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Aquaponics in Guadalajara, Mexico
by Carlos Leon Ramos

Since the use of aquaculture and hydroponics is growing around the world and new techniques are being developed, people in Mexico are interested in developing aquaponic technologies appropriate to its climate and market trends.  BOFISH Company, with a mission to develop sustainable production systems, is planning to start an aquaponic facility in collaboration with the Mexican Government and U.S. and Mexican investors.  The enterprise is planned to be built near the City of Guadalajara, Mexico, which has the ideal conditions for the target products, tilapia and Boston lettuce, inside greenhouse production units. 

The project is planned in three main stages: Planning Stage, Pilot Stage and Production Stage.  The first stage consists of the design and planning according to Guadalajara conditions and it is done in collaboration with Donald Bailey, research scientist at the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI).  The Pilot Stage will include a commercial scale operation to supply a regional market, and the Production Stage will focus on producing for an export market.

Planning Stage

Some adjustments to the UVI design have been required for the conditions in Mexico.  In order to have a clear understanding of the effects of these changes, a small scale model was developed by BOFISH and the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara.  This small scale unit will also serve as a planning and experimentation tool.  

The small scale aquaponics model consists of one fish tank (3 m3), one cylindrical-conical clarifier, an integrated net and degassing tank, two rectangular hydroponic raceways (1 m3/each) and a 1 m3 sump.  An 1/8 HP pump is used to move the water to the fish tank and to provide the necessary pressure for venturi aeration of the water for the fish. Two aquarium air pumps are used in the system, one for the degassing tank and one for the hydroponics raceways which are a deep pool hydroponics design.   

A pond for Red Claw Crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) was integrated as an attached project which is of interest to the investors to prove its feasibility.  This system will be at the beginning of an open flow aquaculture technique and the water will be used for irrigation of grass and ornamental plants in both first stages. The photo above shows the small scale model during its construction. 

Pilot Stage

As aquaponics is a fairly new technology, this project intends to start with a Pilot Stage which will have the following purposes:

· Prove that the technology works in Mexico as effectively as in other parts in the world

· Introduce the personnel to a new production experience

· Function during the approval time for international certifying standards (HACCP, FAO). 

A Pilot Stage project, on its own, is not usually economically attractive for investors because of its low production and high costs of operation (especially personnel).  The BOFISH project intends to offer more in order to make it more attractive.  The Pilot Stage will not only produce, but will give an “added value.”  This “added value” consists of the construction of a commercialization and processing area which will allow sales of the product directly to the final consumer in order to gain a higher price. Another objective of the Pilot Stage, is to prove the viability of renewable energy replacing 5% of the total energy requirements. 

Once the Pilot Stage has reached its objectives, (this is estimated to take 1-1.5 years) BOFISH will begin the construction of the Production Stage, the objectives of which are:

· Export lettuce to Canada, U.S. and Europe

· Compete in the international fresh tilapia market with the rest of Latin America

· Export fresh, chemical-free tilapia to the U.S. market 

The system is scaled to facilitate niche marketing of the fish and plants, which are both sold locally at premium prices and not in competition with large, out-of-state growers at the wholesale level. 

Production

The Pilot Stage is planned to produce 5 tons/year of Tilapia and 86,000 heads of Boston lettuce.  The production volume of the Production Stage will depend on the demand demonstrated in the Pilot Stage. For this project, a 24x increase is assumed, resulting in 150 tons of fish and 2 million heads of lettuce which is a considerable volume of fish and plants to export.

About the Author:  Carlos Leon Ramos has studied aquaculture and aquaponics and is the Project Manager for Aquaponics Guadalajara.  He can be reached by email at   bocharly@yahoo.com

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