Aquaponics System

Aquaponics

Aquaponics is the cultivation of a plant in a closed water system. What is the difference between aquaponics and traditional hydroponics? The fact is that water is saturated with the products of vital activity of fish that are in the irrigation tank. Plants, by absorbing the products of the vital activity of fish, purify the water in which they live. This creates a sustainable ecosystem that allows us to live in "commonwealth" with both fish and plants. This is a symbiosis, where feces are needed to feed plant crops, and plants function as a natural filter for water purification.

Aquaponica is a natural growth mechanism, which makes it possible to completely exclude chemicals from plant growth technology. Using the excrement of fish, the plant receives all the necessary and important nutrients necessary for their growth. It allows the creation of unique, complex ecosystems that involve the cultivation of both flora and fauna.

In such systems, bacteria process fish waste into compounds necessary for plant nutrition. More than 50% of the waste generated by fish is ammonia, which leaves with urine and through the gills. In significant amounts, it is toxic to all living organisms. Nitrifying bacteria act in the soil, which decompose ammonia to a form accessible to plants. Similar bacteria work in the water environment.

The maintenance of fish also requires special knowledge and skills to create a balanced ecosystem. Which fish is best used?

• Tilapia is the second most popular fish in the world. Tilapia is ideal for aquaponics systems. It simply grows, it grows well, does not always withstand the favorable conditions of the aquatic environment, is omnivorous and actively eats feed.
• Koi is one of the species of carp inhabiting the countries of Asia and found in large ornamental water bodies. For those who like this fish, the aquaponic system is a good way to grow it.
• Trout - also used for breeding in aqua systems with a cool water temperature. Trout needs a temperature of 10 ° C to 20 ° C. It very quickly gaining weight and is unpretentious to feed, which quickly recycles.
• Other species suitable for such systems are mussels, freshwater shrimps and crawfish.

Do not forget that the quality of the feed is important not only for the health of fish, but also for the health of the grown plants. The composition of the feed includes proteins, fats, minerals, etc., which consume fish in the wild naturally. Sources of such nutrition in aquaponic systems can be fish meal, corn, soybean and other substances of animal origin after their processing.

All fodders for fish, especially brands that use more natural ingredients and in lesser amounts, preservatives, have a certain, limited shelf life. Keep them in a cool, dry place.

There are many tips and recipes for feeding fish. The most effective recipe: it is better to use as much food as the fish eat in 5 minutes. The remainders of the feed should be removed from the reservoir in which the fish lives.

How to raise acidity (pH) in an aqueous medium?

To increase the pH, use calcium carbonate and potassium carbonate, alternate them or add in equal amounts at the same time. They are used more often for several reasons:

1. They impart strength to the buffer system.
2. They are non-toxic and do not leave burns or ulcers on the surface of the skin, unlike the hydroxides.
3. They are included in the list of the Institute for Review of Organic Additives, as suitable additives for organic cultivation.

How to lower the pH level in aquaponics?

In addition to aquarium options - peat and CO2, advise to use acids: nitric, hydrochloric or phosphoric. Aquagents use phosphoric because it is the safest of these acids and it contributes a small amount of phosphates to the system that are not indifferent to plants. But phosphates contribute to the growth of algae. So if you have active algae in the system, it is better to use a different acid.

In the shop window of our store there are solutions for aquaponics to change and control the acidity of the environment. On  this page  you can find pH UP and pH Down.

Do not use citric acid, because it causes the death of bacteria. Do not use vinegar, because it is weak as an acid. Fish quickly marinate, the lower the pH level.

Changes in the pH level adversely affect the condition of the underwater inhabitants, so be careful with this indicator, change the exponent for a certain period: add a small amount to the system, wait until the substance is evenly distributed throughout the aquarium, then measure the pH level. Repeat until you get the desired result.

The amount of reagent used to change the acidity of the aquatic environment will vary depending on the stage of growth processes and the level of carbon dioxide in the water.

What pH is desirable in aquaponics?

Manage the technology of aquaponics is not easy, because It is necessary to monitor the three main groups of living things: plants, fish and bacteria. While plants "love" a weakly acid reaction of the medium (from 5.5 to 6.5), fish and bacteria are positively related to a slightly alkaline medium (7.0-8.0). It is important to find the average between three living organisms. It is best to keep the pH at 6.8 - 7.0. Such an indicator will give an opportunity to live in normal conditions to all the inhabitants of the system.

What plant cultures can be grown on aquaponics?

Many plants that grow on the ground, successfully master Aquaponics, except for plants that prefer acid soil.

How many times and with what substances to feed fish in aquaponics?

It all depends on what type of food fish prefer. Carnivorous (trout, perch and bass) needs a food with a high concentration of protein (45 - 50%). Omnivorous fish (tilapia, perch, carp, catfish) absorb a smaller amount of protein feed (usually 32% protein). It should also be taken into account that protein is important for young, growing fish.

Feeding should be minimal during the first months. You need to feed the fish so that they take all the food for 5 minutes. It is not more than 1 tbsp. spoons for 20 fishes a day. It should be borne in mind that fish can live for several weeks without eating.

Water can turn green for a while, but this is a non-permanent phenomenon. Once the water in the system is transparent, the number of feeds can be increased to 2-3 times a day. But keep watching how many fish eat feed in 5 minutes. Typically, adult tilapia eat about 1% of their body weight per day, and fry can eat up to 7% of body weight.

When are crop plants planted in the system?

It is recommended to put the plants when the cyclic process is just beginning, before the fish are settled. This gives the plant the necessary time to develop roots and settle down in a new habitat.

What are the advantages of growing on aquaponics?

• Aquaponics is essentially fish farming. Now you can eat fish without bothering to catch in the water.
• Plants use 90% less water than in soil cultivation.
• Aquaponica gives 2 times the best result than receiving products in the same area when grown in the ground.
• There are no weeds, irrigation and the need for plant nutrition. 
• This is organic production. Fish waste feeds plants. Therefore, the harvest is as delicious as it is on soil with organic fertilizers.

How to start a growing cycle in such a system?

After you have all the necessary tools to start the process in a cyclic mode, you need to enter a source of ammonia. Usually, for this purpose, the fish are placed in containers, which will add the necessary element to the aquatic environment.

Is aeration important?

That the fish, plants and bacteria do not ache and quickly grow on aquaponics, they need a certain level of dissolved oxygen in the water. Both in the fish containers and in the water space at the base of the plant roots, the oxygen level should be at the level of 5 mg / l or higher.

A suitable level of oxygen is also important for maintaining the life of useful nitrifying bacteria, which convert toxic ammonia and nitrite into nitrate ions. Isolated through the fish gills ammonia, one representative of the genus bacteria (Nitrosomonas) converts into nitrites, and another kind of bacteria (Nitrobacter) converts nitrites into nitrates. All these chemical reactions require oxygen.

Will you need biological control?

To control the diseases of fish and plants in aquaponics, the use of pesticides is prohibited, since many of them are toxic. Also, most chemicals should not be used to treat fish (if necessary) from parasites and diseases, because these agents can destroy useful bacteria. In addition, plants are able to absorb and store them.

The methods of biological control are the only possible option for controlling pests and diseases. Biological control is still a subject for serious research. New methods are being created and tested, and experimental work is under way. As an example - this is the breeding of hardy fish, resistant to many negative factors.