lundi 8 février 2016

Aquaculture Hydroponics Is The Answer To The Modern Food Problems

By William Cole


There has been several questions relating to Aquaponics. The questions range from how the technology works, are the products safe for consumption, can it be set up in homes, and what the investment required among others. This simply tells you how quickly this farming technique is being adopted in the different parts of the world. Aquaponics simply refers to Aquaculture Hydroponics, an agricultural technique that harnesses the power of nature to solve food problems.

Aquaponics is a product of hydroponics and Aquaculture. Aquaculture is the word used to describe fish farming for consumption. The fish is kept in the ponds and all requirements are provided up to the point when the fish gains the desirable weight when they can be harvested for consumption. The challenge in this farming method is that the pond water has to be changed regularly to avoid accumulation of ammonia (fish excrement) that is toxic to fish when left to accumulate.

In commercial settings, the system can be used to grow strawberry, melons, tomatoes, and cucumber among several other crops. It is cheap, requires less space and is exposed to less diseases and insects thereby reducing the need for chemicals like pesticides, fertilizers, and insecticides.

This is the basis of the farming technology; to use waste products from fish as food for plants and waste products from plants as food for fish. This means that the technology allows you to effortlessly harvest vegetables and fruits while benefiting from fish and other marine animals without h introduce fertilizers and chemicals into the system.

By bringing in ammonia breaking bacteria to the equation, the weakness of one system becomes the solution to the other system. These are harmless bacteria that break down the ammonia to nitrites that are absorbed by the crops. When the water laden with nitrites is exposed to crop roots, the nitrites are absorbed by the plant and the clean water can be reused by the fish. The result is the Aquaponics.

This is the solution to the growing human challenges like climate change, increased human population and urbanization that have all contributed to dwindling food sources. It also offers a perfect solution to health conscious members of the population by providing 100% organic food products.

Aquaponics has gained popularity in the recent past and is now available in all parts of the world. It is used to provide food for commercial purpose as well as domestic use. Tilapia is the most popular fish in Aquaponics systems. However, there has been success in growing other fish species like perch, carp, largemouth bass, bream, crappies and several types of ornamental fish like goldfish and Koi.

The popular plants in Aquaponics include the lettuce, the salad greens, and basil among others. In a commercial setting, the high fish population can support tomatoes, peppers, melons, cucumbers, strawberry, and others fruits. The system has a well-controlled temperature, moisture and light. Generally, the crops are considered the primary products while the fish is considered the secondary produce. The kits used in this technology are designed to support a large crop population in a area and the technique is therefore suitable for highly populated urban centers, deserts and other places with inadequate water and space.




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