Introduction Matt Stong

Hello all,
This is Matthew Stong, Todd Stong's son. I am finishing my PhD in agricultural and biosystems engineering.
I have decent work experience in utilization of aqualcultural effluents in crop production. To date most of the work has been done on field crops. I did a study in the Coachella Valley of California with a preeminent aquaculture producer know as Kent Seatech. They grown one million US dollars worth of bass daily for sail in Los Angeles. We took their effluent and placed on crops for production. There is nutrient effect from this water, and it is pretty significant. In a simple system such as the one you refer to, the concentrations of nutrients (NH-NO-PO) will be substantially smaller than at the intensive production at Kent. Their is a good paper on these low production pond effluent use on agricultural by the past president of the US aquacultural association, a Dr Fitzsimmons. I have some suggestions on this process, and would be happy to be involved, but would require an invite first as I do not intend to poke my nose in.

Currently, I am in the controlled environment agricultural program here at the University of Arizona. I have good knowledge of ebb and flood, trickle, and NFT hydroponic techniques. My current emphasis is designing greenhouse for the developing world, ie cheaper and uses less electricity. I can be assistance in design of a controlled environment for your hydroponics if you so desire.

As far as pushing aquacultural effluent through drip, you will have two possible problems. Cloggin of emitters from the biological matter and introduction of pathogens into your cropping system. Of these introducing pathogens will be the most detrimental. Depending on your avilability of electricity, there are two options to address these concerns. If electricity is available and not too expensive use of ozone to break up the organic matter and kill the pathogens is optimal. If not a slow sand filter using ATSM 30 sand is next best, in conjunction with clorox. In commercial agriculture we use sand filters and injected chlorine gas to accomplish these tasks.

A complete chemical analysis can be done relatively simply using today's tech. There are several inexpensive ways to get the basic needs. If you sent a water sample up here, I could do an analysis.

In any event if I can be of assistance please let me know. My objective upon completion of school is to be involved in agricultural projects in the developing world.
Thanks
Matthew Stong

Team Leader:Dr. Don Coan, California.

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