Aquaponics is a combination of hydroponics and aquaculture, that is, gardening and fishery combined.
This floating system of growing plants allows you to grow more plants in a small space at a faster rate with less water consumption.
The system is so unique that it can be adapted into a small space like your kitchen or be converted into a larger project to grow mass vegetation.
So let's begin with some general "aquaponics how to" set-up guidelines.
As with any good project there are some fundamental basics that need to be adhered to get the best results.
Aquaponics has some very simple and basic requirements which if followed correctly can yield results beyond imagination.
The basic requirements are fish, plants and tanks (big or small) to start with; pumps to pump the water and lights (preferably daylight) and bacteria to convert the ammonia into nitrites and nitrates.
The plants are grown in a separate grow tank or bed in water, while the fish are in a separate tank in a lower level.
The operation is simple: the polluted water from the fish tank is pumped up to the plant tank where it is cleaned naturally by the plants and then flow down into the fish tank due to gravitation.
Could there be anything more simple and natural to grow your green veggies and at the same time be delighted by the colorful vision of swimming fish? Aquaponics reveals how nature works on its own and one life survives on the other's natural mechanisms.
As is known fish tanks get polluted with ammonia, algae, minerals produced by the aquatic lives and cleaning the fish tank becomes a chore.
However, in aquaponics the same water becomes food for the plants floating in a separate tank.
The water is cleaned as the plants absorb all these pollutants and the water is recycled back to the fish tank.
The process requires no chemicals or weeding or soil; you just need to replace the water absorbed by the plants and gets naturally evaporated, which is minimal.
There are more than 300 varieties that were found to grow successfully.
Herbs and green leafy vegetables, cucumber, lettuce, shallots, celery, egg plant, cauliflower, cabbage, and even tomatoes thrive wonderfully with this recirculation system.
People have grown riotous roses in the aquaponics system, too! Any fish that scamper around happily in a fish tank without eating each other are good enough for this process.
Some of the fish that adapt well are goldfish, silver perch, barramundi, tilapia, and jade perch.
They are also ideal as these fish feed on inexpensive fish food, are tolerant of ammonia, and agree with the temperature variances.
To get considerable produce you could start with a thousand liter tank for about 80 fish and 1.
800 liters tank for the plant grow bed.
Or you could have two grow beds of 600 liters each, one above the other and a 200 watt pump to raise the water from the fish tank to the grow beds.
Since this is a constant circulating system, you will need to make sure the pump does a good job.
Last but not the least, you will need to test and monitor the temperature of the fish tank water and the levels of nitrate, nitrite, ph and ammonia in it.
Aquaponics how to kits are also available to get you started and be a happy gardener.