College of Science and Mathematics > Sustainable Aquaponics Research Center > About SARC > Aquaponics Facilities

Aquaponics Facilities

The SARC Facility

The SARC greenhouse is a state-of-the-art system designed to research the economic and biological sustainability of aquaponics systems. SARC has four independent recirculating systems, each containing 900 gallon tanks capable of holding over 100 mature tilapia (1-2 lbs/each) and 224 square foot runways for growing plants. This proprietary system was uniquely built to conduct controlled scientific research. This allows the center to develop targeted experiments with the goal of improving the economic viability of large-scale aquaponics as a means of sustainable food growth requiring less resources and space.

Fish are raised, bred, harvested and sold. Waste water from fish tank is collected and concentrated to fertilize plants. Plants grown entirely in water grow faster, absorbing nutrients from fish waste while cleaning the water. Plants are harvested and sold. Water cleaned by plants recirculates back to fish tank. — **SARC has 4 replicates of this system, allowing great control and flexibility for research. The construction used in most aquaponics systems today was developed by Dr. James Rakocy in the 1970’s.**

Renovations

The facility is currently undergoing systemic renovations to improve the structure and nutrient flow through each system, based on data collected over the past 2 years. For more information contact us!