You would need to either locate it in a greenhouse, or just shut it down over the winter by harvesting fish and plants, and letting the water drain away instead of into the fish tank.
I was coming here to ask that. If this were in some sort of greenhouse would this be sustainable for years at a time, or is it more designed to be something you start up each spring?
Also, may have missed it, but do you plant the seeds right into the sand or sprout them first somewhere else? (I know basically nothing about gardening, sorry)
Great idea, and very tempting when I get into a new house.
The easiest way to get started is by planting the seeds into the sand, just push them in with your finger. I did plant sprouts in about half of each veggie bed, but I had to wash dirt off their roots, which really put them into shock.
The climate in our house varies so much that we need a heater in the winter and a cooler in the summer to keep it habitable. An additional grow room for plants would require the same and the cost would seem to outweigh the benefits, although I'm willing to be convinced otherwise.
Those are some amazing links. Definitely some inspiration for the future. I could definitely see this getting tied into a system like in the second link, with compost and chickens, and all that.
There's a YouTube channel "Bigelow Brook Farms" where the broadcaster designed and built a geodesic dome greenhouse (lots of passive solar) and does year-round aquaponics. I think he lives in Delaware or somewhere in the NE USA, it definitely gets cold there. He has 4-5 years worth of growth in this greenhouse and lots of lessons learned. I recommend it if you're interested in the topic.