Aquaponics

Aquaponics is a sustainable food production system combining aquaculture and hydroponics into a symbiotic subecosystem. In aquaculture, animal wastes accumulate in the water, which unchecked, becomes toxic for the fish. This water is filtered through a hydroponic system where the by-products from the aquaculture are processed by bacteria (via the nitrogen cycle) and used by the plants as vital nutrients. The clean water is recirculated back to the animals.

Aquaponics systems consist of several subsystems. Typical components include:

• Rearing tank: the tanks for raising and feeding the fish
• Solids removal: a unit for catching uneaten food and detached biofilms, and for settling out fine particulates
• Biofilter: a place where the nitrification bacteria can grow and convert ammonia into nitrates, which are usable by the plants
• Hydroponics subsystem: the portion of the system where plants are grown by absorbing excess nutrients from the water
• Sump: the lowest point in the system where the water flows to and from which it is pumped back to the rearing tanks
• Aquaponics instrumentation: A way to monitor and ensure the habitat remains at an equilibrium

Water is only added to replace water loss from absorption and transpiration by plants, surface water evaporation, and removal of biomass such as settled solid wastes from the system. Subsequently, aquaponics uses only a small percentage of the water that a conventionally irrigated farm requires for the same vegetable production. Each gallon of aquaculture feeds up to one sq foot of hydroponics sustainably and can produce up to a pound of fish.

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