Aquaponics

PRABHAKAR NIKUMBE
What is Aquaponics?
Aquaponics is the farming of fish and plants in a single
recirculating system. The waste from the fish becomes the
nutrients for the plants, and the plants in turn remove these
nutrients from the water, purifying it for the fish. In this way, the
fish waste is used to grow a plant crop that becomes a second
income stream for little extra cost. In fact, it works so well that
the plants become the primary crop by volume and value.
Aquaponics cycle
Types of Aquaponics:

There are three main types of Aquaponics:

1. Gravel Bed Culture (GBC)

2. Deep Water Culture (DWC)

3. Nutrient Film Technique (NFT)

Gravel Bed Culture (GBC)
 In this the plants are rooted in coarse gravel or aggregate
media.

 Bacteria grow on the media and convert the ammonia

excreted by the fish to nitrate.

 Plants within the grow beds remove the nitrate from the water,
which then returns to the fish in a clean and healthy form.

 No mechanical or biological filtration is required as the gravel

beds suit both purposes.

 This method is most variable in terms of the range of crops that

can be grown and there is no waste water discharge.
Gravel Bed Culture
Deep Water Culture (DWC)
 The water from the fish is filtered mechanically and
biologically to remove the solids from suspension and convert
the toxic ammonia to benign nitrate.

 This clean water then travels down the length of a tank of

water in which polystyrene rafts are floated.

 Plants are rooted through the holes in the polystyrene sheets

and into the water below, where the roots take up nutrients
from the water.

 DWC is most suited to leafy crops and there is some

discharge of water during the filtration process.
Deep Water Culture
Deep Water Culture
Nutrient Film Technique (NFT)
 As with DWC the water is filtered prior to going to the
plants, but in this case the plants are rooted through holes in
pipes.

 The tip of the root touches the bottom surface of the pipe and
absorbs nutrients from a thin film of water trickling down the
length of the pipe.

 NFT is very susceptible to heat uptake or loss as the air

temperature changes, and the plants can be lost quickly
through drying out during a power failure.

 This method also results in the loss of water and nutrients

during filter cleaning, and is also best suited to leafy crops.
Why Aquaponics ?

Aquaponics is not only a most enjoyable way of producing high

quality, wholesome crops as a business or for own use, but it also

has several distinct advantages over both aquaculture and

hydroponics.
Advantages of Aquaponics food
production
 Fish waste is utilised as plant feed rather than being wasted

 Excellent crop quality - both in terms of taste and

appearance

 provides a truly organic form of nutrients for the plants

 produces an organic product (no fertilizer or herbicides used)

 no soil-borne disease as there is no soil

 no water is wasted or consumed by weeds

 Low electrical usage - commercial system (300m2) runs on

<1kW of power !!!
 Systems do not require mechanical or biological filters - the
processes all occur naturally, saving money and resulting in a
natural, stable environment

 Low labour requirement

 relatively small spaces required as plant spacing can be

intensive

 plants grow and develop relatively quickly

 Faster cash flow generation than aquaculture

 Constant production throughout the year - markets love this

 Ability to produce `out-of-season' crops

 Crop harvesting is quick and easy, regardless of the weather
outside

 Crops can be grown all year-round. In most climates a

greenhouse is required

 Higher yields than conventional farming

 Faster growth to market size due to optimal conditions being

maintained

 Root temperature very stable resulting in fewer disease issues

than hydroponics

 No crop rotation needed & No weeds to pull out

Cultivable plants in Aquaponics
 Bendi - Okra  Paku - Athyrium Esculentum

 Cherry Tomato  Pudina - Mint

 Daun Pandan - Pandanus  Sambung Nyawa - Gynura

Amaryllifolius Procumbens

 Kangkong - Water Spinach  Serai - Lemon Grass

 Keladi - I Yam not Taro  Stevia Rebaudiana

 Kesum - Knotweed Leaf  Ulam Raja - Cosmos Caudatus

 Kunyit - Turmeric

 Mengkudu Hutan - morinda

elliptica
References
 http://www.canna-uk.com/aquaponics

 http://affnan-aquaponics.blogspot.in/

 http://www.aquaponic.be/en/aquaponics/permanent-watersysteem-nft/

 http://www.aquaponics.co.za/what-is-aquaponics

 http://oneoftheengineers.blogspot.in/2012/11/what-is-aquaponic-
gardening.html

 http://truedemocracyparty.net/2012/02/aquaponics-1-million-pounds-of-
food-on-3-acres-1-pump10000-fish-the-future-of-food/

 http://homeaquaponicsguide.blogspot.in/2012/04/aquaponics-systems-
types.html
THANK YOU