Aquaponics is a mixture of Aquaculture as well as Hydroponics. The two, Hydroponics and Aquaculture both have disadvantages. Hydroponics demand costly nutrients in feeding the plants, in addition, it also needs frequent flushing of its systems, this could lead to an increase in waste disposal. In order to recirculate the needs of aquaculture, excess nutrients have to be discarded out of the system and when this happens this could only mean that a fraction of the water is taken away, normally on a day-to-day basis.
The discarded water, which is basically rich in nutrients are then replaced with fresh water. Although recirculating hydroponics and aquaculture are very resourceful techniques of producing vegetables and fish, when we start to add the two negatives, surprisingly the outcomes become positives. The quality and practical features of hydroponics and aquaculture are preserved and the negatives cease to exist. Talking about Aquaponics, it can either be simple or complex depending on how you want it to be. A simple system like the one showed below is actually made from a single IBC or Intermediate Bulk Container. The topmost area was removed and positioned upside down turning it into a grow bed for the plants. From the fish tank, water is pumped up and channeled to the grow bed. The water dribbles through the media and goes past the roots of the plant before it drains back to the fish tank. Read More …