Aquaponics

 

Aquaponics is the combination of two food production systems, the first being aquaculture- raising fish in a controlled environment, and the the second being hydroponics- growing plants in a soilless medium using nutrient-rich water. When these two are combined they form a polyculture called aquaponics. Using these two systems individually creates a large amount of wastewater which must be either filtered and added back into the system which can be expensive, or in some cases the wastewater will be discarded into drains and waterways which can cause huge damage to the local environment and ecosystems. 

However, when aquaponics is integrated water is conserved and is continually recycled through the system with very little water going to waste, with the added benefit of accelerated plant growth than in traditional hydroponic systems.

The system works once fish feed is added to the tank, the fish then eat these pellets and the waste nutrients (ammonia) is excreted through the fishes gills and stools. The ammonia and waste rich water is pumped from the fish tank into the grow bed whihc is filled with growing media like clay pellets, these provide a home for the nitrifying bacteria. A bacteria called Nitrosomonas will oxidise the ammonia into nitrite, Nitrobacter then oxidies the nitrite into the plant available nitrate, which is absorbed by the plants roots, facilitating plant growth. The now clean water is delievered back to the fish tank and the cycle continues.