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Program - 7-day course that will provide in-depth
knowledge of the principles and practical application of the aquaponic
and biofloc tank culture systems that have been developed at the
University of the Virgin Islands. Participants will be introduced to a
variety of system designs that maintain water quality by various solids
removal techniques and by hydroponic plant culture (aquaponics), a
suspended growth process (biofloc tank
culture) or fixed-film nitrification. Fish production instruction will
be
conducted using both the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and red
tilapia.
Hydroponic plant production will focus on vegetables, culinary herbs
and ornamental
flowers. |
| Instruction - Each day will include a half-day of
classroom lecture and a half-day of hands-on field work. Participants
will learn the technology through presentation of the theory and
practical skill development. Each student will be given a notebook of
reference materials. Water quality labs will cover the methods
of analysis and the use of water quality test kits. Field work will
include fish handling, vegetable production and system operation. |
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Facilities - UVI is located in the heart of beautiful
St. Croix. The Aquaculture Program operates fifteen research-scale
systems (six aquaponic and nine biofloc) as well as commercial-scale
aquaponic and biofloc
systems, a biofloc demonstration system with an associated vegetable
garden,
a fry sex-reversal system, a recirculating system for fingerling
rearing
and a purge system. The program annually produces about 20,000 lbs. of
tilapia and a variety of vegetables. |
