iAVs: Members System Review in Victoria, Australia
Housed in a 6m x 12m greenhouse, the system has room for future expansion and optimization.
Each system features a growing area of 6 square meters.
The fish tanks, which are positioned at ground level, are each connected to a 1500-liter sump.
The water temp, in August, is 7 degrees celsius.
As of August 2024, the system houses 60 rainbow trout per tank, with an average weight of 143 grams as of July. The fish are expected to reach approximately 350 grams by December, at which point they will be harvested due to rising temperatures.
The growing area supports everything from root vegetables like carrots to leafy greens and snow peas. This diversity demonstrates the adaptability of iAVs to various crop types.
Water quality is closely monitored, with pH levels ranging from 5.7 (digital meter) to 6.4 (test strips). The current winter temperature of 9°C is ideal for the trout. Despite recent acidic rainfall, the water remains crystal clear, indicating effective filtration.
Weekly water top-ups of 150-200 liters compensate for evaporation and a minor leak that needs to be fixed.
The feed rate as of August 2024 is 100 grams per day, in total. Which works out to just over 5 grams of feed per square meter and there are only minor signs of deficiency!
“I find it incredible that anything is growing at that feed rate. You should have seen the tomato plant pumping out the fruit for four months even after we removed the fish.”
The fish will start to eat more when the weather gets warmer.
“I’m constantly stunned at the growth and the veg that comes out of the system.”
That is an extremely low feed rate (from a plant’s perspective), Albeit they basically appear ‘happy’. Can’t assess growth (yield) rate from images.
Thank you. I’ll keep it going as is and give you an update in a couple of months.
Living the dream!