Consider the UVI System

The deep-water culture system designed by the University of the Virgin Islands is perhaps the best-known form of aquaponics. It is a great system to adapt for commercial use. To follow their model,

you’ll only need relatively basic materials and can make the clarifier tanks, filters and biofilters used in this system all from scratch. You will need a suitable pond liner material for the necessary trenches. A laminated product that combines layers of both HDPE and LDPE is best because it offers maximum flexibility, tear resistance and water safe composition. BTL liners AquaArmor, is the industry leading liner for this use. 

Avoid Barrels and Small Tanks

Most backyard and hobby level aquaponics systems are based around improvised and recycled materials to help their designers work within a tight budget. When you’re trying to build a system big enough to support a business, and turn a profit, you’ll need to invest in professional quality materials as well. Don’t try to design an aquaponics system around 55-gallon plastic barrels, IBC totes, home aquariums, and other small tanks and containers. While some plans call for using 55-gallon drums for small filtration, degassing and settling tanks, they’re not big enough to hold a decent number of fish or to provide much surface area for growing plants.

Consider that even a relatively small commercial deep water culture system may need hundreds of square meters of raft space to balance plant growth and fish waste production, and you’ll soon understand the kind of scale you’re dealing with. Even with hundreds of individual barrels and buckets, you’ll spend so much time on cleaning and maintenance that you’ll never turn much of a profit off of a poorly designed and undersized system.

Source Materials Locally

Having to ship in fiberglass fish rearing tanks or growing media from another country quickly inflates your upfront costs, making it harder to break even and pay back loans. Look for local sources for all materials you plan to use in your aquaponics system before committing to any one design or idea. You may have to adapt and change your plans after discovering that concrete is cheaper than lumber locally, or that you can find affordable tanks only in sizes bigger than you expected that require you to re-scale your plans.

Check the High Cost of Modular Systems

There are hundreds of companies out there offering to sell you complete aquaponics systems you simply unpack and install. Most of them are targeting homeowners and hobbyists, but some packages claim to be large and efficient enough to provide a commercial experience. Take all marketing claims with a grain of salt. Unless you can see the system set up and running in person, verify their claims about the system’s performance, and have experience in evaluating these kinds of equipment, you should stick with DIY plans instead. Following a pre-drawn plan where you source your own components is far more likely to pay off than any all-in-one package. The seller still has to turn a healthy profit off their labor to put together the system, so you’re always going to spend more than what’s necessary to start a business growing plants and fish together.

Find a Designer or Design Consultant

If you feel completely lost by the various systems to choose from, or the instructions on sizing beds and tanks, you should probably hire an independent aquaponics designer to help you. A design consultant can guide you through the most essential parts of getting your business started and increase your chances of success. Even if you’ve farmed fish before in ponds or recirculating aquaculture systems, a consultant with experience specific to the type of aquaponics you want to use will help you avoid many obstacles as you start up a new business.