Aquaponics How To

This site is available to anyone interested in Aquaponics. We have been very successful in building our aquaponic systems both for research and food production and helping and supplying others with systems. We hope that what we have learnt will help you to become interested in aquaponic systems. Aquaponics Systems How To is to help answer the important questions....

What is Aquaponics? Why do Aquaponics? What fish grow in Aquaponic Systems? What plants grow in Aquaponic Systems? Probiotics for Aquaponic Systems?

This How To has been written to assist people with information about aquaponics. It has been written by Martin and Kerri of the Aquaponics Shop Online. The material in this How To has been gathered from many different sources:

Our own systems; Research; Practical information from other people who have systems and Scientists with the Department of Primary Industries & Fisheries.

Photos are of aquaponic systems built and/or maintained by Martin and Kerri

Floating Raft

What is Aquaponics?
aqua-pon-ics - Pronunciation Spelt: [ak-wuh-pon-iks] - noun (used with a singular verb) The symbiotic cultivation of plants and aquatic animals in a recirculating environment. Aquaponics is basically a combination of Aquaculture (growing fish) & Hydroponics (growing plants).

[Origin: 1996-97; aqua(culture) + (hydro)ponics] Related forms: aqua-pon-ic, adjective : an aquaponic system aqua-pon-i-cal-ly, adverb : he grew the plants aquaponically aqua-pon-i-cist, noun : she is an aquaponicist
Aquatic animal effluent (fish waste) accumulates in water as a byproduct of the keeping them in a closed system or tank (recirculating aquaculture system). The effluent rich water becomes high in plant nutrients but is toxic to the aquatic animal.

Plants are grown in a way (hydroponic system) that utilizes the nutrient rich water. The plants in turn digest the nutrients, reducing or eliminating the waters toxicity for the aquatic animal. The water, now clean, is returned to the aquatic animal environment and the cycle continues. There are numerous Aquaponics plants to choose from.

Aquaponic systems do not discharge or exchange water. The systems rely on the natural relationship between the aquatic animals and the plants to maintain the environment. Water is only added to replace water loss from absorption by the plants or evaporation into the air. The freshwater aquatic animals produce Ammonia. A nitrifying bacteria (Nitrosomonas sp) converts the Ammonia to Nitrite. Another nitrifying bacteria (Nitrobacter) then converts the Nitrite to Nitrate. The plants then use the Nitrate and thus "clean" the water for the fish. There are a number of Aquaponics fish to choose from.

Aquaponic systems vary in size from small indoor units to large commercial units. They can be based on fresh or salt water.

Freshwater systems rely on three major elements: * Freshwater aquatic animals; * Nitrifying Bacteria; and * Plants. Saltwater systems rely on only two major elements:

* Saltwater aquatic animals; and * Seaweed/Algae.

Plants growing in freshwater aquaponics

Algae growing in a saltwater aquaponics

Why Do Aquaponics?
Aquaponics is an interesting subject for anyone looking to grow their own plants with the benefit of using fish as the nutrient source. A system can be as small as to have one on your kitchen bench using goldfish and growing herbs. To a larger system in your yard with silver perch growing lettuces, tomatoes, herbs etc. An Aquaponics system is made up of a tank containing the fish, and one or more grow beds for vegetable production. The fish supply nutrients to the plants that are in a grow bed and the plants clean the water of the nutrients and the water then travels back into the fish tank creating a recirculating system. The fish water is pumped to the grow bed/s, using a system of pipes. The grow bed can be filled with gravel (flood and drain), clay pebbles or water (continuous flow). The fish water feeds the plants of which there is a huge range to choose from to plant such as tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and green leafy vegetables, the water then returns to the fish tank preferably by gravity. The water that is returned to the fish tank is clean and ready for use by the fish, and so the cycle continues. Aquaponics is suitable for a number of fish such as Barramundi, Bass, Jade Perch, Golden Perch, Silver Perch, Murray Cod if you are in Australia all of which are great to eat as well. Tilapia is the most common fish used in an aquaponics system outside of Australia. So we have established that water is recirculated through the system, and you will need to add a small amount of water to compensate for what is lost by evaporation, and transpiration by the vegetables. Therefore Aquaponics uses only about 10% of the water required for traditional gardening or fish farming. Aquaponics is the future of home gardening and commercial fresh food production for any country.

Aquaponics is a balanced, self-contained eco system that works!! No chemicals are added or for that matter can be added to the vegetable part of the system as that would cause your fish to die. Garden pests can be kept to a minimum by housing the system in a green house or by using non toxic methods.

What are the benefits? Compared with Hydroponics, Aquaponics does not need to use chemical nutrients for the plants, as the fish waste provides these nutrients to the plants. Compared with Aquaculture, Aquaponics systems do not have a build-up of wastes in the system that causes the water to become toxic due to the nitrites. Aquaponics utilises this waste, with the bacteria in the grow beds converting the nitrites into nitrates, which the plants then consume as their main nutrient source. 1. Uses 10% of water used in conventional growing 2. No weeding or digging in the garden 3. Can produce fish and plants for the familly all year round.

Feeding time for Silver Perch

Grow beds ready for planting

What Plants Grow in Aquaponic Systems?

There have been over 300 different aquaponic plants that have been tested that will be happy in an aquaponic system. The major group that will not grow in an aquaponic system are root vegetables. Basically the aquaponics plant list is too long to write and is dependent on your location. If it is an above ground plant that grows well in your area and does not mind getting its roots wet then you should give it a go. Our aquaponic plants absolutely thrived in the aquaponic system with the water from the fish supplying nutrients directly to the roots of the aquaponic plants. We have found that the aquaponic plants grow and produce faster in the system than in a traditional garden. A trial conducted by Dr Nick Savidov in Canada, found that aquaponic growth rates can exceed hydroponic plant growth by up to four times with some vegetables and herbs. The advantage of aquaponics is that, during warm weather the plants get as much water as they need. Plants grown in the ground use the water very quickly in hot weather. Plants in an aquaponic system are continuously being watered constantly through the continuous flow or flood and drain system. Herbs and green leafy vegetables are the most common aquaponic plants grown in an aquaponics system. Different areas can also produce different results. Climate is another important factor as is whether your aquaponic system is open to the elements or in a green house. But try anything and see how the results go. We have had great success with the obvious salad varieties of tomatoes, lettuce, cucumber, shallots, celery, capsicum, chilli, snow peas and red salad onions. Aquaponic Vegetables like, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, beans, egg plant and all the choys for stir fries. We also use the companion planting logic and had flowering plants. The flowers we chose was roses which went absolutely crazy and added wonderful colour. Then you have your aquaponic herbs like basil, parsley, watercress, coriander, sage, lemongrass, the list goes on. If you not sure give it a go, there is nothing to loose.

Planting of seedlings

Plant growth after 5 weeks

Initial Planting
We have the fish tank in place, 2 grow beds piped and ready to go. Started the pump and the water started continuously circulating through. Putting the seedlings into the clay pebbles is easy on the hands and on the back if you have put the grow beds at the right height. We have started with the aquaponic plants of bok choy, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, some herbs, flowering plants like marigold and roses just for the pretty touch. The aquaponics fish we chose was 'silver perch'.

These photos are of our aquaponic system at Nundah, Brisbane, Australia

Grow beds ready for planting

Planting of seedlings in grow bed 1