Talk:Aquaponics

message: Some anon character keeps taking the link out because it is 'commercial in nature'. Given that nobody in their right mind would start an aquaponics business to make money and that all the other links seem to be selling something (or are trying to if the forms on the sites worked) deleting the link to aquaponics.com.au seems harsh. I would agree to the deletion if there was a proper aquaponics association site but there isn't and people using Wp should be able to get further info, Albatross2147 13:40, 20 September 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: Just because there is not a better site to link to - it does not justify the link. Links should be judged according to the external link guidelines. There are 3 links on this page that currently do not meet this standard. One is a forum (no links to forums) and the other two are links to quasi-commercial regional groups/corporations/organizations/however you want to characterize them. Wikipedia is not a link depository nor a directory WP:NOT. External links should be symmetrically related to the content of the article. This is not an article about aquaponic groups in Australia or elsewhere. If someone prefers to change these links to direct readers to actual content about the subject in the article, then the links might pass WP:EL. Information from the websites might also be used as references in the articles. As external links, however, they do not work. Nposs 06:03, 16 February 2007 (UTC)

text: All three links currently on the site do not appear to meeting the Wp standards for external links. Wp is not a search engine nor should it be used as a referral mechanism for commercial sites. I agree that, if there is a lack of non-commercial Aquaponics information websites then that does not, and should not, allow a circumvention of the rules. So, should the links be removed? (Aquaponics-martin 13:55, 20 July 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: Aquaponics in Australia link

message: I don't have time to add the article, but Angling for a Better Way to Farm Fish--And Vegetables, Too appears to be a pretty good article. II | (t - c) 02:14, 5 September 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  SciAm article 

message: I reverted this page to a previously durable version of the aquaponics article after someone named Lfstevens performed 14 separate edits on the page in a four-hour period December 1st, without posting anything regarding the edits in the discussion area for aquaponics. Lfstevens says on his page (and I quote): 
"I'm going to edit 1 page each day for awhile. Although I have strong opinions on most subjects, most of my edits are copy edits. Occasionally I'll dig deeper on topics with which I feel comfortable. My sentences generally have fewer subclauses and big words than those they replace. I also leave pages with less minutiae and more focus on the page's main idea(s)" (end quote).
Now I don't have a problem with someone who actually has in-depth personal knowledge of the subject they are editing making changes. We can all benefit from edits such as that. But in the absence of Lfstevens demonstrating a personal knowledge of aquaponics, and in the presence of some demonstrably wrong statements from him such as:
1. "Organic fish food" It doesn't exist yet, at least not in any commercial quantities; we've looked quite exhaustively.
2. "Duckweed" The weed from hell, we tried it. The tilapia DON'T eat it and it clogs the systems, using valuable nutrients that the plants could benefit from.
3.  "Black soldier fly larvae"  We tried that too, and tilapia, which are the primary fish used in most aquaponics systems in the US, do not eat them because they sink, and tilapia are hardwired to only eat floating food. The tilapia just watch the larvae drift on down past them when you throw them into the tank, without even touching them.
:Hi Tim
:I'll stick by my self-description. I didn't add material on any of those foods, and since you left it saying"
 
::"There are now, however, organic fish feeds available which may prove to be a viable alternative and negate this concern. Other alternatives include growing duckweed with an Aquaponics system that feeds the same fish grown on the system , as well as growing Black Soldier Fly larva to feed to the fish using composting grub growers."
:I'm not sure I get your point. All I did was shorten the sentence and get rid of non-specific qualifiers. Lfstevens (talk) 21:38, 16 December 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: I'm not sure what you mean by "change it so radically". How is the content different? I eliminated no references, no substantive points, etc. I believe I played by the "rules" I lay out on my user page, and that was certainly my intent. I have no problem with experts like yourself correcting my errors, but did you cite any? Lfstevens (talk) 21:38, 16 December 2009 (UTC)

text: Reading about your fantastic success with aquaponics, I'm very interested to learn more. I expect to visit TBI fairly soon, and hope to visit your operation to learn more. Cheers. Please feel free to leave comments on my talk page. Lfstevens (talk) 21:38, 16 December 2009 (UTC)
thread_title: Reversions

message: The article has now been made more concise, and is written more according to Wikipedia standards. As a result, I would like to propose a clear statement of the direction in which this article is headed, so that from here on it will remain free of commercial links with little value to the field of aquaponics as a whole, and duplicate information due to (unreferenced) redundant text copied from external sources. In other words, this article now has a higher submission standard. (If this makes you unsure about whether you can/may still contribute: I can help you, see the last paragraph.)
Motivation: It is in the best interest for anyone involved with aquaponics to be able to point people to a page that is easy to read and that clearly and explains the general principle and discusses the many forms in which it can be applied. It is acknowledged that existing commercial aquaponics systems are doing well, but Wikipedia is not the place to report individual successes, just as the article on agriculture does not discuss one single farm, but speaks of the total population.
What this article is not for: (see also: WP:NOT)
:* Reporting commercial successes of individual locations using aquaponics.
:* Mentioning different approaches (mainly by universities) without stating their findings.
:* Sharing opinionated, idealistic uses for aquaponics without providing actual cases.
What this article is for:
:* Providing an overview of aquaponics, backed by scientific and (statistical) market research.
:* Reporting the gist of (recent) empirical findings on aquaponics, referenced with proper literature.
:* Discussing initiatives and national/continental differences between the application of aquaponics.
For example, it is a good thing that the article discusses the "deep water aquaponics" (UVI) approach, which can be distinguished from the "reciprocating aquaponics" (NCSU). That particular section however lacks any kind of information in what way it is different and what the rationale is to use that system in stead. That way, the reader will understand that aquaponics can be performed in different ways. Such an explanation must always be supported by literature on the matter.
The above is a proposal and I would like to invite you to comment on it. Please do always keep in mind that a Wikipedia article is targeted at lay readers and as I said before, it is in all our best interest if we can point people to a sound article on Wikipedia on our subject matter. We can only build a comprehensive text if you add your knowledge too. If you need help with that (e.g. if you don't know how to incorporate your information into the text or add references), respond to this message below or write me via my talk page. --Eddyspeeder (talk) 15:43, 27 November 2010 (UTC)
thread_title:  Higher standard: no commercial links, references mandatory 

message: I completely support the contention of Eddyspeeder in the previous editing discussion, as he states: 
What this article is NOT for: (see also: WP:NOT)
        * Reporting commercial successes of individual locations using aquaponics.
        * Mentioning different approaches (mainly by universities) without stating their findings.
        * Sharing opinionated, idealistic uses for aquaponics without providing actual cases.
What this article IS for:
        * Providing an overview of aquaponics, backed by scientific and (statistical) market research.
        * Reporting the gist of (recent) empirical findings on aquaponics, referenced with proper literature.
        * Discussing initiatives and national/continental differences between the application of aquaponics.
I edited this article to remove the links and references that were commercial in nature. I left those such as links to YouTube videos that do not link to commercial sites, and those such as Travis Hughey's BarrelPonics and Will Allens Growing Power that link to non-profit sites (Travis and Will, you're doing GREAT work, keep it up, friends!). I corrected several misconceptions about aquaponics that were obviously written in by persons with limited or little experience of aquaponics. I made an effort to explain aquaponic concepts and processes in language that would be as easy as possible for Wikipedia users to understand, because I know this is Wikipedia's main purpose: to make this knowledge accessible to as many minds as possible.
The quantitative information I provide about aquaponics, energy use, water use, vegetable density and growing efficiency, and the corrections I provided to certain misconceptions about how aquapoonics works, about nitrifiers, or what tanks are "necessary" in an aquaponics system, all comes from personal experience in operating a profitable commercial aquaponics farm (isn't that an oxymoron) with my wife Susanne (who has a degree in biology and did pre-med in college) for three years now. We've done it all personally: UVI-type systems, our cost-effective adaptations of their design, organic certification, energy efficiency, off-grid aquaponics systems, and so on. To the best of our knowledge, we currently have the largest commercial aquaponics farm in the world at 6,800 square feet of trough and sprouting table area.
And I am in a bind here: Even though I have records, videos, photos, and mounds of filled-out forms: water quality, production weights and growth times, consumables usage records, species identification, and so on from our ongoing research in aquaponics, I cannot reference it because it is all commercial in nature. I could reference several copyrighted works that support the information I gave, but we wrote those works, and they are all sold commercially. I am asking the editing community at Wikipedia to trust me on this one; the commercial world is the test: we know what we're doing, or else we would have been out of business long ago. We started with Dr. James Rakocy's excellent work at UVI, and have developed it further since then in directions no one else has ever taken it. We developed organic aquaponics where no one had ever gotten certified before, and not only are certified by TWO of the largest organic certifying agencies in the US, but seven of our students have gotten certified also.
We are actually making money with our farm, something few aquaponics producers can claim. We got where we are on our own, without grants, research budgets, inheritances, or investors; we did it by working our butts off and living and breathing aquaponics for the last three and a half years. In the last two and a half years, we've trained 238 people in our Commercial Aquaponics Trainings. For those of you who want to dismiss us as only interested in money, we've given almost 50% of our participants full scholarships. One hundred and fourteen persons have built aquaponics systems after taking one of our classes; and seven of them have gotten their commercial systems USDA certified organic using our guidance and courses. These people are making money because of the information we developed (painfully and expensively) and sold to them relatively cheaply or gave them for free. Because of this, we feel we have a right to express an informed opinion about matters aquaponical. I also include my direct email address and real name so anyone who wishes to can contact me directly if they disagree with my editing or are curious as to where I obtained information, as we have a completely open source personal and business policy regarding aquaponic technology. We want to see everyone feeding themselves, SOON. A better world for all.
signed, Tim Mann, Friendly Aquaponics, Inc, email:kaimana@hawaiiantel.net February 3, 2011, KaimanaOMaunaKea (talk) 22:41, 3 February 2011 (UTC)
replies: text: While all that you have stated is admirable, this article must ultimately remain factual and encyclopaedic. If what you are doing in the market is testing out and developing techniques, by all means submit these results to a referred journal. Once the results and the techniques are published, we will gladly put them here.Jeanpetr (talk) 00:40, 5 February 2011 (UTC)
replies: text: Personally I feel the edit by Tim (KaimanaOMaunaKea) adds useful information (and pleasant phrasing), which unfortunately is mixed with non-encyclopedic elements such as a lack of references and strange section titles. My aim is to make a neutral assessment of the original text and each of the changes Tim made, and incorporate the useful bits in the article. Tim and I have been in touch and his aim on the long run already was to contribute to the article backed by scientific sources. I propose we stick to the rule (conform Wikipedia rules) that information that is unreferenced is immediately challenged, and may be removed if questionable. As a result, I do agree with Jeanpetr's decision to undo the changes, and I hope Tim will continue to contribute with referenced information. -- Eddyspeeder (talk) 20:02, 6 February 2011 (UTC)
thread_title:  Higher Standard Continued and Elaborated 

message: Hi,
I've just found this Video about aquaponics in Maui: vimeo.com/18196440
I don't know if this can be used in the article. --MartinThoma (talk) 17:44, 22 June 2011 (UTC)
thread_title:  Aquaponics in Maui 

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thread_title: File:Fingerlings.jpg Nominated for speedy Deletion

message: Wouldn't it be a good idea to also include a walkthrough on how to start up an aquaponic system?
ThomasMP (talk) 07:25, 16 June 2012 (UTC)
replies: text: Hi Thomas, thanks for the comment. Technically Wikipedia is not a how-to guide, so explicit instructions would be a bad idea. However, you definitely should add descriptions of the items necessary to build an aquaponics system. Steven Walling • talk  23:13, 16 June 2012 (UTC)
thread_title:  Comprehensive walkthrough 

message: This is completely inaccurate
"Nitrobacter: bacteria that convert nitrites into nitrates."
DNA testing has show that it is in fact Nitrospira, not Nitrobacter, that convert nitrites into nitrates.
Ref: http://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Nitrospira  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 46.195.58.248 (talk) 08:54, 1 August 2012 (UTC)
thread_title:  Old, hard dying, missconseption 

message: It would be interesting to have a section on safety risks, or general requirements to avoid contamination of food with zoonotic pathogens.  In non-aquaponics contexts, fish-derived fertilizers usually require a few months of composting to be safe.  A simple search for "Aquaponics risks and pathogens" comes up with interesting results, but having no experience in the field I'd have to swift through reliable sources and read some of the material myself.  But perhaps that some editors do have knowledge about this already.  As in any food production field, these risks must be managed. 76.10.128.192 (talk) 00:23, 21 May 2015 (UTC)
thread_title:  Safety 

message: I think it would be interesting to include algae into the bacteria sections, and explain how it can be beneficial for the environment and the live component, which is fish in this case. Also it would be interesting to  have a section on aquaponics and the effects it can have on the community. The article's diversity gives a good introduction to aquaponics and aquaculture, but does not state how much aquaponics techniques have evolved and its commercialization. Also the fast growth of aquaculture practice around the world,and that it is not always occuring with aquaponics, could have its place in the article.  — Preceding unsigned comment added by Cgndiaye (talk • contribs) 14:20, 16 March 2017 (UTC)
thread_title:  Live components 

message: Hello fellow Wikipedians,
I have just modified 3 external links on Aquaponics. Please take a moment to review my edit. If you have any questions, or need the bot to ignore the links, or the page altogether, please visit this simple FaQ for additional information. I made the following changes:
*Corrected formatting/usage for http://www.uvi.edu/sites/uvi/Pages/AES-Aquaculture-Aquaponic_Systems.aspx
*Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20130612182055/http://biology.westfield.ma.edu/Biol300/sites/default/files/Aquaponic-Production-of-Tilapia-and-Basil.pdf to http://biology.westfield.ma.edu/Biol300/sites/default/files/Aquaponic-Production-of-Tilapia-and-Basil.pdf
*Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20140714132500/http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/live/g1474/build/g1474.pdf to http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/live/g1474/build/g1474.pdf
When you have finished reviewing my changes, you may follow the instructions on the template below to fix any issues with the URLs.
Cheers.—InternetArchiveBot (Report bug) 06:30, 8 July 2017 (UTC)
thread_title:  External links modified 

message: In the History section, there was a reference right at the end of a sentence regarding research done at North Carolina University, but that reference was not related to that research (it was pointing to a research paper about bell siphons, which are not present in sand grow beds like those used at NC Uni.). So, I placed a reference to the NC Uni. paper at the end of that sentence (this is not a new link, it was already present among the references in this Wikipedia article), then I added a sentence in the Wikipedia article, mentioning systems based on bell siphons, and I put the link to the bell siphon paper in a reference at the end of this new sentence. Additionally I made a reference to "Speraneo system" since this is how those systems are sometimes referred to, and added a reference to an ATTRA publication that talks about the origin of so-called Speraneo systems, I believe that ATTRA is not a commercial enterprise (see here) so I thought this would be acceptable. Thank you for reading this.
Mastazi 05:27, 16 July 2020 (UTC)
thread_title:  Fixed references placement and added new reference in History section 

message: — Assignment last updated by Jand1990 (talk) 22:38, 2 November 2022 (UTC)
thread_title: Wiki Education assignment: General Biology I Honors

message: The history section was edited on  01:43, 15 April 2024‎ by Fishmastablasta with the reason listed as "Incomplete sentence; more concise language"  but upon inspection, the incomplete sentence was not completed, and there was no concise language added, instead, the user deleted this entire sentence;
"Shortly after, the various works of the New Alchemy Institute and the works of Dr. Mark McMurtry et al. at the North Carolina State University, who devised an "Integrated Aqua-Vegeculture System" (iAVs) based on the combination of aquaculture and sand-based grow beds."
The original references were not deleted and still remained in the 'references' section so i did not add a new reference, I edited the sentence that was deleted and added this version:
"Soon after, the numerous undertakings of the New Alchemy Institute and the endeavors of Dr. Mark McMurtry and others at North Carolina State University, who conceptualized an "Integrated Aqua-Vegeculture System" (iAVs) built on the integration of aquaculture and sand-based grow beds were established."
At 00:48, 16 April 2024‎ the user 2601:6c1:481:3f00:4d1b:4bf9:1654:1943 edited the history section and the reason that was listed for the edit was to "remove advertisement"  but upon inspection, there was no advertisement and the user actually deleted the entire sentence.
I can see no reason why this sentence was removed on 2 different ocassions nor can I see why the deleted sentence was not mentioned in the edit.
I will find more references for clarity. Wiki142B (talk) 03:35, 16 April 2024 (UTC)
replies: text: Your additions were full of inline external links (WP:ELINBODY) honorifics (WP:HONORIFIC) and generally contained a lot of editorializing (WP:NOR) and non neutral language (WP:NPOV). Please read up on Wikipedia's core policies and give it another go - in encyclopedic style next time. MrOllie (talk) 00:00, 3 May 2024 (UTC)
replies: text: Thanks. I will try again, in smaller edits rather than multiple edits at a time which make it harder for me to find and fix any errors. Wiki142B (talk) 00:05, 3 May 2024 (UTC)
replies: text: You immediately put back the same editorializing and non neutral statements. Avoid value-laden words like 'significant', 'pioneering', 'visionaries', 'significant strides', and so on. Let the facts speak for themselves. MrOllie (talk) 00:17, 3 May 2024 (UTC)
thread_title:  History Section 

message: Perhaps related to the History Section discussion above, there's a new article at Integrated Aqua-Vegeculture System which mostly just discusses Aquaponics. The key work is already discussed here, and the background either duplicates content here or can be added to improve the content here. Klbrain (talk) 11:10, 18 May 2024 (UTC)
replies: text: The reason why I made  Integrated Aqua-Vegeculture System it separate is because one of the other system types is also on a separate page, as seen at deep water culture. If we merge the one topic, it seems only appropriate that we merge both, which, in my opinion, would fill the page with excessive information and I think they should be kept separate,  I think it would be good add the schematic diagram for the integrated Aqua-Vegeculture System in the main page for Aquaponics. Wiki142B (talk) 22:46, 18 May 2024 (UTC)
replies: text: I would like to note that caution should be exercised regarding the proposed merger. The article on the Integrated Aqua-Vegeculture System is relatively new, and additional sections have been prepared or suggested in the talk section. There are also issues related to the definitions of 'aquaponics' and the Integrated Aqua-Vegeculture System. Aquaponics is defined as a combination of aquaculture and hydroponics, which is technically different from the Integrated Aqua-Vegeculture System, a combination of aquaculture and horticulture. The main distinction is that the Integrated Aqua-Vegeculture System is soil-based, whereas aquaponics is soilless. I have started to add these suggestion to the talk page for the Integrated Aqua-Vegeculture System for discussion.  Wiki142B (talk) 23:01, 18 May 2024 (UTC)
thread_title: Merge proposal