Aquaculture Project to Re-utilize Trub - Sustainable Brewing Techniques?

[hypnotika]

I am curious if anyone done a project that has integrated aquaculture to re-utilize most of the by-products (trub & yeast) in the brewing process. I realize there has been a lot of other discussions on the re-utilization of trub in this forum, but not in the context of aquaculture. Since algea eats the trub as a food source, I was thinking of having nature do work for us - so lets create an artificial eco-system. Right now, I am brainstorming about practicable ways to re-purpose some of what is wasted specifically towards aquaculture. May eventually lead to sustainable techniques in producing/sourcing aquatic products for human consumption (on-site at a brewpub or sold next door to a local restaurant). The idea is to create a system with few inputs, minimal energy, and little capital investment in maximizing value-add potential. My idea:

The basic concept is to build a series of fish tanks in sequence. Fish tanks can be found cheap locally on Craigslist ...

Tank 1: Mix trub + nutrients in water at a optimal ratio. Ensure proper PH levels to introduce to Tank 2.

Transfer to...

Tank 2: Grow phytoplankton or algea that eats the trub as a food source. Not sure what species would work best...

Transfer to...

Tank 3: Filter feeder (Corbicula fluminea or Asian clams) eats the phytoplankton and brewers yeast. Asian clams are invasive and very resilient. This species is found in fresh water and does not require a fish host during development. Known to also eat brewers yeast from my research. Unsure about propagation rate. Might integrate aquatic plants for future filtration. End product is clean water and viable food source (Asian clams). Asian clams would be consumed by my family or friends.

Transfer to...

Tank 4: Cleaned water goes into water holding tank to be re-used in Tank 1 or other grey water uses in landscaping/gardening (laundry?). Can potentially be filtered and purified to produce potable water.

Basically, a mini water treatment plant from nature. However, I am unsure how efficient the theory would work in application.

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Other additional ideas:

1) Any unused trub goes to a methane digester with bacteria to produce methane gas. The methane gas can be used with a generator to produce electricity for the the aquatic equipment listed above. Generator can also be utilized as an emergency power source.

2) Supplment biogas production with solar panels to produce more electrical energy.

3) Assumption is an increase labor. But, the system might be can be retrofitted with timers/valves/plumping for automation. Calibration is need to ensure right frequency of feeding and ensuring the proper environmental conditions.


Still a concept. Please share any ideas or critiques...

 

[brewstarke]

I think you actually may want to have some sort of fish/secondary consumer first in the chain- maybe after a settling tank or something. These consumers will eat the large particles (not sure hops are OK for these types of critters) and convert to dissolved nutrients that the phytoplankton can then use.
This trub water could be a good aquaponics nutrients mix but you'd definitely need to worry about pH and possible toxins from hops etc.

 

[hypnotika]

Good point about aquaponics. I looked into it and looking to integrate it into the system. Its more capital investment than I want to put into it. Might, try to get a homebrew partner in the local brewers association to help out with time and cost.

 

[ross_daly]

I love the idea that you could scale it up into 4 big tanks, or 4 large ponds. Potentially you could even set them up to run off into each other and then you could self-level just by discharging more trub into the first pond.

Breweries also have large amounts of grain and relatively clean water as outputs, so those could be utilized as well.

 

[chnookie]

Make sure you know your rules for aquaculture in your area.

If those invasive species spawn in your tank, the larvae could flow out your effluent, into a waterway....very bad juju...

Seriously.

 

[badmajon]

Dump it in your compost bin?

 

[madscientist451]

Did some hunting around on google and came to the conclusion that if brewing trub was really good for anything more than low grade fertilizer, there would be articles pertaining to that. My 2 cents: without running all the numbers, your aquaculture idea would consume more resources, including time and money, than it would provide in usable products.
However, I do think its a good idea to try to avoid pouring useful things down the drain.
If a small brewery had any land nearby, I think composting the trub along with the spent grain and using that material for growing food crops that could then be served at the brewery would be a worthwhile project.
Sierra Nevada invested in a "Hot Rot" system that composts waste they generate and is then used in a farming operation they own. http://www.sierranevada.com/blog/food-beer-sustainability/four-years-of-super-composting