Aquaponics

A small, portable aquaponics system.

Aquaponic greenhouse in Apaga

Aquaponics is a food production system that couples aquaculture (raising aquatic animals such as fish, crayfish, snails or prawns in tanks) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) whereby the nutrient-rich aquaculture water is fed to hydroponically grown plants.^[1]^[2]

Plants are grown in hydroponics systems, with their roots immersed in the nutrient-rich effluent water. This enables them to filter out the ammonia that is toxic to the aquatic animals, or its metabolites. After the water has passed through the hydroponic subsystem, it is cleaned and oxygenated, and can return to the aquaculture vessels.^[3]

The size, complexity, and types of foods grown in an aquaponic system can vary as much as any system found in either distinct farming discipline.^[4] The main fish grown in aquaponics are tilapia, koi, goldfish, carp, catfish, barramundi, and different types of ornamental fish. The main plants produced include lettuce, pak choi, kale, basil, mint, watercress, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, beans, peas, squash, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage.^[5]

Fish, plants and microbes are three main components of aquaponics, and microbes play the bridge role of converting fish waste to plant nutrients. The three major types of modern aquaponic designs are deep-water or "raft", nutrient film technology, and media-based bed or reciprocating systems.^[6]

^ Rakocy, James E. (2012-03-23), "Aquaponics-Integrating Fish and Plant Culture", Aquaculture Production Systems, Oxford, UK: Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 344–386, doi:10.1002/9781118250105.ch14, ISBN 978-1-118-25010-5, retrieved 2021-07-30
^ Baganz, Gösta F. M.; Junge, Ranka; Portella, Maria C.; Goddek, Simon; Keesman, Karel J.; Baganz, Daniela; Staaks, Georg; Shaw, Christopher; Lohrberg, Frank; Kloas, Werner (2021-07-26). "The aquaponic principle—It is all about coupling". Reviews in Aquaculture. 14: 252–264. doi:10.1111/raq.12596. hdl:11475/27096. ISSN 1753-5123.
^ Ibrahim, Lubna A.; Shaghaleh, Hiba; El-Kassar, Gamal Mohamed; Abu-Hashim, Mohamed; Elsadek, Elsayed Ahmed; Alhaj Hamoud, Yousef (January 2023). "Aquaponics: A Sustainable Path to Food Sovereignty and Enhanced Water Use Efficiency". Water. 15 (24): 4310. doi:10.3390/w15244310. ISSN 2073-4441.
^ Rakocy, James E.; Bailey, Donald S. "Update on Tilapia and Vegetable Production in the UVI Aquaponic System" (PDF). University of the Virgin Islands Agricultural Experiment Station. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 March 2013.
^ Yavuzcan Yildiz, Hijran; Robaina, Lidia; Pirhonen, Juhani; Mente, Elena; Domínguez, David; Parisi, Giuliana (July 2017). "Fish Welfare in Aquaponic Systems: Its Relation to Water Quality with an Emphasis on Feed and Faeces—A Review". Water. 9 (1): 13. doi:10.3390/w9010013. hdl:2158/1074707. ISSN 2073-4441. This article incorporates text from this source, which is available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
^ Zou, Yina; Hu, Zhen; Zhang, Jian; Xie, Huijun; Guimbaud, Christophe; Fang, Yingke (2016-06-01). "Effects of pH on nitrogen transformations in media-based aquaponics". Bioresource Technology. Special Issue on Challenges in Environmental Science and Engineering (CESE-2015). 210: 81–87. Bibcode:2016BiTec.210...81Z. doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2015.12.079. ISSN 0960-8524. PMID 26783143.

[1] Rakocy, James E. (2012-03-23), "Aquaponics-Integrating Fish and Plant Culture", Aquaculture Production Systems, Oxford, UK: Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 344–386, doi:10.1002/9781118250105.ch14, ISBN 978-1-118-25010-5, retrieved 2021-07-30

[:7-2] Baganz, Gösta F. M.; Junge, Ranka; Portella, Maria C.; Goddek, Simon; Keesman, Karel J.; Baganz, Daniela; Staaks, Georg; Shaw, Christopher; Lohrberg, Frank; Kloas, Werner (2021-07-26). "The aquaponic principle—It is all about coupling". Reviews in Aquaculture. 14: 252–264. doi:10.1111/raq.12596. hdl:11475/27096. ISSN 1753-5123.

[:0-3] Ibrahim, Lubna A.; Shaghaleh, Hiba; El-Kassar, Gamal Mohamed; Abu-Hashim, Mohamed; Elsadek, Elsayed Ahmed; Alhaj Hamoud, Yousef (January 2023). "Aquaponics: A Sustainable Path to Food Sovereignty and Enhanced Water Use Efficiency". Water. 15 (24): 4310. doi:10.3390/w15244310. ISSN 2073-4441.

[UVI-4] Rakocy, James E.; Bailey, Donald S. "Update on Tilapia and Vegetable Production in the UVI Aquaponic System" (PDF). University of the Virgin Islands Agricultural Experiment Station. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 March 2013.

[Yavuzcan_Yildiz_et_al-5] Yavuzcan Yildiz, Hijran; Robaina, Lidia; Pirhonen, Juhani; Mente, Elena; Domínguez, David; Parisi, Giuliana (July 2017). "Fish Welfare in Aquaponic Systems: Its Relation to Water Quality with an Emphasis on Feed and Faeces—A Review". Water. 9 (1): 13. doi:10.3390/w9010013. hdl:2158/1074707. ISSN 2073-4441. This article incorporates text from this source, which is available under the CC BY 4.0 license.

[6] Zou, Yina; Hu, Zhen; Zhang, Jian; Xie, Huijun; Guimbaud, Christophe; Fang, Yingke (2016-06-01). "Effects of pH on nitrogen transformations in media-based aquaponics". Bioresource Technology. Special Issue on Challenges in Environmental Science and Engineering (CESE-2015). 210: 81–87. Bibcode:2016BiTec.210...81Z. doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2015.12.079. ISSN 0960-8524. PMID 26783143.

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