Looking for an consultant for an Aquaponics Arch thesis :-)

Archiponics

Hello to everyone here at Backyard Aquaponics!

I'm an architecture student finalizing my thesis based on a pretty large scaled AP integration into a self sustained building.
The system is based on 1 large 500.000L tank that is both an attraction and the primary fish growth place. The tank and the GB's are pretty far from each other.
The project has some serious challenges in regards to the way the AP systems are setup, but this is more a 'concept' idea than something that has to be 100% instant buildable.
I have read a lot of information about AP and read posts here and the very informative .pdf you have created with the IBC's

I would like to know if there's anyone here with an open minded attitude would be interested in guiding me a bit with the project via PM for now?

Archiponics

I see that no one finds it any interesting to assist me with the project :oops:

bunson

If I were to flood 500,000L into my backyard, it would be 2.5m deep and my fences are only 2m high!

There are fundamental differences between backyard projects (chopping up a few IBCs) and commercial scale enterprises. There has been much discussion in recent times regarding using AP techniques in commercial ventures and on large scales, but the majority of members here are simply looking to grow plants and fish in their own backyards, although sometimes some of the boundaries between backyard AP and commercial AQ have become blurred.

Not all of the principles of the backyard system are scalable, if any? Be patient, one of the large scale members will take an interest and give you some assistance.

Charlie, here's another $0.02c

Scott

MacGyver

Perhaps for something as formal as a thesis one would have to approach certain individuals personally for consultation. I assume also that what is written in the thesis must be based on research rather than just word of mouth so you would need to approach people with recognised credentials.

I don't think it is that no one wants to help you rather a question of whether they can.

As bunson said though there might be someone.

Charlie

As well as 99% of the members here have no commercial experience

and mine bunson :lol:

Stuart Chignell

We have seen so msny of these requests before. What you are asking is either for information that is already here on the forum.

To get professional help you would need to be either very charming our paying professional rates. I could help you with the engineering of pipe networks but that is a huge job in and of it self. If you cant pay then you need to teach yourself fluid dynamics and design it you self.

A system based around a 500m3 ft is huge is even of a size to be a reasonable aq system. What is involved is so massive that I have nothing to offer for free that would be worth my effort or your consideration. Other than to say good luck.

From experience in designing large scale systems there are significant engineering problems to solve handling the water volumes, flows, internal forces in pipes, expansion and contraction factors, mass of fittings, pipes, structures, etc. etc. etc. Whatever you do don't think you can just upscale a smaller system many of the factors have exponential effects so just scaling systems less to disaster.

Archiponics

Thank you for the feedback to my initial cry for help

Ok let me explain it a bit more.
This project is a 'concept' it's not going to be judged on exact construction, but more on innovation and fresh ideas.
The 500.000L tank is what the design ended up as, the tank is extremely large and i know it will cause all sorts of issues.
But what I hoped for I found this forum was that someone would find it exciting to look at such a project. I wouldn't say this is one of the 'utopian' projects I have seen around the internet.
The focus on the project isn't so much on commercial aspects, but more on soft values like the symbiosis of the elements and the beauty of the AP system.
I understand that some of you prefer to stay in the backyard, but what i'm trying here is the spread the word about AP and I'm sure the project will get attention when it's completed.

tojo

I'm nowhere near the experience/know-how needed to be a "consultant", I can barely be a consultant to myself (see my system thread) and am a total newbie moving his first steps in AP.

I can still add something I hope!

It surely is "exciting" to look at the project for me but - see above - it's probably because I'm still in a I-get-excited-over-everything-AP phase.. (?!)

Some questions/issues I can ask/bring up which could make it easier for you to get the "consulting" are the following:

- why so much FT volume? (first question leads to the following I guess)

- when you say "building", do you mean like an Apartment buliding with ten floors or a self-standing house for five people?
I mean 500.000 L ... I have no idea what that means in terms of volume (I'm kinda picturing 500.000 IBCs next to each other to have the figure in my mind) but that I believe is called a small lake or very large pond and would eventually turn into one, making it impossible to keep the FT "feel" of it (being populated by amphibians, for example, and stuff falling in, and so on... Or a dead fish, or a lot of dead fish, I mean you'd need a small boat to go get them...)

- when you say "very far from each other" GB vs. FT, do you mean horizontally or vertically? Moving water UPWARDS is very much different (as in more difficult..) than moving it horizontally..

- how much growbed space will you be looking at for handling this kind of fishload (I mean... self-sufficient bulding means a decent amount of fish...)

- what fish were you considering? Or were you considering polyculture? You obviously need a fish that can resist year-round and it would probably be better if it were able to reproduce and breed in the pond/tank.

- I see you are in Denmark, would the GBs have a surrounding greenhouse or be exposed to the elements? I doubt danish climate could keep the veggies going during the colder months...

- when you say self-sufficient building, I think you mean energy-wise, too? 500.000 L, even with a relative low stocking, would mean a pretty powerful pump I guess... :dontknow:

that means a good draw of power...

Just a few things off the top of my head, and I repeat, total newbie, no serious experience, just three months of solid studying and a first basic system set up.

Tojo

Stuart Chignell

But even a concept needs some basic engineering. 500m3 is huge and the distribution of the GBs will dictate the size and number of pipes. In architecture I imagine that you either fit the internal fit out to the building or the building to what it is intended to hold. What is the layout of the tank, how are you going to allocate space for the pumps without doing any engineering (you need to know how big they are) where are the spaces occupied by people (so you don't put the pumps next to them) how big do the main distribution pipes need to be (and how much space do you need to hide them to make this whole thing pretty? Same thing for all the drains.

If it is just a concept then just do some drawings that look good. Unless someone puts some money up to actually build it then some money can be put up for roughing out the concept.

I know you are asking for a favour for a thesis and not a commercial proposition but I don't think you realise the amount of work involved in what you are asking.

tojo

I must add to my previous post: I meant I'm visualizing 500 IBCs all sitting next to each other rather than 500.000, a small typo I guess.

Stuart Chignell

There are issues in just having one huge 500m3. How would you ensure that the water would stay well mixed? If the building is built around the tank then ok you just need to do the engineering on the structure but otherwise......

RupertofOZ

Indeed... you would be much better off... both from a logistical, management... and commercial viewpoint...

In having 10 x 50,000L tanks...

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