Aquaponics

PRABHAKAR NIKUMBE

What is Aquaponics?

Aquaponics is the farming of fish and plants in a single

recirculating system. The waste from the fish becomes the

nutrients for the plants, and the plants in turn remove these

nutrients from the water, purifying it for the fish. In this way,

the fish waste is used to grow a plant crop that becomes a

second income stream for little extra cost. In fact, it works so

well that the plants become the primary crop by volume and

value.

Aquaponics cycle

Types of Aquaponics:

There are three main types of Aquaponics:

1. Gravel Bed Culture (GBC)

2. Deep Water Culture (DWC)

3. Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) 

Gravel Bed Culture (GBC)

In this the plants are rooted in coarse gravel or aggregate

media.

Bacteria grow on the media and convert the ammonia

excreted by the fish to nitrate.

Plants within the grow beds remove the nitrate from the

water, which then returns to the fish in a clean and healthy

form.

No mechanical or biological filtration is required as the

gravel beds suit both purposes.

This method is most variable in terms of the range of crops

that can be grown and there is no waste water discharge.

Gravel Bed Culture

Deep Water Culture (DWC)

The water from the fish is filtered mechanically and

biologically to remove the solids from suspension and

convert the toxic ammonia to benign nitrate.

This clean water then travels down the length of a tank of

water in which polystyrene rafts are floated.

Plants are rooted through the holes in the polystyrene

sheets and into the water below, where the roots take up

nutrients from the water.

DWC is most suited to leafy crops and there is some

discharge of water during the filtration process.

Deep Water Culture

Deep Water Culture

Nutrient Film Technique (NFT)

As with DWC the water is filtered prior to going to the plants,

but in this case the plants are rooted through holes in pipes.

The tip of the root touches the bottom surface of the pipe

and absorbs nutrients from a thin film of water trickling

down the length of the pipe.

NFT is very susceptible to heat uptake or loss as the air

temperature changes, and the plants can be lost quickly

through drying out during a power failure.

This method also results in the loss of water and nutrients

during filter cleaning, and is also best suited to leafy crops.

Why Aquaponics ?

Aquaponics is not only a most enjoyable way of producing

high quality, wholesome crops as a business or for own use,

but it also has several distinct advantages over both

aquaculture and hydroponics. 

Advantages of Aquaponics food production

Fish waste is utilised as plant feed rather than being wasted

Excellent crop quality - both in terms of taste and

appearance

provides a truly organic form of nutrients for the plants

produces an organic product (no fertilizer or herbicides used)

no soil-borne disease as there is no soil

no water is wasted or consumed by weeds

Low electrical usage - commercial system (300m2) runs on

<1kW of power !!!

Systems do not require mechanical or biological filters - the

processes all occur naturally, saving money and resulting in

a natural, stable environment

Low labour requirement

relatively small spaces required as plant spacing can be

intensive

plants grow and develop relatively quickly

Faster cash flow generation than aquaculture

Constant production throughout the year - markets love this

Ability to produce `out-of-season' crops

Crop harvesting is quick and easy, regardless of the weather

outside

Crops can be grown all year-round. In most climates a

greenhouse is required

Higher yields than conventional farming

Faster growth to market size due to optimal conditions being

maintained

Root temperature very stable resulting in fewer disease

issues than hydroponics

No crop rotation needed & No weeds to pull out

Cultivable plants in Aquaponics Bendi - Okra

Cherry Tomato

Daun Pandan - Pandanus

Amaryllifolius

Kangkong - Water Spinach

Keladi - I Yam not Taro

Kesum - Knotweed Leaf

Kunyit - Turmeric

Mengkudu Hutan - morinda

elliptica

Paku - Athyrium Esculentum

Pudina - Mint

Sambung Nyawa - Gynura

Procumbens

Serai - Lemon Grass

Stevia Rebaudiana

Ulam Raja - Cosmos

Caudatus

References

http://www.canna-uk.com/aquaponics

http://affnan-aquaponics.blogspot.in/

http://www.aquaponic.be/en/aquaponics/permanent-watersysteem-nft/

http://www.aquaponics.co.za/what-is-aquaponics

http://oneoftheengineers.blogspot.in/2012/11/what-is-aquaponic-

gardening.html

http://truedemocracyparty.net/2012/02/aquaponics-1-million-pounds-of-

food-on-3-acres-1-pump10000-fish-the-future-of-food/

http://homeaquaponicsguide.blogspot.in/2012/04/aquaponics-systems-

types.html

THANK YOU