Creating an Operating Schedule
  
  
  
  


• Chapter 4 Findings and Accomplishments
  
  
  • 4.1 Stakeholder’s Needs
  
  
  • 4.2 The Greenhouse
    
    
    • 4.2.1 Frame Design - Roof
    
    
    • 4.2.2 Frame Design - Walls
    
    
    • 4.2.3 Floor
    
    
    • 4.2.4 Foundation
    
    
    • 4.2.5 Ventilation
    
    
    • 4.2.6 Heating
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • 4.3 Aquaponic Growing System
    
    
    • 4.3.1 Plant and Fish Ratio
    
    
    • 4.3.2 Growing Bed: Wooden Bed vs 55-Gallon Drum.................................................................
    
    
    • 4.3.3 Water Tank
    
    
    • 4.3.4 Water Heating
    
    
    • 4.3.5 Water Circulation
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • 4.4 Operating Schedule
  
  
  
  


• Chapter 5 Conclusions and Recommendations..................................................................................
  
  
  • 5.1 Recommendations For Further Investigation
    
    
    • 5.1.1 Ventilation
    
    
    • 5.1.2 Interior Layout...................................................................................................................
    
    
    • 5.1.3 Structure
    
    
    • 5.1.4 Insulation
    
    
    • 5.1.5 Plants.................................................................................................................................
    
    
    • 5.1.6 Business Development
    
    
    • 5.1.7 Renewable Energy Sources
    
    
    • 5.1.8 Vertical Growing Bed.........................................................................................................
    
    
    • 5.1.9 Artificial Lighting viii
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • 5.2 Final Thoughts
  
  
  
  


• Works Cited


• Appendix A: Growing Seasons of Different Vegetables


• Appendix B: Budget


• Appendix C: Alternative Greenhouse Structure Design


• Appendix D: Greenhouse Structure Costs for Alternative Materials


• Appendix E: Alternative Roof Designs


• Appendix F: Prices of Paneling Calculations


• Appendix G: Heat Loss Calculations


• Appendix H: Calculations for Heat Loss


• Appendix I: Visualization of Heat Loss Curves


• Appendix J: Visualization of Static Head for Pumps


• Appendix K: Table Different materials for paneling, how they are sold, and its price per square foot


• Appendix L: Prototype Growing Bed Build Instructions


• Appendix M: Startup Cost Calculations for Various Heating Systems


• Appendix N: Estimated Cost for Internal System


• Appendix O: Estimated Cost for Wooden Structure


• Appendix P: Grow Bed and Stand Schematics


• Figure 13. Agriculture in Worcester County


• http://www.worcesterroots.org/projects-and-programs/youth-in-charge/) Figure 14. The Aquaponic Cycle (Acquired from Worcester Roots


• Figure 15 greenhouses designs


• Figure 16 a rigid-frame structure


• Figure 17. Curved Thermal Blanket


• Figure 18: Solar-powered vent opener


• Figure 19. Flow in Round and Rectangular Tanks. Rectangular tanks suffer from reduced flow at corners.


• Figure 20. Various Heating Options


• Figure 21. Costs and ROI over 10 years of different Systems


• Figure 22. Impleller Pump


• Figure 23. AirLift Pump


• Figure 24. Peristaltic Pump


• Figure 25. Biological Filter


• Figure 26. Pebble Media (Richard, 2011)


• Figure 27. Small Scale Floating Rafter (Aquaponic Designs, n.d.)..............................................................


• Figure 28. Stone wool Seedlings (Aquaponic Designs, n.d.)


• Figure 29. Underneath Floating Rafter (Aquaponic Designs, n.d.)


• Figure 30. Professional Aquaponic Setup


• Figure 31. Growing Bed with Expanded Shale


• Figure 32. Rigid frame greenhouse with double doors


• Figure 33. Pre-engineered Truss


• Figure 34. Diagonal Post on Walls


• Figure 35. Double Skin Wall filled with Fiberglass


• Figure 36 Special greenhouse floor


• Figure 37 Crushed stone floor


• Figure 38. Sonotube being installed (Roberts J. , 2012)


• Figure 39. 55-Gallon Drum Beds http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3341/3580585324_f90c15b787.jpg


• Figure 40. The IBC Tote was recommended to be used as a fish tank


• Figure 41. Submersible Water Heater


• Figure 42 : Tentative Operating Schedule of Greenhouse


• Figure 43 : Monthly Sunshine Days for City of Worcester (Center, n.d.)...................................................


• Equation 1. Volume of a Trianglular Prism Table of Equations


• Equation 2. Volume of a Rectangular Prism