Aquaponics is a discipline that is primarily defined as exhibiting or exhibiting a combination of the traditional form of agriculture and hydroponics. This combination is known as aquaculture systems, where fish, crayfish and even prawns are raised in tanks, and the wastewater is then used to fertilize plants that are raised in nearby areas.
Usually one would need a filter in place to filter the water to keep toxicity low and keep the fish happy. With this type of setup, the filter is the plants that are watered and fed from the nutrients in the water. The fish products are then converted into vital nutrients and the by-products become useful again. The water, after undergoing the filtration process, is transported as clean water, and this provides a symbiotic environment where the natural level of toxicity produced by the fish is used in a positive way.
There is no fixed structure or size for the aquaculture system. It varies greatly depending on the area available outdoors or even indoors and also depends on a number of other factors such as grow sets (for growing plants) and tanks (for fish) that are available for this purpose. These systems mostly use fresh water for this type of cultivation. However, sometimes saline water is used and this again depends on the vegetation and aquatic animals used for the purpose.
Many different plants can be grown in such a system, including lettuce, tomatoes, herbs, spinach, and radishes to name a few and many different types of fish can be used. You can raise specific fish such as tilapia, jade fish and trout that will provide you with a steady supply of fresh fish or you can use non-edible fish such as koi and goldfish to provide the necessary plant food.
Important components of aquaponic systems include:
• Fish tanks – can be as simple as a 5000 liter fish tank
• Pumps to transfer water to the growth ponds
• Drainage system for emptying agricultural ponds
• Solids Removal Systems – Not all liquid waste may be used.
• Grow ponds – where plants are grown by absorbing excess nutrients from the water
• Basin: the place where water is finally loaded into the breeding ponds
Aquaponic systems are still in the infancy stage and are constantly evolving. This is being seen as an alternative to traditional mode of farming and farming due to the many advantages offered by such a crop and water conservation.