A combination of aquaculture and hydroponics, aquaponics systems are an increasingly popular farming practice. Taking all elements from fish farming and soil less farming, it aims to take the eco-benefits of both, whilst minimizing any negative aspects.
Essentially then, aquaponics systems aim to create a symbiotic atmosphere, in which both fish and plants can exist.
The plants are grown in containers filled with gravel, and fish in regular tanks of water; being fed standardized commercially available food. As the water in the fish tanks are cycled, it is pumped through the plant trays.
Bacteria, which are already present in the plant trays, break down the waste products contained in the fish tank water, which is used by the plants to get all their nutrition. Having been purified, the water cycles back into the fish tanks.
A beautifully simple system, it has many benefits to both the fish and the plants.
For their part, the fish are healthier and resistant to infections and disease. As a result, they are also less stressed than those in aquaculture systems. It is thought that this is because of a lack of chemicals that leech into the water.
Plants too follow the same course of being healthy and more resilient to disease. In both cases this seems to be due to the lack of chemicals used in the process.
The benefits are far greater than this alone however. The bottom line costs incurred by farmers are significantly reduced from traditional methods; with less food, less fertilizers and the like being necessary. With disease lessened, preventative and curative work is lessened too.
As the world's population rises, it is going to be necessary to increase food production on a huge scale. It is hoped that aquaponics systems could, at least in part, help with this. It is already being rolled out in the developing world, where food shortages are already increasingly common. Environmentally friendly too, it could be just the answer we have been looking for. - 30228
Essentially then, aquaponics systems aim to create a symbiotic atmosphere, in which both fish and plants can exist.
The plants are grown in containers filled with gravel, and fish in regular tanks of water; being fed standardized commercially available food. As the water in the fish tanks are cycled, it is pumped through the plant trays.
Bacteria, which are already present in the plant trays, break down the waste products contained in the fish tank water, which is used by the plants to get all their nutrition. Having been purified, the water cycles back into the fish tanks.
A beautifully simple system, it has many benefits to both the fish and the plants.
For their part, the fish are healthier and resistant to infections and disease. As a result, they are also less stressed than those in aquaculture systems. It is thought that this is because of a lack of chemicals that leech into the water.
Plants too follow the same course of being healthy and more resilient to disease. In both cases this seems to be due to the lack of chemicals used in the process.
The benefits are far greater than this alone however. The bottom line costs incurred by farmers are significantly reduced from traditional methods; with less food, less fertilizers and the like being necessary. With disease lessened, preventative and curative work is lessened too.
As the world's population rises, it is going to be necessary to increase food production on a huge scale. It is hoped that aquaponics systems could, at least in part, help with this. It is already being rolled out in the developing world, where food shortages are already increasingly common. Environmentally friendly too, it could be just the answer we have been looking for. - 30228
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