permaculture

[Josh Robinson <Josh@SDSustainable.org>]

Can someone point me to the study that everyone seems to use in stating
that aquaponics uses 1/10th water that soil beds do? I want to know what
their assumptions are. I have had many people state this fact and then when
I look at their systems, they use reverse osmosis water, which can waste up
to 10 gallons for every gallon produced. Some then spend tons of energy
heating the water to 80 degrees to raise tilapia and other warm water fish.
Huge embodied energy that consumes huge volumes of water on the energy side
of things. Yet depending on the type of soil growing you do, factors can
completely change the amount of water used such as a mulched vs unmulched
bed. So any help finding this study about the water savings of aquaponics
would be great.

Josh Robinson

-- 
Josh Robinson
Director
San Diego Sustainable Living Institute <http://www.sdsustainable.org>
619-884-7749