Aquaponics (IPA: /ˈækwəˈpɒnɪks/) is the symbiotic cultivation of plants and aquatic animals in a recirculating environment.

Aquatic animal effluent (for example fish waste) accumulates in water as a by-product of keeping them in a closed system or tank, such as a recirculating aquaculture system. Unfiltered, the concentration of effluent increases, becoming toxic to the aquatic animal. The effluents act as nutrients to specific plant species, enabling a symbiotic relationship.

Plants are grown in a way (for example a hydroponic system) that enables them to the nutrient-rich water. The plants take up the nutrients, reducing or eliminating the water's toxicity for the aquatic animal. The water, returns to the aquatic animal environment and the cycle continues.

Aquaponic systems do not discharge or exchange water. Water is only added to replace water loss from absorption by the plants, evaporation into the air, or the removal of biomass from the system.

Aquaponic systems vary in size from small indoor units to large commercial units. They can use fresh or salt water depending on the types of aquatic animals and plants.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Ancient Roots 1.2 Modern Western beginnings 1.3 Aquaponics in the United States 1.4 Aquaponics Research in Canada 1.5 Commercial Aquaponics in Canada 2 Advantages 3 Disadvantages 4 More uses 5 Fish 6 Gallery 7 See also 8 References 9 Further reading 10 External links

[edit] History

[edit] Ancient Roots

Some consider Aztec chinampas to be the first example of aquaponics.^[1] Others refer to ancient Egypt.^[2] Either way, it is clear that aquaponics has ancient roots.

"Integrated vegetable growing and fish farming polyculture systems have long been used in Far Eastern countries such as China and Thailand. Farm wastes are commonly added as feed to fish ponds and fish are often cultured in flooded rice paddies." ^[3]

[edit] Modern Western beginnings

At the New Alchemy Institute (1971 - 1991) researchers experimented with bioshelters and wastewater management via crop production. This pursuit, of what was to become the permaculture movement, inspired like-minded researchers to advance the concept of fish effluent as fertilizer for crop production.

In 1974^[4] and 1976^[5], McLarney wrote about irrigating crops with water from a fish pond. Neither of these closed the cycle by recirculating the irrigation water back to the pond.

Formal interest in combining aquaculture and hydroponics dates to the mid-1970s.^[6] It would take another decade however before research would start to crystallize into the true beginnings of aquaponics.

In the late 1970s Zweig and others published articles about Fish Culture Systems and Solar-Algae Ponds. The progression of this study saw the integration of plants into the system. Zweig published "An Integrated Fish Culture Hydroponic Vegetable Production System" in the Aquaculture Magazine May/June 1986 pp34-40. It has been called "the most advanced form of aquaculture developed at New Alchemy - the Zweig hydroponic aquaculture pond - which grows both edible fish and floating hydroponic lettuce".^[7]

In 1985, North Carolina State University (then) graduate student, Mark R. McMurtry, and professors Douglas C. Sanders, Paul V. Nelson, et al., created the first known recirculating, reciprocating (flood and drain) "aquaponic" system. Their "Integrated Aqua-Vegeculture System" filtered Tilapia effluent into sand biofilters (bacteria and alga) planted with Tomato and/or other vegetable crops.^[8] From the mid-1980s and throughout the 1990s both McMurtry and Sanders published a number of articles on their research and worked to develop recirculatory techniques for the arid Third World, particularly sub-Saharan Africa.

[edit] Aquaponics in the United States

Many institutions and enterprises followed on the efforts (replicated peer-reviewed research, active publication, dissemination and technology transfer) at North Carolina State University [7]; notably by the University of Arizona Environmental Research Labs, NASA/CELSS, S&S Aquafarms, The Freshwater Institute, University of Arkansas (?), Bioshelters, Inc (?), Global Aquatics, Inslee Fish Farms (?) and others who carried out (mostly proprietary and unpublished) 'research and development' of aquaponics.

From the 1980s to present day the two distinct aquaponic systems are;

1) "Deep Water" or "Raft Culture" aquaponics which is the primarily research carried out at the University of the Virgin Islands under the guidance of Dr. James Rakocy [8] and;

2) Reciprocating aquaponics ("Ebb and Flow" or "Flood and Drain") based on the techniques developed by Mark McMurtry, et al. at NCSU (such as that implemented by Tom and Paula Speraneo of S&S Aquafarms in West Plains, Missouri.[9])

The University of the Virgin Islands Aquaculture Program has developed an aquaponic system over 20 years of design and operation. The system can produce over 10,000 pounds (4,500 kg) of tilapia annually with lettuce and basil that are harvested weekly in staggered production or by okra, cantaloupe, peppers, tomatoes, etc.

The aquaculture program promotes several aquaponics principles that apply to any size system, from hobby-scale to commercial-scale. These principles^[9] include:

1. system design that balances feed input to vegetable growing area
2. constant input of feed by staggering fish stocking
3. constant nutrient uptake by staggering vegetable production
4. continuous water flow
5. constant pH of 7.0

The University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) teaches "International Aquaponics and Tilapia Aquaculture"^[10].

Tim Mann, a 2007 UVI graduate, started an aquaponics farm (Friendly Aquaponics, Inc) with his wife Susanne in Hawaii in 2007. This was the first aquaponics farm in the USA to have its produce USDA Organic certified and Food Safety Certified. The farm produces convert|2600|lb}} of organic lettuce and 300 pounds (140 kg) of white tilapia per month. Friendly Aquaponics teaches a semi-annual course, named the "Commercial Aquaponics Training". ^[11]

[edit] Aquaponics Research in Canada

The first effort was a small system added onto existing aquaculture research at a research station in Lethbridge. Later, a larger set-up was built in Brooks, Alberta. Scientists, especially Dr. Nick Savidov, at this research station have made some interesting findings related to rapid root growth in aquaponics systems.

Dr. Savidov's team adapted the UVI system to work in an Alberta greenhouse. His system operates at the low pH level that plants favor rather half-way between the low pH for plants and neutral to high pH for fish. Even with a lower pH, the fish thrive because of other system features.

[edit] Commercial Aquaponics in Canada

Many of the Canadian aquaponics pioneers no longer use the technique.

Founded in 1998, Future Aqua Farms in Nova Scotia^[12] is widely considered the first commercial project in Canada.

North Atlantic Aquaponics Ltd., in Newfoundland apparently grew eels.^[13], ^[14]

Agua Aquaponics Greenhouses International, in Manitoba was another early project.

Other aquaponic systems tried aquaponics and then switched to pure aquaculture.

MDM farms in Alberta switched from small-scale aquaponics to aquaculture.

Greenview farms also in Alberta, switched from aquaponics to aquaculture.

Only a few commercial aquaponics systems continue operations in Canada.

Cultures Aquaponiques M.L. Inc, in Quebec was an early adopter, that combines trout (a cold water fish) and floating lettuce production.^[15]

Circle M Trout Farm, in Alberta also raises trout, but does not recirculate, using the water to produce fruiting vegetable crops. They run the trout water through the greenhouse in pipes to warm it and then into the plant beds. After the plants have taken the nutrients out of the water, it is too warm to recirculate.

Floating Gardens Ltd.,^[16] in Saskatchewan won an award for their business plan^[17] using aquaponics and advertise a start-up date of summer 2009. They plan to grow tilapia and various vegetables for the Saskatchewan market.

[edit] Advantages

The unique advantages of aquaponic systems are:

1. Reuse water
2. Fertilize with natural fish emulsion.
3. Eliminate solid fish waste disposal.
4. Reduce cropland requirements.
5. Reduce environmental footprint for crop production.
6. Site commercial installations close to markets, reducing food miles.

[edit] Disadvantages

Some disadvantages with aquaponics are:

1. Capital expense for buildings, tanks, plumbing, pumps, and grow beds.
2. Lack of standard configurations turn every installation into an experiment.
3. Reliance on man-made energy, technology, and environmental control to control circulation and temperatures. Solar heating and exploiting gravity to reduce pumping can reduce costs.
4. Multiple 'single points of failure', such as an electrical failure or pipe blockage that can lead to a complete loss of fish stock.
5. Stock feed usually consists of unsustainable fish meal derived from lower-value species. Alternatives include organic fish feeds, duckweed^[18] and Black Soldier Fly larva grown in composting grub growers such as the Bio-Pod.^[19]

[edit] More uses

Aquaponic systems can replicate controlled wetland conditions for reclaiming potable water from typical household sewage, in addition to food production.

[edit] Fish

In practice, nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) are the most popular choice for home and commercial edible fish production. Most green leafy vegetables grow well in the hydroponic filter. Although sometimes selected minerals or nutrients such as iron are added, the main source of nutrients for the plants is the fish waste.

In Australia, due to a ban on growing tilapia in all states except Western Australia, natives are the most popular fish, including Silver Perch, Jade Perch, Sleepy Cod, Murray cod and Barramundi. Rainbow and brown trout while not native to Australia are also in use - along with fresh water crayfish such as yabby and redclaw.

[edit] Gallery

Silver Perch fingerlings in an aquaponic system.

Flood and Drain aquaponic system.

Plant bed in an aquaponic system.

Silver Perch in an aquaponic system.

[edit] See also

• Aquaculture
• Horticulture
• Hydroponics
• Permaculture
• Symbiosis

[edit] References

[edit] Further reading

• The Aquaponics Guidebook, Access to Personal Agriculture - Bevan Suits - Sustainable Design Group - Copyright 2009 -- http://www.accesstoaquaponics.com/book.html
• Recirculating Aquaculture Tank Production Systems: Aquaponics—Integrating Fish and Plant Culture - James E. Rakocy, Michael P. Masser and Thomas M. Losordo - Southern Regional Aquaculture Center Publication #454 - http://www.aces.edu/dept/fisheries/aquaculture/documents/309884-SRAC454.pdf
• Aquaponics—Integration of Hydroponics with Aquaculture - By Steve Diver NCAT Agriculture

Specialist © 2006 NCAT - http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/aquaponic.pdf

[edit] External links

• Video example of aquaponics system at Vancouver Island University.
• Step-by-step tutorial on building an aquaponic system using barrels (Barrel-ponics). System designed by Travis W. Hughey.
• SoCal Aquaponics is a facility that is established to grow the best quality organically grown Tilapia, Shrimp and Vegetables.
• Bamboo and aquaponics Official Web Site

UVI Aquaponics and Tilapia Aquaculture Course
FAI Commercial Aquaponics Training
Illustration of simple basic aquaponic system that can be made by gardeners

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