Advantages of Aquaponics When Compared To Soil Based Agriculture
Aquaponics is a system which combines basic aquaculture with hydroponics in a symbiotic environment. This method uses the waste products from fish to supply nutrients for plants. These plants, such tomatoes or lettuce, are therefore grown in water with grown bed. The use of the waste water created by the fish purifies the water thus making the environment they live in safe. The toxins created by the fish are removed form their environment. An automatic recirculating system is used to drive this process.
This system of aquaculture allows the farmer to grow many types of plants at a reduced cost when compared to most common soil based methods. Growing plants such as vegetables have a number of maintenance issues not found in aquaculture. Soil based gardens will require weeds to be removed. This process will have to be done as weeds use up valuable growing space. Weeds also use nutrients intended for the vegetable you want grow in your garden. Removal of these weeds will take work and you may have to use chemicals. This will not be the case in a hydroculture system, as weeds will not exist in the growing environment.
Other maintenance in the common agriculture system is watering and fertilization. In a hydroculture system you will not have to worry about watering your plants as they are growing in water. providing plant food will not be an issue. Most of the nutrients needed to grow your vegetables will be provided by the fish located in the hydroponics part of the aquaponics overall system.
Aquaponics is a closed loop system which involves recirculating water through the hydroponics component. This means the same water is being use. From a conservation point of view this means water lose will be at a minimum when compared to most soil based agriculture systems. Plants are grown in a reservoir with a grow bed, where they use the water from the tank containing your fish. It is here where the water is purified and circulated back to the tank in which the fish are living. This is what is called a symbiotic relationship.The plants essentially clean the water for the fish. The plants use the nutrients proved by the waste from the fish. Little water is wasted and food for the plants is provided by the waste water from the fish tank.
There are a number of designs available for a home based aquaponics garden. Having proven aquaponics construction plans will you get your garden up and running in a timely and cost-effective manner. Plans to build a closed loop water based garden can be found on the internet. Some of these plans will be free. Other more detailed plans will require a minimal charge.
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