aquaponics

AQUAPONICS (AP) combines:

AQUACULTURE (everything with fishes) and HYDROPONICS (Everything planted in a medium that is not soil)

 

Figure 1: aquaponic principle

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Fishes release ammonia NH3 that became nitrates NO3 through bacteria that plants love!!! (NH3 à NO2 à NO3)

Figure 2: AP cycle

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The Egyptian were the first using aquaponics knowledge discovered during the flooding of the Nilo.

Watch on YOUTUBE: Aquaponics farming of the future https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyLbDOMgtcA

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AP needs 1/10 water of a traditional farming, no solid is needed, less land space. 

BENEFITS:

• Nitrates rich plants has positive health benefits

• No chemical added

• Certifiable organically grown produce

• No soil needed

• No weeding needed

• Less water VS traditional

• Scalable

Mechanical filtration or biological filtration

No clean the system because digestive bacteria need to be there.

Bacteria are added by media like LECA (little clay balls normally added to the soil) , gravel, pumice stones, river rocks

 

Figure 3: basic AP system

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Fish design hobby scale:

• 1:1 Fish Tank to Grow Bed Volume for hobby scale

• Pump capacity at least 80% of total tank water volume

• 500 grams of fish for every 10 liters of fish tank water

• 9 lettuces for each square foot of grow bed

• 1 square foot of DWC bed per 4 liters of fish tank water

• Surface area of fish tank at least 1.5 X fish tank volume (the fish tank is better shallow and wide so the fishes can breathe better)

 

Components:

• Fish tank

• Grow tank

• Pump

• Siphon

 

Deep Water Culture: AP for commercial scale

Important to keep part of the root dry. The dry zone ((1-2 inches) is a critical parameter

At least 90% of fish stock should be one gender (better male) otherwise there will be problem.

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The system can be also FISH-LESS!!! You just manually add ammonia!!!!!

 

Maintenance:

• Check pH level 3 times a week (adjusting the pH must to be very gradual. Increment or decrease 0.2 only every hour, to don’t stress the fishes)

• Check for Ammonia (=0), Nitrites (=0) and Nitrates (=50ppm) once a week (If there is too much Ammonia and Nitrites you need to reduce fishes)

• Check fish behavior or dead fish

• Check for pump and plumbing once a month

• DON’T HARVEST PLANTS ALL AT ONCE (whatever you harvest you should replace). Ideally only 30% of the crop should be harvested.

 

What can I grow and what type of fishes? (just examples of common experiences)

VEGGIE: Basil, Lettuce, watercress, mint, cabbage, tomatoes, melon, peppers, cucumber, strawberry.

FISH: trout, tilapia, carp, goldfish, catfish…

 

Initial capital: P4000 per m2 for at least 200m2 (around P800k with design, material, implementation, training…)