aquaponic organic

An aquaponics system combines the growth of plants and fish in a symbiotic environment. As commonly practiced, most aquaculture methods allow fish waste to build up in the water, this can poison the fish. The water in an aquaponics system is taken to a hydroponic system, in this system the by-products from the aquaculture are filtered out by the plants that uses them as nutrients and then the clean water is recycled back to the fish tank. Aquaponics systems come in personal sizes to outdoor sizes to giant commercial machines.

Utilizing practices from fish farming (aquaculture) and soil less farming (hydroponics), aquaponics aims to reduce any adverse ecological effect by making these 2 systems work together. Offering a lot of advantages, this agricultural method is quickly gaining popularity.

A basic aquaponics system that may be placed indoors or outdoors is not difficult to design. You can purchase a ready-made kit or buy the components from the local hardware store or hobby shop and build it yourself.

What are the basic components you need to build an aquaponics system?

First you need a fish tank, the size of which will be determined by were you want to put it and what is your goal for the system

The second thing you need are plants. When choosing what to grow with aquaponics, consider your overall space, goals and type of water flow.

The third part of an aquaponics system is a water pump and filtration unit, these 2 things are crucial as they will help you maintain the system in balance

The scope of your project will determine the type of flow and filtration systems you will need. Other factors to consider are the room you dedicate to use for the aquaponics project and the amount of time you can dedicate for its maintenance.

An Aquaponics system in its most basic form is similar to the common fish tank, however since there is no continuous flow in this basic system you are limited to growing plants that thrive in stagnant water, like the lettuce plant. Other types of plants that require more oxygen will die in a basic system like this. And that is why you need a continuous flow system.

There are many things that you must consider before you begin an aquaponics project. Here are some of them:

1. Find out if any special aquaculture permits are required were you live. 2. Only use materials that are food grade. 3. Make the necessary arrangements if you are planning a trip out of town. 4. Make sure you have checked out the company where you are buying your fish; the last thing you want is fish that are sick! 5. Make future plans so you don't run out of space for your system.

The concept of building an aquaponic system is very tempting and do to all of its benefits the concept makes a lot of sense. The smart thing, though, is to do a lot of research before you start, and first begin on a small scale and then grow. My advice is to invest in a guide that will give you step by step and detailed instructions for building your fist aquaponics system.