Concept.note Aquaponic.systems

CONCEPT NOTE:

AQUAPONIC SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGIES To showcase sustainable food security initiatives in urban and village-based communities Subhrankar Mukherjee PhD,MBA

E-mail: [[email protected]] ; [[email protected]]

Copyright 2011 Sankalpa Trust Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but changing it is not allowed.

AApppprroopprriiaattee TTeecchhnnoollooggyyDD ii vv ii ss ii oo nn Sankalpa Research Center SRC/ATD/AP.01 Revision 2 25th April 2013

CONCEPT NOTE:

AQUAPONIC SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGIES To showcase sustainable food security initiatives in urban and village-based com-munities Subhrankar Mukherjee PhD,MBA E-mail: [[email protected]] ; [[email protected]]

I N D E X

1 Introduction..............................................................................................................2 2 What is Aquaponics?...............................................................................................2 2.1 Comparison of Aquaponics with traditional approaches ...................................................... 3 3 Types of Aquaponic Systems ..................................................................................3 3.1 Raft system............................................................................................................................ 3 3.2 Media-filled bed.................................................................................................................... 4 3.3 Nutrient Film Technique (NFT)............................................................................................ 4 3.4 Aquaponics Day-to-Day Operation ...................................................................................... 4 4 Highlights of Aquaponic Systems & Technologies ...............................................4 4.1 Need for a greenhouse........................................................................................................... 5 4.2 Aquaponic is Organic............................................................................................................ 5 4.3 Aquaponic farms are ecologically sustainable ...................................................................... 5 4.4 Aquaponic farms are more efficient than other forms of fish farming.................................. 6 4.5 Aquaponic system eliminates mosquitoes............................................................................. 6 5 Financial analysis.....................................................................................................6 6 Holistic development model ....................................................................................7 7 Agri-tourism & Eco-Park Program Development ...............................................7 8 Conclusions...............................................................................................................8

Annex: Photo-diary of Aquaponics & Spirulina Eco-Park (ASEP) at Ullon

Keywords: Aquaponics, aquaculture, water, fish farming, vegetables, hydroponics, soil-less plant culture, nutrient-rich water, natural fertilizer, natural microbial process, sustainable ecosystem, organic, raft system, Nutrient Film Technique (NFT), holistic development, agri-tourism.

Concept Note: Aquaponic Systems and Technologies

Sankalpa Research Center Doc. No: SRC/ATD/AP.01 Revision 2 ; Date: 25th March 2013

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1 Introduction Aquaponics (AP) is a portmanteau of the words aquaculture (intensive fish farming) and hydro-ponics (soil-less plant culture). In aquaponic sys-tems, the nutrient-rich water from growing fish in a re-circulating system provides a source of natural fer-tilizer for the growth of plants, organically. As the plants absorb the nutrients, they bio-purify the water that the fish live in. The growth of useful bacteria in the system promotes the proliferation of natural mi-crobial processes which allow the fish and plants to grow in a symbiotic relationship. This process, which can be thought of as bio-mimicry, creates a sustain-able ecosystem where both plants and fish can live, using less water and space, producing no waste water and pollutants compared to conventional methods, while using semi-skilled and local labor as inputs for production of food for food security, and resulting in long-term creation of sustainable livelihoods.

The main advantage of Aquaponics over competing technologies for fish and vegetable growth are: [5]

Water Reuse: Aquaponic systems are completely contained systems that reuse most of the water from the fish holding tanks. Wastes are removed, water is treated and recycled back to the tanks. Water loss during waste removal/evaporation is typically 1-1.5% of the total volume of water.

Space and Production Efficiency: The productivity is higher than conventional aquaculture, while allowing for optimal year-round growth. Market-sized fish can be produced in 9 months compared to 15-18 months in conventional fish farms. It takes 197.6 acres of open ponds to pro-duce the same amount of shrimp that an aquaponic farm can raise on just 6.1 acres of land![5]

Biosecurity: Aquaponic fish farms, which are fully closed and controlled and operate without any inputs of chemicals, drugs or antibiotics, are biosecureas diseases and parasites cannot get into the system. This ensures a more natural product for consumers. AP systems can be (a) located near markets or within urban communities that will use the fish, rather than by natural water sources like oceans or rivers, thus having a smaller carbon footprint due to reduced transportation require-ments; and (b) need not be located on water supply systems or for drainage requirements.

Aquaponic systems, which have been under progressive development for over 40 years, can be designed to be economically and environmentally sustainable, while enhancing productivity, profitability and the qual-ity of food security, through continuous improvements in both, hard and soft aquaponic technology.

Pleas turn to the annex to view a photo-diary of the Aquaponics & Spirulina Eco-Park (ASEP) at Ullon.

2 What is Aquaponics? Aquaponics is the cultivation of fish and vegetables/ plants together in a constructed, re-circulating ecosys-tem utilizing natural bacterial cycles to convert fish wastes to plant nutrients, as shown in the schematic.

Aquaponic systems are closed loop facilities that retain and treat the water within the system. The water flows from the fish tank through a treatment process and is then returned to the fish tank. This is an environmen-tally-friendly, natural food growing method that har-nesses the best attributes of intensive aquaculture and hydroponics without the need to discard any water or filtrate or add chemical fertilizers, and capitalizes on the benefits and eliminates the drawbacks of either.



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2.1 Comparison of Aquaponics with traditional approaches Aquaponics solves many problems faced by hobbyists, hydroponists and fisheries, as tabulated below:[2]

Table 1: Comparison of aquaponic approach with traditional approaches [2],[3]

Soil-based Gardening Hydroponics Intensive Aquaculture Aquaponics The problems with tradi-tional soil-based gardening are:

Weeds; Relatively large amounts

of water required, at regular intervals;

Knowledge required to know when to water, when and how to fertil-ize, and what is the com-position of the soil;

Heavy digging, the bending, the back strain;

Presence of soil-borne insects;

Pests.

The problems with hydroponics are:

Relies on the careful applica-tion of expensive, man-made nutrients made from mixing together a concoction of chemicals, salts and trace ele-ments;

The strength of this mixture needs to be carefully and con-stantly monitored, along with pH values, using expensive meters;

Water in hydroponic systems needs to be discharged peri-odically, as the salts and chemicals build up in the wa-ter which becomes toxic to the plants. This is both incon-venient and problematic;

Prone to a disease called pythium or root rot.

The problems with intensive aquaculture are:

The tank water becomes polluted with fish effluent which gives off high con-centrations of ammonia.

Because of this unhealthy environment fish are prone to disease and are often treated with medicines, in-cluding antibiotics.

Water has to be discharged at a rate of 10-20% of the total volume in the tank daily. This uses a tremen-dous amount of water.

This polluted water is often pumped into open streams where it pollutes and de-stroys waterways.

The advantages of aquaponic systems are:

Give fish inexpensive fish feed, food scraps, and food that you grow yourself.

We need to carefully monitor the aquaponic sys-tem during the first month, but once the system is es-tablished, we only need to check pH and ammonia levels occasionally, or if plants or fish seem stressed.

We NEVER replace the water; we only need to top it off as it evaporates.

Pythium is virtually non-existent in aquaponic sys-tems.

Fish disease is rare in an aquaponic system.

3 Types of Aquaponic Systems There are three primary aquaponic methods emerging in the aquaponic industry. The common components are the fish tank and plant bed. The variables include filtration components, plumbing components, the type of plant bed and the amount and frequency of water circulation and aeration. [3], [4]

3.1 Raft system In a raft system (also known as float, deep channel and deep flow) the plants are grown on Styrofoam boards (rafts) that float on top of water.Often, this is in a tank separate from the fish tank. Water flows con-tinuously from the fish tank, through filtration components, through the raft tank where the plants are grown and then back to the fish tank.

The beneficial bacteria live in the raft tank and throughout the system. The extra volume of water in the raft tank provides a buffer for the fish, reducing stress and potential water quality problems. This is one of the greatest bene-fits of the raft system. In addition, the University of the Virgin Islands and other research programs have worked to develop and refine this method for over 25 years. The raft system is a well developed method with very high production per square foot.

In a commercial system, the raft tanks can cover large areas, best utilizing the floor space in a greenhouse. Plant seedlings are transplanted on to one end of the raft tank. The rafts are pushed forward on the surface of the water over time and then the mature plants are harvested at the other end of the raft. Once a raft is harvested, it can be replanted with seedlings and set into place on the opposite end. This method optimizes floor space, which is especially important in a com-mercial greenhouse setting.



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3.2 Media-filled bed A media-filled bed system uses a tank or container that is filled with gravel, perlite or other media for the plant bed. This bed is periodically flooded with water from the fish tank. The water then drains back to the fish tank. All waste, including the solids, is broken down within the plant bed. Sometimes worms are added to the gravel-filled plant bed to enhance the break-down of the waste. This method uses the fewest components and no additional filtra-tion, making it simple to operate. The production is, however, much lower than the two other methods described here. The gravel media-filled bed is often used for hobby applications where maximizing production is not a goal. However, vertical towers, shown on the right have high productivity and are space saving, and therefore highly recommended for professional growers.

3.3 Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) NFT is a method in which the plants are grown in long narrow channels. A thin film of water continuously flows down each channel, providing the plant roots with water, nutrients and oxygen, as shown on the right.

As with the raft system, water flows continuously from the fish tank, through filtration components, through the NFT channels where the plants are grown and then back to the fish tank. In NFT, a separate bio filter is required, how-ever, because there is not a large amount of water or surface for the beneficial bacteria to live. In addition, the plumbing used in a hydroponic NFT system is usually not large enough to be used in Aquaponics because the organic na-ture of the system and living water will cause clogging of small pipes and tubes. NFT Aquaponics has shown great potential at our ASEP at Ullon.

3.4 Aquaponics Day-to-Day Operation An aquaponic system is not difficult to maintain but there are daily and periodic tasks that must be done to ensure a healthy system. Some of these operations are:

Fish feeding Plant seeding, rotation and harvesting Observation and monitoring Water quality testing Cleaning filters and system

4 Highlights of Aquaponic Systems & Technologies The key to a successful aquaponic system is the beneficial bacteria which convert the fish wastes into nu-trients that the plants use. [5]

A key feature of aquaponic technology is that it re-uses water, which is re-circulated continuously through-out the system. All of the tanks and various aquaponic components are connected by pipes. Water flows from the fish tank to the mechanical filter where solid waste is removed. The water then flows into a bio-logical filter that converts ammonia to nitrate. Some systems use special tanks that are designed to promote good bacteria growththe bacteria act as a filter. After being treated in the mechanical and biofiltration components, the water flows back to the fish tank.

More than 50% of the waste produced by fish is in the form of ammonia, secreted through the gills and in the urine. The remainder of the waste, excreted as fecal matter, undergoes a process called mineralization which occurs when Heterotrophic bacteria consume fish waste, decaying plant matter and uneaten food, converting all three to ammonia & other compounds. In sufficient quantities, ammonia is toxic to plants and fish. Nitrifying bacteria, which naturally live in the soil, water and air, convert ammonia first to nitrite and then to nitrate which plants consume. In aquaponic systems, the nitrifying bacteria will thrive in the



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gravel in the fish tanks and in the growing medium in the grow bed. The plants readily uptake the nitrate in the water and, in consuming it, help to keep the water quality safe for the fish.

Briefly, some of the important factors to be considered for building and operating an aquaponic system are:

Water quality and waste management Dissolved oxygen Temperature pH and alkalinity Waste removal: Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates, solid and suspended waste Carbon dioxide

4.1 Need for a greenhouse A greenhouse generally provides protection from environmental factors such as heat, cold, wind, rain and insect intrusion. For Indian climates, a greenhouse is particularly beneficial to protect the crops from rain, wind and insects. The type of greenhouse and the specific environmental control equipment can vary widely, depending on the particular climatic conditions.

4.2 Aquaponic is Organic Organic foods are produced under conditions in which all inputs are controlled.

Aquaponic systems, which provide a unique method of raising fish that can completely control the produc-tion environment, are based on completely natural processes that mimics lakes, ponds, rivers and water-ways on earth. Being a closed-loop system, aquaponic systems can better ensure that fish and plants are not being exposed to synthetic fertilizers or pesticides, growth hormones, sewage sludge, antibiotics or any other artificial feed or treatments. The only input to an aquaponic system is fish food. The fish eat the food and excrete waste, which is converted (by beneficial bacteria) to a form that that plants can use. In consum-ing these nutrients, the plants help to purify the water. The fish and vegetables are healthy and safe to eat, because herbicides, pesticides or other harsh chemicals cannot be used in an aquaponic system.

As long as it is ensured that the fish food is organic, the fish and vegetables produced using aquaponic technologies can therefore be classified as organic products. Other forms of aquaculture that allow water to flow freely in and out of the holding ponds or cages can not control what chemicals and pollutants are be-ing carried with the water, or contained in the soil.

4.3 Aquaponic farms are ecologically sustainable Aquaponic farms are designed to be energy and space efficient, and re-circulate/re-use water, all with minimal waste. As an enclosed system, the aquaponic farm can be located on poor and rocky soil, virtually almost anywhere! As it is self-contained, the farm can be located close to consumershence the rationale for urban aquacultureresulting in reduced transport and a smaller carbon footprint. The solid waste re-moved from aquaponic farms can be sold to traditional agriculture farms for enriching their soil. The aq-uaponic farm does not need to be located near to water supplies, nor requires system drainage, as in inten-sive aquaculture. Moreover, irrigation claims about 70% of the water used in traditional agriculture, and the excess water leaving farms is often contaminated with silt, pesticides, herbicides and fertilizersmaking it unfit for reuse.

Thus, aquaponic farms use much less water than many other aquaculture and agricultural systems. To grow about 11,168 kg of lettuce and 5,000 kg of fish per year, the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) aquaponic farm requires a daily water addition of only 1,646 liters of water[6], which is about 1.5% of the total systems volume of 109,776 liters of water, in order to compensate for water lost in waste removal, evaporation and evapotranspiration from plants. Now, compare this water consumption rate to a UNESCO statistic: an average 1-lb head of lettuce requires an average of 60 liters of water to grow. Therefore, the aquaponic farm can produce the same amount of lettuce as traditional agriculture using half the amount of water, plus producing 5,000 kg of fish, over and above the vegetables, in the bargain!



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4.4 Aquaponic farms are more efficient than other forms of fish farming. Aquaponic farms outperform other types of fish farming in growth rates, diverse revenue streams, scalabil-ity, array of products and flexibility of location. Importantly, they are more eco-friendly and can provide better quality products for consumers. Production levels in aquaponic farms are often higher than those from other forms of fish farming. Year-round growth is possible due to the controlled environmental condi-tions.

4.5 Aquaponic system eliminates mosquitoes A network associate in Hawaii, Friendly Aquaponics, Inc., reports that an additional benefit of running an aquaponic farmthat they noticed after the first system was operational for six monthswas that the mos-quitoes on their seven-acre farm had COMPLETELY disappeared! A copy of their report documenting this amazing benefit will be provided to anyone who is interested to know more about their studies. [8]

5 Financial analysis Aquaponic enterprises, like any other commercial activity, shall require adequate investments in equip-ment, proper design of its facilities, and excellent management and marketing skills. Additionally, the en-trepreneur needs to be a skilled fish culturist and plant grower. With these resources and qualifications, an aquaponic farmwhich uses natural resources like water and land efficiently and produce multiple prod-uctscan be economically viable. For commercial ventures, Aquaponics can be highly profitable.

According to the literature[6][7], the aquaponic system at the University of the Virgin Islands (a) was con-structed and fully outfitted for $40,490 (not including labor), which is equivalent to about Rs.18.6 Lakhs (at an exchange rate of Rs.46 to US$1); and (b) uses 187,775 gallons (or 710,803 liters) of water annually, to produce approximately:

11,000 pounds (or 5,000 kg) of fish per year; at Rs.100/kg, this translates to Rs. 5 Lakhs per year; 37,800 heads of lettuce with the estimated weight of 0.65 pounds per head, which equals to 24,570

pounds (or 11,168 kg) of lettuce per year; at Rs.40/kg, this translates to Rs. 4.5 Lakhs per year.

This implies that:

The direct economic value of aquaponic products comprising 5,000 kg of tilapia and 11,168 kg of lettuce totals to about Rs.9.5 Lakhs per year.

Let us consider the cost of labor for construction to be 50% of material cost, so the facility cost in the USA would be about (Rs.18.6 Lakhs x 1.5) = Rs.28 Lakhs; then, assuming that material and la-bor cost in India is half that of the US, derate that amount by 50% to reflect lower material and construction costs in India, which means that an equivalent aquaponic facility in India would cost about (Rs.28 Lakhs x 0.5) = Rs.14 Lakhs;

Thus, the [Facility Cost : Annual Sales Revenue] ratio is [Rs. 14 Lakhs/Rs.9.5 Lakhs] = 1.5. A significant operational advantage of aquaponic systems over traditional fish and vegetable production methods is the low labor cost. Most of the commercial aquaponic applications documented in the classic manual, The IBC of Aquaponics [4], are run by family-oriented management systems. Large commercial operations require one full-time, semi-skilled employee per 1,000 m2 of enclosed space; for each 4,000 m2 of enclosed space, an extra full-time person will be required to help with the fish and plant harvesting. There are NO special skills required to operate any facet of the aquaponic systems. Therefore, the pay-back/break-even point from commercial aquaponic projects should be considerably less than two years. As we gain from the learning curve, the cost economics of aquaponic systems should improve, whilst the cost of production of traditional methods sharply increase, as the cost of land, water and labor resources con-tinue to rise uncontrollably.

Aquaponic systems are not only eco-friendly, but they also makes good business senseespecially in a world of dwindling but escalating costs of natural resources!



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6 Holistic development model

The conjoint processes of (a) biomethanation of agricultural and human/livestock waste; (b) growth of Spirulina, the Super Food; (c) Vermicomposting; & (d) Aquaponicshas the potential of becoming the centerpiece of sustainable urban and village development, as it has important links and synergies with other sustainable and appropriate technologies that have already been demonstrated and implemented elsewhere, most notably, at the Sankalpa Research Center1 at Village Baidyapur, Nadiawhich promotes participatory practices and demonstrates appropriate technologies for sustainable rural development. [9]

The schematic on the right describes a distributed model for implementing a sustainable and integrated program for creating sustainable livelihoods, health, food and energy security for target beneficiaries, which can produce:

(a) Methane fuel from biomethanation of agricul-tural, livestock and domestic waste;

(b) Vermicompost; (c) Spirulina productivity enhancement, by utilizing

the large amounts of CO2 present in biogas; and (d) Fish and vegetables from aquaponic systems, which after human consumption produces agricul-

tural waste products that can be recycled as input materials for biomethanation, in a mutually bene-ficial waste-to-wealth recycling loop, between the blocks depicted above.

A Concept Note[9] which provides more details of the above holistic approach can be downloaded at: [http://www.sankalpacmfs.org/src/wp/Concept_Integrated_Bio_Spi.pdf] ~ 518 kb.

7 Agri-tourism & Eco-Park Program Development Agri-tourism is becoming more popular, as tourists, school groups and the general public wish to be reju-venated by coming close to the rural life, meet and interact with individuals involved in agriculture and learn how and where their favorite foods are grown. Agri-tourism in aquaponic-related theme parks high-light educational tours that include seminars and workshops, picnic and camping sites on aquaponic farms, farmers markets and farm festivals. Increased revenue streams and product awareness are the primary benefits for aquaponic mediated agri-tourism programs. [10]

An aquaponic facility is especially attractive as an Eco-Park2, because:

(a) The technology is unique, naturally simple and also high-tech, all at the same time;

(b) It draws on the curiosity of a wide variety of people and groups;

(c) School children of any age can learn about biology, horticulture and many other disciplines of sci-ence, all in a setting where the technology is implemented to grow food and earn a profit;

(d) Home gardeners, garden clubs, business groups, restaurateurs and traditional farmers are all candi-dates for joining the tours.

1 Please visit our Sankalpa Research CenterNadia website at: [www.sankalpacmfs.org/src/] for more details

2 Please download [http://www.sankalpacmfs.org/asep/Concept.ASEPm.pdf] for more details.



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Once having visited an aquaponic eco-tourist site, a visitor will be tempted to return again and again to see, learn, enjoy and finally, purchase fish and vegetables for their own use, at special rebates.

Tours of an aquaponic facility provide visitors with an opportunity to learn about the economic and practi-cal side of modern urban aquaculture and high-tech farming, while incorporating the many facets of sci-ence involved in the daily operation of the business. The operators can offer tours and programs focusing on specific areas of information. For instance, a workshop on plant propagation, culturing or lighting might be just what a kitchen garden club is looking for, while a group of biology students is keen to learn more about the species of fish being cultured.

One of the greatest advantages of agri-tourism is the diversification of the farm operation. Adding an Eco-Park as a new enterprise, such as tours or on-site sales of produce adds another source of income to an aq-uaponic farm and provides an opportunity to increase agricultural awareness and education among the pub-lic. In addition, Eco-Parks and agri-tourism attract customers to farms. Adding a picnic site or beautiful garden area to an existing operation will not only draw families to the facility, but they will stay longer if interesting attractions are provided and continuously improved or changed.

Visitors will increasingly support agri-tourism, as they see that it contributes to the stability of the agricul-ture industry and helps support rural communities and businesses.

8 Conclusions Aquaponic systems are not only eco-friendly, sustainable, provide food security and create sustainable live-lihoods, but they are also commercially feasible and make good business senseespecially in a world of dwindling and escalating costs of natural resources, such as land and water.

References: [1] Barrel-ponics (a.k.a. Aquaponics in a Barrel); By Travis W. Hughey, 2005. [2] What is Aquaponics?; [http://aquaponicscommunity.com/page/what-is-aquaponics]

[3] Methods of Aquaponics; An (abbreviated) article from the Aquaponics Journal at: [http://www.aquaponicsjournal.com/]

[4] The IBC of Aquaponics; [http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/Travis/IBCofAquaponics1.pdf ]; Published and Distributed by Backyard Aquaponics; Editors: Joel Malcolm & Faye Arcaro; Edition One; 2011

[5] RAS: Land-Based Re-circulating Aquaculture systems: a more sustainable approach to aquaculture; The Alliance for Sustainable Aquaculture and Food & Water Watch; September 2009.

[6] Water Usage in Recirculating Farms; Fact SheetJuly 2011; Recirculating Farms Coalition [7] Re-circulating Farms: Myths and Facts; Fact SheetJuly 2011; Recirculating Farms Coalition [8] Aquaponics against Malaria, by Susanne Friend and Tim Mann, Friendly Aquaponics, Inc.; 2011.

[9] ARTS Concept Note for creating sustainable livelihoods, health, food and energy security for target bene-ficiaries, download at: [http://www.sankalpacmfs.org/src/wp/Concept_Integrated_Bio_Spi.pdf] ~ 518 kb.

[10] Aquaponics, Hydroponics and Agri-Tourism, by Rebecca L. Nelson and John S. Pade; Paper prepared for International Conference and Exhibition on Soilless Culture, 2005, Singapore.

For more information on Aquaponic systems and technologies, please contact:

Subhrankar Mukherjee, PhD,MBA e-mail: [[email protected]] ; [[email protected]] Affiliations: Managing TrusteeSankalpa Trust, Calcutta, India; SecretarySociety for Appropriate Rural Technology for Sustainability (ARTS); Affiliate ProfessorColorado State University, Fort Collins, USA; Project Director & SecretaryTRD Group.

Registered Office: P6 Cluster 2, Purbachal, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700097, INDIA. Telefax: 33 2335 9812; Mobile: +91 93392 59812 ; 94330 19821 Website: [www.sankalpacmfs.org/src] For more details, please download: [http://www.sankalpacmfs.org/asep/Concept.ASEPm.pdf]

IHPASEP Ullon Document #: AU.IH.PIX.6d Date: 14th Feb. 2013

Title: Update of Aquaponic & Spirulina Eco Park Photo-Diaryupto 13th February 2013 NFS-WBRO: 615(A) / RIF-603

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Concept.note Aquaponic.systems