Aquaponics

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Aquaponics is an integration of technology employed in aquaculture and hydroponics for the purpose of raising organic aquaculture and plants through a symbiotic relationship.

The fish through their wastes provide nutrients to the plants cultivated in hydroponics. In exchange of such favor, the plant roots will clean the water of any toxic wastes and provide an environment conducive to fish growth.

Besides using no harmful chemicals, aquaponics helps the earth’s sustainability because only one-tenth or 10% of water required in field crop production is used. Of that figure, only a fraction is used in fish aquaculture.

To make it happen, the aquaponic system has one single unit—a tank where a school of fish is cultivated and where some grow beds for vegetable or plant production is maintained as well.

In the fish tank, the wastes from the fishes that are mostly ammonia are treated with natural bacteria and converted into nitrite and nitrate which, are then absorbed by the plants through the bio-filter system as a nutrient solution.

Ammonia, which composes more than 50% of fish wastes are secreted through the fish gills and as urine. Click Here! to grow ten times the fruit, herb and vegetables in less time than other methods

The rest of the wastes are excreted as fecal substances that go through the process of mineralization in which the heterotrophic bacteria feeds on fish wastes, uneaten food and rotting plant matters.

In so doing, the wastes are converted into ammonia and other useful compounds.

Because excessive ammonia is toxic both to plants and fish, the nitrifying bacteria that live naturally in soil, air and water convert the ammonia into nitrite.

From that, they are converted further into nitrate for plant’s consumption. These nitrifying bacteria lurk around the gravel beds and in the water system. Being readily available, the plants absorb nitrites and nitrates from the water, thereby, cleaning the entire water system.

Both plants and the fish need adequate amount of nutrients, oxygen, water, carbon dioxide and light, which are all provided by the flood valve within the aquaponic system.

The fish must have gills to provide the basic nutrients through the nitrogen cycle, and for the bacteria to convert the wastes into useful nutrients for the plants.

Some enthusiasts choose ornamental fish, prawns, tilapia, escargot nails, and catfish bass. As to plants, a variety of them can be cultivated. A few have Hawaiian taro plant.

Aquaponics can maintain the pH balance of the water. It is a self-contained ecosystem that is lucrative especially in areas where water is scarce.

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