About Us
The problem: Industrial agriculture is a system of chemically intensive food production featuring enormous farms and animal production facilities. The farms are usually highly specialized and run like factories. These industrial agriculture farms consume massive amounts of fossil fuels, water, energy, and chemicals. They contribute to ocean and air pollution, and they generate blooms of oxygen-depleting microorganisms that disrupt ecosystems, kill fish, and create dead zones.
Solution: Aquaponics combines aquaculture (raising fish) and hydroponics (growing plants in water) in one self sustaining system. It circulates water from a fish tank to a plant bed. Nutrients from fish waste feed the plants, while the plants filter the water to keep the fish healthy.
Compared to traditional industrial agriculture, Aquaponics uses 1/10th less water, 1/5th less land area and lower energy; additionally, it accelerates crop production, produces no run off, and eradicates weeding and tilling of soil, thus eliminating pesticides, fertilizers, and other chemicals. Aquaponics avoids all the problems that industrial agriculture creates.
Wai Aquaponics is a company that installs organic aquaponics systems. After installation, Wai employees personally instruct how to use the aquaponic system to the best of its ability.
We believe in a better future for our planet. By providing products and services that help the planet, Wai can improve lives through improving agriculture. With passion and diligence, Wai Aquaponics will help society further knowledge and close the gap between dependence and self Sufficiency.
Wai Aquaponics is run by a group of select young entrepreneurs at Thousand Oaks High School located in Thousand Oaks, California. Established September 1, 2017, Wai Aquaponics strives to educate the community on the harm of industrial agriculture and provide a safe, healthy alternative to today’s agricultural crisis.
Products & Services
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Homestead System
Wai Aquaponics offers a commercial sized system known as the Homestead System. This system would not only be ideal for backyards and learning sites, but in public facilities, as well. It includes a 300-gallon fish tank, 300-gallon grow bed, 700 GPH water pump, bell siphon plumbing, eight outlet aeration pump, and growing media. This system has the possibility of producing up to fifty pounds of fish per year and has twenty five square feet of growing space.
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Footprint: 7.1' x 5.4' x 3.5'
Price: $4,000
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Start-Up Package
In addition to installation, Wai Aquaponics offers a start-up package which includes a once-a-month check-up for four months. An employee from Wai Aquaponics will go to the customer to monitor pH levels, track fish and plant growth rates, confirm all operations are running smoothly, and assure fish and plants are on track to grow strong and healthy.
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Price: $200 (In addition to initial installation price)
Micro Farm
The smallest system, called the Micro Farm, is perfect for indoor settings. Complete with a 55-gallon fish tank, single media grow bed, 80 GPH water pump, bell siphon plumbing, two outlet aeration pump, and a fluorescent grow light fixture, it contains six square feet of growing room and enough space to raise up to eleven fish.
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Footprint: 4' x 2' x 1.6'
Price: $1,000
Wai Aquaponics installs all systems. Once installed, our employees will personally instruct on how to use the system to the best of its ability.
Backyard Garden
The Backyard Garden is a medium sized system, large enough for a person or group looking for a hobby. Educational sites such as schools as well as places of business could greatly benefit from obtaining one of these systems. Large enough to be used outside, it is also small enough to be operated indoors. It comes with a 125- gallon fish tank, two media grow beds, 350 GPH water pump, bell siphon plumbing, four outlet aeration pump, and a fluorescent grow light fixture. This system can grow up to thirty pounds of fish per year and has a total of sixteen square feet of growing space.
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Footprint: 4’ x 4’ x 3.5’
Price: $3,000
Monthly Maintenace
Properly maintaining an aquaponic system can be challenging at times, so Wai provides a monthly maintenance service. Once a month for 6 months, an aquaponic expert from Wai Aquaponics will come out and clean, check pH, ammonia, nitrate and iron levels, as well as plant health and fish health. If there any problems, our employee will fix them as well as prevent any future occurrences.
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Price: $300
Q: What is aquaponics?
A: Aquaponics is the combination of aquaculture (raising fish) and
hydroponics (growing plants in water) in one self sustaining system. It circulates water from a fish tank to a plant bed while nutrients from fish waste feed the plants, while the plants filter the water to keep the fish healthy.
Q: What are the benefits of an aquaponic system?
A: It uses 90% less water, 1/5th less land area, and lower energy; additionally, it accelerates crop production, produces no run off, and eradicates weeding and tilling of soil, thus eliminating pesticides, fertilizers, and other chemicals. Also, these systems are built on stilts, so you do not have to lean over as much as if you were planting in the ground.
Q: Where can I put my system?
A: Anywhere! We have a variety of systems to fit a wide range of opportunities. These systems prefer a controlled environment, meaning they do best in indoor environments such as greenhouses. Yet they also can thrive outdoors, as long as the weather permits it.
Q: What plants can I grow?
A: Any leafy lettuce, kale, pak choi, swiss chard, arugula, basil, mint, watercress, chives, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, beans, peas, squash, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and most house plants. You can also grow carrots, beets, potatoes, and turnips.
Q: What fish can I raise?
A: Any freshwater fish, but we have seen the best results with; tilapia, sunfish, koi, fancy goldfish, pacu, angelfish, guppies, tetras, mollies, carp, barramundi, silver perch, golden perch, yellow perch, catfish, largemouth bass. We install systems with koi.
Q: How much food can I produce?
A: It depends on the size of the system. For fish it’s best to go by 1 fish per 5 gallons. For plants you can grow twice as densely compared to traditional soil based garden. Aquaponic systems can produce crops year-round. To see how much you can produce with our systems, see the products / services page. Each system description explains how much it can produce each year.
FAQ
Q: What is aquaponics?
A: Aquaponics is the combination of aquaculture (raising fish) and
hydroponics (growing plants in water) in one self sustaining system. It circulates water from a fish tank to a plant bed while nutrients from fish waste feed the plants, while the plants filter the water to keep the fish healthy.
Q: What are the benefits of an aquaponic system?
A: It uses 90% less water, 1/5th less land area, and lower energy; additionally, it accelerates crop production, produces no run off, and eradicates weeding and tilling of soil, thus eliminating pesticides, fertilizers, and other chemicals. Also, these systems are built on stilts, so you do not have to lean over as much as if you were planting in the ground.
Q: Where can I put my system?
A: Anywhere! We have a variety of systems to fit a wide range of opportunities. These systems prefer a controlled environment, meaning they do best in indoor environments such as greenhouses. Yet they also can thrive outdoors, as long as the weather permits it.
Q: What plants can I grow?
A: Any leafy lettuce, kale, pak choi, swiss chard, arugula, basil, mint, watercress, chives, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, beans, peas, squash, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and most house plants. You can also grow carrots, beets, potatoes, and turnips.
Q: What fish can I raise?
A: Any freshwater fish, but we have seen the best results with; tilapia, sunfish, koi, fancy goldfish, pacu, angelfish, guppies, tetras, mollies, carp, barramundi, silver perch, golden perch, yellow perch, catfish, largemouth bass. We install systems with koi.
Q: How much food can I produce?
A: It depends on the size of the system. For fish it’s best to go by 1 fish per 5 gallons. For plants you can grow twice as densely compared to traditional soil based garden. Aquaponic systems can produce crops year-round. To see how much you can produce with our systems, see the products / services page. Each system description explains how much it can produce each year.
Aquaponics Manual
Beginning checklist:
1.) Do you have enough room?
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Be sure you have a space large enough for the system you desire.
2.) Will your floor support the weight?
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The floor must support the weight of the system, these systems are very heavy as they require large amounts of water as well as hardware.
3.) Can your floor get wet?
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Your floor will get wet, as you are growing plants and raising fish which require large amounts of water. Be sure your floor will not be badly damaged if it gets wet.
4.) Do you have a source of fresh water nearby?
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You are growing plants and raising fresh water fish, it is a necessity that there be a fresh water source nearby. This can be a sink, a hose, ect.
5.) Is there a reliable electric source?
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An electrical source is needed for the water pump, the aeration, possible lighting, and the potential need for heating or cooling your water.
6.) Is there adequate air ventilation?
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To avoid pest problems, and temperature problems, your system must have access to a fresh flow of air.
Setting up system:
Wai aquaponics provides all things necessary, as well as the education needed for the system to be up and running by the time we are done installing. We also provide the ‘start-up package’ to assure the system gets the head start it needs to thrive.
Key things to monitor when starting a system:
1. ) pH levels.
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pH levels should be at 7.0
2.) Ammonia levels
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Ammonia levels should remain at 3.0ppm
3.) Nitrate levels
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Nitrates should remain below 1.0ppm
4.) Fish health
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When starting a fish - cycling system it can be stressful to the fish. Be sure to monitor their behavior and health.
Common problems:
Wai Aquaponics offers repairs to any problem that occurs to your system. The price differs as the problem varies.
1. ) Not frequently testing pH, ammonia, and nitrate levels.
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If any of these levels get too high, it can and will kill the fish. If you catch it before it causes any real damage, change the water gradually as the levels will return to normal.
2.) Ignoring bug problems.
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If you see bugs, immediately take the necessary steps to rid your plants of them, they can destroy your garden.
3.) Allowing tank water to get too hot.
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Once the water gets to a certain temperature, your fish and plants are in danger because it reduces oxygen concentration. Be sure your system is in a spot where heat is not a threat.
4.) Having too many fish in a tank.
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Too many fish can be devastating to your system. Use the rule of 1 fish per 5 gallons.
5.) Iron deficiency.
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Be sure to test iron levels of your plants frequently. These levels are just as important as pH, ammonia, and nitrate.