A while back I was watching Doomsday Preppers and there was this guy, I think his name was Ryan Croft, who was growing spirulina in some tanks at home. Ryan believed that as spirulina is so nutritionally dense and complete food, he could all but feed his family with it, with a few additions (earthworms were one I believe…). BTW – duckweed is another crop to consider growing as well.
I did a little research! For those that don’t know – spirulina is a green algae that is incredibly high in protein and other nutrients. It is a full protein in that it provides the full range of essential amino acids required for health. It is also very high in iron and B vitamins. Many people suggest it is a complete food, and you could survive on just spirulina and one or two other foods to meet your nutritional needs. I’m not so sure about that. If nothing else, I don’t want to survive on algae alone!
I think growing spirulina is a good idea for preppers and folks that want to be more self-sufficient. Whilst it looks complicated, once you are set up, it’s not really. Also, you can grow a huge amount (enough to feed a family) in very little space. You do not need any outside space or land to grow spirulina. You could grow all you would need to fulfil your protein requirements in an apartment!
If you are interested in learning more about growing spirulina, the Algae Industry Magazine has written a great post detailing the equipment needed, plus instructions on how to grow spirulina.
Additionally, below is a very detailed video tutorial all about growing spirulina at home.
