AQUAPONICS PLANT PRODUCTION SYSTEM

An aquaponics plant production system includes a flow-through chamber including one or more removable plant receptacles extending into the flow-through chamber. Each of the one or more removable plant receptacles is configured to contain one or more plant's roots. The aquaponics plant production system also includes a nutrient-supplementing hydroponic substrate contained within at least one of the one or more removable plant receptacles. The nutrient-supplementing hydroponic substrate is configured to supplement the one or more plant's roots with one or more nutrients. The aquaponics plant production system also includes a pre-filter chamber located upstream of the flow-through chamber, a post-filter chamber located downstream of the flow-through chamber, and a pump configured to direct aquarium wastewater from an aquarium into the pre-filter chamber such that the aquarium wastewater is circulated through the pre-filter chamber, the flow-through chamber, the post-filter chamber and back into the aquarium.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to aquaponics, and more particularly to a plant production system for aquaponics.

BACKGROUND

Overapplications of synthetic fertilizers, manure, and pesticides by the industrial soil-based agriculture industry can damage consumer health and environmental integrity. Millions of tons of synthetic and manure fertilizers are added to farmland each year, and this significantly contributes to runoff, nutrient pollution, and eutrophication in nearby waterways. Bacterial contamination of consumables following manure applications can cause serious illness and even death. Furthermore, many pesticides have been proven to be carcinogenic to humans and negatively influence ecological processes.

Therefore, aquaponics has been used as an alternative form of sustainable agriculture to grow plants and fish together in a closed loop system without soil, harmful chemicals, or pesticides. Aquaculture farmers integrate aquaponics within their systems by using plants to reduce the nitrogen concentration of their wastewater so they can recycle the water, conserve resources, and prevent the contamination of local ecosystems. Aquaponics is the combination of aquaculture and hydroponics, using nutrients from fish waste, instead of chemical nutrients, for plant growth, and can be accomplished in an aquarium as small as 10 gallons. However, aquaponic farmers often deal with waste disposal issues because of excess nitrogen generated from the waste from aquaculture organisms and the issue of essential micronutrient nutrient deficiencies, such as iron and calcium, which can limit plant growth and reduce the optimal removal of nitrogen from the wastewater.

Specifically, nitrogen from fish waste is typically not effectively harnessed and recycled in home aquariums or aquaculture systems. Effective use of aquarium nitrogen has the potential to provide numerous benefits, including grocery savings, the reduction of fertilizer costs for plant growers, the improvement in health and wellness of the consumer through independent food production, and reducing the carbon footprint, and food waste. Moreover, iron, for example, is a limiting nutrient in current aquaponic systems and many within the industry agree that it is one of the few additives that should be used. However, most chelated forms of iron on the market are synthetic, and aquaponics users are limited to supplementing their aquariums by spraying such synthetic supplements directly on their plants or by dosing the entire aquarium. The use of synthetic chemicals in their systems does not align with their values and mission statements regarding organic and sustainable best management practices. Therefore, there is a need to develop a strategy that allows home and commercial aquaponic growers to both effectively harness the value of nitrogen from fish waste and provide a more natural and efficient nutrient supplementation for plant growth.

SUMMARY

An aquaponics plant production system utilizing a nutrient supplementing hydroponic substrate is disclosed herein for enabling sustainable growth of nutrient dense plants for home and commercial growers. The nutrient-supplementing hydroponic substrate both serves as a media for plants to grow, as well as supplements the plant roots with essential plant micronutrients. Plant receptacles (e.g., baskets) hold the plant roots and the nutrient-supplementing hydroponic substrate as wastewater from the aquarium is circulated through the system. As circulating aquarium wastewater passes through the plant receptacles, the nutrient-supplementing hydroponic substrate is configured to supplement the plant roots with important micronutrients, like iron, in a bioavailable state directly at the plant root zone. This occurs as the nutrient-supplementing hydroponic substrate degrades via biological iron-acquisition processes, for example iron-chelate reductase. The nutrient-supplementing hydroponic substrate keeps the plant root zone in a low pH condition, increasing the bioavailability of other important nutrients and creating a custom microenvironment for plant roots that does not encounter or harm fish in the aquaponic system. That is, the nutrient-supplementing hydroponic substrate allows a user to raise nutrient levels in the system without dosing the entire tank, as the nutrients are suspended in the nutrient-supplementing hydroponic substrate and do not reach toxic levels in the aquarium.

The aquaponics plant production system therefore helps reduce non-renewable inputs compared to conventional farming (e.g., soil, fertilizer, water), increase local food production, and provide clean consumable products to customers. Access to this aquaponics plant production system allows consumers to improve their sustainable lifestyle by growing personal or local produce with alternative farming technology, feel secure about how their food is grown, and educate themselves on advanced, alternative, and sustainable growing practices. For example, the aquaponics plant production system disclosed herein may be favorable for home or community gardeners in water scarce regions, aquaponic/hydroponic operators that need technology to prevent or mitigate micronutrient deficiencies, or off-the-grid growers.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an aquaponics plant production system includes a flow-through chamber including one or more removable plant receptacles extending into the flow-through chamber. Each of the one or more removable plant receptacles is configured to contain one or more plant's roots. The aquaponics plant production system also includes a nutrient-supplementing hydroponic substrate contained within at least one of the one or more removable plant receptacles. The nutrient-supplementing hydroponic substrate is configured to supplement the one or more plant's roots with one or more nutrients. The aquaponics plant production system also includes a pre-filter chamber located upstream of the flow-through chamber, a post-filter chamber located downstream of the flow-through chamber, and a pump configured to direct aquarium wastewater from an aquarium into the pre-filter chamber such that the aquarium wastewater is circulated through the pre-filter chamber, the flow-through chamber, the post-filter chamber and back into the aquarium.

According to an embodiment of any paragraph(s) of this disclosure, the nutrient-supplementing substrate is a soft iron-based hydrogel chelated with natural polymers and is configured to supplement the one or more plant's roots with iron.

According to an embodiment of any paragraph(s) of this disclosure, the pre-filter chamber includes a pre-filter aquarium mount configured to support the pre-filter chamber on a first side top edge of the aquarium, and the post-filter chamber includes a post-filter aquarium mount configured to support the post-filter chamber on a second side top edge of the aquarium opposite the first side top edge, such that the flow-through chamber is configured to extend above and across a top opening of the aquarium from the pre-filter chamber at a first side of the aquarium to the post-filter chamber at a second side of the aquarium opposite the first side.

According to an embodiment of any paragraph(s) of this disclosure, the pre-filter chamber is positioned higher than the post-filter chamber such that the flow-through chamber extends from the pre-filter chamber to the post-filter chamber at a decline.

According to an embodiment of any paragraph(s) of this disclosure, the flow-through chamber includes one or more plant receptacle holes extending through a sidewall of the flow-through chamber through which the one or more removable plant receptacles are suspended to extend into the flow-through chamber.

According to an embodiment of any paragraph(s) of this disclosure, the flow-through chamber includes a dam located between the flow-through chamber and the post-filter chamber, the dam being configured to maintain the circulated aquarium wastewater at a level in a range of 4.00 centimeters to 6.00 centimeters in the flow-through chamber.

According to an embodiment of any paragraph(s) of this disclosure, the aquaponics plant production system also includes an air pump, an air hose connected to the air pump at a first end of the air hose, and an air stone connected to the air hose at a second end of the air hose, the air pump configured to supply the air hose with air for transferring to the air stone in the circulated aquarium wastewater in the flow-through chamber.

According to an embodiment of any paragraph(s) of this disclosure, the pre-filter chamber includes a biofiltration media configured to convert ammonia and nitrite present in the circulated aquarium wastewater into nitrate before the circulated aquarium wastewater enters the flow-through chamber.

According to an embodiment of any paragraph(s) of this disclosure, the biofiltration media includes a plurality of spheres configured to support microbial colonization for converting the ammonia and nitrite present in the circulated aquarium wastewater into nitrate.

According to an embodiment of any paragraph(s) of this disclosure, the post-filter chamber includes a mechanical filtration media configured to capture solids in the circulated aquarium wastewater before the circulated aquarium wastewater reenters the aquarium.

According to an embodiment of any paragraph(s) of this disclosure, the post-filter chamber includes a chemical filtration media configured to neutralize one or more chemicals in the circulated aquarium wastewater before the circulated aquarium wastewater reenters the aquarium.

According to an embodiment of any paragraph(s) of this disclosure, the mechanical filtration media of the post-filter chamber includes a filter pad, and the chemical filtration media of the post-filter chamber includes activated carbon integrated into the filter pad.

According to an embodiment of any paragraph(s) of this disclosure, the post-filter chamber includes a biofiltration media configured to convert ammonia and nitrite present in the circulated aquarium wastewater into nitrate before the circulated aquarium wastewater renters the aquarium.

According to an embodiment of any paragraph(s) of this disclosure, the biofiltration media in the post-filter includes a plurality of spheres configured to support microbial colonization for converting the ammonia and nitrite present in the circulated aquarium wastewater into nitrate.

According to an embodiment of any paragraph(s) of this disclosure, the pump extends from the pre-filter chamber and is configured to access the aquarium wastewater from a bottom of the aquarium.

According to an embodiment of any paragraph(s) of this disclosure, the post-filter chamber includes an aquarium access hole configured to allow the circulated aquarium wastewater to reenter the aquarium.

According to an embodiment of any paragraph(s) of this disclosure, each of the one or more removable plant receptacles includes a basket and a lid removably disposed the basket. The basket is configured to contain the nutrient-supplementing hydroponic substrate and the one or more plant's roots. The basket has a plurality of basket holes through which the circulated aquarium wastewater can enter the basket to reach the nutrient-supplementing hydroponic substrate and the one or more plant's roots and exit the basket.

According to an embodiment of any paragraph(s) of this disclosure, the lid includes a groove configured to hold a hydroponic plant growth medium from which the one or more plants germinate.

According to an embodiment of any paragraph(s) of this disclosure, the hydroponic plant growth medium includes a hydroponic sponge.

According to an embodiment of any paragraph(s) of this disclosure, the pre-filter chamber, the flow-through chamber, and the post-filter chamber are variably couplable to each other such that the aquaponics plant production system may be modularly assembled and disassembled.

The following description and the annexed drawings set forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments described in this disclosure. These embodiments are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of this disclosure may be employed. Other objects, advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With initial reference toFIGS.1-3, an aquaponics plant production system10is depicted.FIG.1depicts a perspective view of the aquaponics plant production system10in isolation,FIG.2depicts a perspective view of the aquaponics plant production system10with an aquarium22, andFIG.3depicts a schematic diagram of the aquaponics plant production system10with an aquarium22(components not to scale, but for schematic illustration only). The plant production system10includes a flow-through chamber12including one or more removable plant receptacles14extending into the flow-through chamber12, a pre-filter chamber16located upstream of the flow-through chamber12, and a post-filter chamber18located downstream of the flow-through chamber12. The plant production system10also includes a pump20configured to direct aquarium wastewater from an aquarium, such as the aquarium22depicted inFIGS.2and3, into the pre-filter chamber16, such that the aquarium wastewater is circulated in a downstream direction (identified by bold arrows inFIG.3) through the plant production system10, that being through the pre-filter chamber16, to the flow-through chamber12, then to the post-filter chamber18and back into the aquarium22.

Specifically, the pre-filter chamber16includes a pump hole17located near a bottom of the pre-filter chamber16through which the pump20can transfer aquarium wastewater into the pre-filter chamber16from the aquarium22. The pre-filter chamber16also includes a flow-through chamber access hole19through which the aquarium wastewater can enter the flow-through chamber12from the pre-filter chamber16. The flow-through chamber access hole19may be located near a top of the pre-filter chamber16where it meets the flow-through chamber12. The flow-through chamber12may include a post-filter chamber access hole21through which the aquarium wastewater can enter the post-filter chamber18from the flow-through chamber12. The post-filter chamber access hole21may be located near a top of the flow-through chamber12where the flow-through chamber12meets the post-filter chamber18. The post-filter chamber access hole21may be located, specifically, above a dam31that is disposed between a downstream end of the flow-through chamber12and the post-filter chamber18. The dam31is configured to maintain the circulated aquarium wastewater at a level in a range of 4.00 centimeters to 6.00 centimeters, for example, 5.08 centimeters, in the flow-through chamber12. That is, as the circulated aquarium wastewater flows downstream through the aquaponics plant production system10, the circulated aquarium wastewater fills the flow-through chamber12to a level in a range of 4.00 centimeters to 6.00 centimeters, for example 5.08 centimeters, and then flows over the dam31through the post-filter chamber access hole21into the post-filter chamber18.

The flow-through chamber12may also include an overflow hole29extending through a sidewall26of the flow-through chamber12in a range of 0.25 centimeters to 0.50 centimeters above the water level in the flow-through chamber12. The overflow hole29may be located at any point along the length of the flow-through chamber12and is configured to prevent the circulated aquarium wastewater from backflowing into the pre-filter chamber16or filling the flow-through chamber12above the range of 4.00 centimeters to 6.00 centimeters. Finally, the post-filter chamber18may include an aquarium access hole23through which the aquarium wastewater can reenter the aquarium22from the post-filter chamber18. The aquarium access hole23may be located near a bottom of the post-filter chamber18.

The pump20extends from the pre-filter chamber16and is configured to access the aquarium wastewater from near a bottom of the aquarium10, as depicted inFIGS.2and3. In this manner, aquarium wastewater is moved from the bottom of the aquarium22, facilitating mixing of the water in the aquarium22. The pump20may be, for example, an impeller pump, and may be powered with electricity via a power cord27electrically connected to the pump20.

The aquaponics plant production system10may also include an air pump33having an air hose35connected to the air pump33at a first end and extending into the pre-filter chamber16and through the flow-through chamber access hole19into the flow-through chamber12. An air stone37may be connected to a second end of the air hose35. The pump33is configured to supply air into the air hose35for transferring to the circulated aquarium wastewater in the flow-through chamber12through the air stone37. The air hose35may, for example, include a valve to control the amount of air supplied by the pump33. The air stone37may be a porous stone that allows the air supplied by the pump33and through the air hose35to diffuse into microbubbles as it enters the circulated aquarium wastewater in the flow-through chamber12for maintaining oxygenated water at the root zones of the plants. The air stone37may have a cylindrical shape with a diameter of 1.0 centimeter and a length of 2.0 centimeters, however the length may be as long as a length of the flow-through chamber12.

The flow-through chamber12includes one or more plant receptacle holes24extending through the sidewall26of the flow-through chamber12, through which the one or more removable plant receptacles14are suspended to extend into the flow-through chamber12. For example, as depicted inFIGS.1and2, the flow-through chamber12may have four removable plant receptacles14each suspended by one of four plant receptacle holes24in the flow-through chamber12.FIG.3depicts only one plant receptacle hole24and associated removable plant receptacle14for illustrative purposes, however, it will be understood that any number of plant receptacle holes24and respective removable plant receptacles14may be provided in the flow-through chamber12, depending on the size of the plant production system10and the length of the flow-through chamber12. The one or more removable plant receptacles14are suspended by the respective one or more plant receptacle holes24via an interference fit, as a sidewall28of each of the one or more removable plant receptacles14abuts and rests on a periphery of the one or more plant receptacle holes24. As best depicted inFIG.3, the sidewall28of the one or more removable plant receptacles14may be tapered such that the one or more removable plant receptacles14extends into the flow-through chamber12through the one or more plant receptacle holes24as it is suspended by the one or more plant receptacle holes24.

As seen inFIG.3, the one or more removable plant receptacles14are configured to contain one or more plant's roots, such that one or more plants may grow from the one or more removable plant receptacles14, as depicted inFIG.3. A nutrient-supplementing hydroponic substrate30is contained within at least one of the one or more removable plant receptacles14. The nutrient-supplementing hydroponic substrate30is configured to directly supplement the one or more plant's roots with one or more additional nutrients, and/or facilitate the uptake of one or more additional nutrients ordinarily deficient in aquarium wastewater. For example, the nutrient-supplementing hydroponic substrate30may be an iron-based material chelated with natural polymers, which is configured to directly supplement the one or more plant's roots with iron. The iron-based material may be, for example, a hydrogel prepared in accordance with those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 10,517,997, 10,080,715, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/287,817, which are each incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The one or more plant receptacles14may contain a range of 5 milliliters to 10 milliliters of the iron-based material, and may be re-filled every 2-4 weeks, as the iron-based material degrades via iron-acquisition processes, for example iron-chelate reductase.

Additionally or alternatively, the nutrient-supplementing hydroponic substrate30may be another type of hydrogel or other hydroponic substrate configured to directly supplement the one or more plant's roots with another essential nutrient, such as nitrogen, magnesium, calcium, copper and/or zinc. It will be understood that although the soft iron-based hydrogel configured to supplement iron is provided as a non-limiting example, other variations of nutrient-supplementing hydroponic substrates may be used to facilitate the uptake of one or more nutrients. For example the nutrient-supplementing hydroponic substrate30may be in the form of a material seeded with symbiotic bacteria that facilitate nutrient uptake by the plant roots, such as expanded clay spheres, perlite, and/or gravel.

Turning briefly toFIGS.4-7, each of the one or more removable plant receptacles14includes a basket32and a lid34removably disposed on the basket32. The basket32is configured to contain the nutrient-supplementing hydroponic substrate30and the one or more plant's roots. The basket30has a plurality of basket holes36extending through the sidewall28of the removable plant receptacle14(specifically the sidewall28of the basket32), through which the circulated aquarium wastewater can enter the basket32to reach the nutrient-supplementing hydroponic substrate30and the one or more plant's roots, then exit the basket32. The lid34may include a groove38configured to hold a hydroponic plant growth medium40from which the one or more plants can germinate. For example, the hydroponic plant growth medium40may be a hydroponic sponge, as depicted inFIGS.6and7. The hydroponic plant growth medium40can therefore support plant growth after germination and during early growth until the plant's roots reach the nutrient-supplementing hydroponic substrate30in the basket32of the one or more removable plant receptacles14, after which the plant may be supported by the nutrient-supplementing hydroponic substrate30and the hydroponic plant growth medium40may be removed. At this time, the groove38of the lid34is configured to partially surround a stem of the plant to provide additional support to the plant growth above the lid34. The groove38is open at a peripheral end of the lid34and therefore allows the lid34to be easily removed from the basket32without disturbing the plant stem, as the groove38does not completely surround the stem of the plant. For example, a user may wish to remove the lid34from the basket32to refill the basket32with more nutrient-supplementing hydroponic substrate30during the plant's growth. Otherwise, when the lid34is disposed on the basket32, the lid34serves to shield the plant roots and the nutrient-supplementing hydroponic substrate30within the basket32, which may be photoactive, from light.

Turning back toFIGS.1-3, the pre-filter chamber16includes a pre-filter aquarium mount42configured to support the pre-filter chamber16on a first side top edge of the aquarium22, and the post-filter chamber18includes a post-filter aquarium mount44configured to support the post-filter chamber18on a second side top edge of the aquarium22opposite the first side top edge. In such manner, when both the pre-filter chamber16is supported on the first side top edge of the aquarium22by the pre-filter aquarium mount42, and the post-filter chamber18is supported on the second side top edge of the aquarium22by the post-filter aquarium mount44, the flow-through chamber12is configured to extend above and across a top opening of the aquarium22from the pre-filter chamber16at a first side of the aquarium22to the post-filter chamber18at a second side of the aquarium22opposite the first side. The pre-filter aquarium mount42and the post-filter aquarium mount44may each be formed by two protrusions46extending from the pre-filter chamber16and the post-filter chamber18, respectively, with a notch48formed therebetween for receiving the first side top edge and the second side top edge, respectively, of the aquarium22, such that the pre-filter chamber16and the post-filter chamber18securely rest on the first side top edge and the second side top edge. The pre-filter chamber16may be positioned higher than the post-filter chamber18such that the flow-through chamber12extends from the pre-filter chamber16to the post-filter chamber18at a decline. For example, the pre-filter aquarium mount42may be configured to support the pre-filter chamber16higher relative to the first top side edge of the aquarium22than the post-filter aquarium mount44is configured to support the post-filter chamber18relative to the second top side edge of the aquarium22. In this manner, the aquarium wastewater is circulated in the downstream direction (i.e., from the pre-filter chamber16to the flow-through chamber12, then to the post-filter chamber18), without the risk of backflow through the aquaponics plant production system10.

The pre-filter chamber16may include a settleable solids basin configured to capture solids in the circulated aquarium wastewater before the circulated aquarium wastewater enters the flow-through chamber12. The pre-filter chamber16may also include a biofiltration media52configured to perform biofiltration and convert ammonia and nitrite present in the circulated aquarium wastewater into nitrate, the most tolerable form of nitrogen for fish, before the circulated aquarium wastewater enters the flow-through chamber12. The biofiltration media52may include, for example, a plurality of spheres53having a high surface area that are configured to support microbial colonization for converting the ammonia and nitrite present in the circulated aquarium wastewater into nitrate.

The post-filter chamber18may include a mechanical filtration media54configured to capture solids in the circulated aquarium wastewater before the circulated aquarium wastewater reenters the aquarium22. The post-filter chamber18may also include a chemical filtration media56configured to neutralize one or more chemicals, such as natural chemicals that are byproducts of metabolic processes, in the circulated aquarium wastewater before the circulated aquarium wastewater reenters the aquarium22. For example, the mechanical filtration media54of the post-filter chamber18may be a filter pad and the chemical filtration media56of the post-filter chamber18may be activated carbon integrated into the filter pad. The post-filter chamber18may include a mechanical filtration media receptacle or notch57for holding the mechanical filtration media in place between the flow-through chamber12and the post-filter chamber18. The mechanical filtration media receptacle or notch57may be, for example, formed on an inner wall of the post-filter chamber18. Additionally or alternatively, the flow-through chamber12may also include a mechanical filtration media, similar to the mechanical filtration media54of the post-filter chamber18, at a downstream end of the flow-through chamber12. The post-filter chamber18may also include a biofiltration media58, similar to the biofiltration media52of the pre-filter chamber16, configured to perform further biofiltration and convert ammonia and nitrite present in the circulated aquarium wastewater into nitrate, the most tolerable form of nitrogen for fish, before the circulated aquarium wastewater renters the aquarium22. For example, the biofiltration media58of the post-filter chamber18may also include a plurality of spheres59configured to support microbial colonization for converting the ammonia and nitrite present in the circulated aquarium wastewater into nitrate.

The aquaponics plant production system10is a modular system and is easily assembled and disassembled for customizability. Specifically, each of the pre-filter chamber16, the flow-through chamber12and the post-filter chamber18are configured to be variably couplable with each other. For example, the pre-filter chamber16, the flow-through chamber12and the post-filter chamber18may each include a screw coupling or interference fit coupling, respectively, for modularly coupling with each other. In this manner, a user can easily assemble the aquaponics plant production system10to be of whatever size or length is appropriate for any given aquarium, for example, by assembling two or more flow-through chambers12together in sequence. That is, the aquaponics plant production system10may be variably configured to fit with any standard size aquarium.

The aquaponics plant production system described herein therefore effectively utilizes nitrogen by recycling water and nutrients for plant growth, enabling users to grow a diverse variety of herbs, fruits and vegetables, among other plants. Not only does the aquaponics plant production system help users save money on grocery bills, but also helps users reduce their carbon footprint. On a bigger scale, use of the aquaponics plant production system may help protect against factors like climate change and disruptions in supply chains that might impact food security. Additionally, use of the nutrient-supplementing hydroponic substrate, for example, the iron-supplementing hydroponic substrate, replaces the conventional form of supplementing nutrients (e.g., chelated iron and/or synthetic fertilizers), as the nutrient-supplementing hydroponic substrate holds several essential nutrients required for the plant directly at the root zone, far from the fish, which balances the needs of the plant with the sensitivities of the fish. The nutrient-supplementing hydroponic substrate therefore serves a dual purpose, as both a plant substrate and a nutrient supplementation. The aquaponics plant production system described herein is applicable and scalable to both home aquarists and commercial growers due to its modular design and ability to fit a variety of aquarium system sizes.