Sunday, May 26, 2013

Giving Aquaponics A Definition

By Alexandra Smith


Learning the meaning of Aquaponics entails having to understand two words that is basically makes up or is the important components onf Aquaponics. By understanding the meaning of the two words, Aquaculture and Hydroponics, it will be easier to explain and know what Aquaponics means. Aquaculture is basically the process of plant or animal cultivation or development under water. This means that Aquaculture is the process of taking care of underwater plants and animals, both salt and freshwater that is. On the other hand, Hydroponics is simply plant cultivation without the involvement of soil as a medium to grow the said plants. Now in order to understand Aquaponics, it is simply defined as a combination of both Hydroponics and Aquaculture. To explain further, Aquaponics is the process of raising fishes and growing plants in an environment wherein both can benefit from each other.

Most of you will ask on how does Aquaponics really work? The Aquaponics system simply works by having the fish and plants benefit from each other. The fishes are responsible to provide nutrients to the plants with the use of their wastes, at the same time, the plants are responsible in cleaning the water and providing it with oxygen supply before the water is being brought back to the fish tank. This way both the fish and plants will grow healthy because of the benefits that they get from each other. For better understanding, let me explain further on how the whole process works. Fishes are grown in a fish tank that is directly connected to grow beds which is the place or the area where the plants are planted and grown. Grow beds and the fish tank is connected by pipes that has different purposes. One or a set of pipes is used to pump water from the fish tank towards the grow beds. water from the fish tank carries fish wastes that will be utilized by the plants as their natural fertilizers and will make them grow healthy. On the other hand, another pipe is to pump back the water from the grow beds towards the fish tank. Water that comes from the grow beds is now free fro fish wastes and contains oxygen content needed by the fishes to grow. Also the water is cleaned using a filtering system made up usually of pebbles, sands and stones.

Below is a list of benefits that one may get in using the Aquaponics method of Growing plants and raising fishes:

- In the Aquaponics system, you can be sure that the fertilizer used in helping the plants grow healthy is all-natural and safe from any chemical additives because these nutrients come directly from the wastes of your own fishes.

- Conserves water. With the aid of plants and the water filtering system, water is cleaned and recycled. Thus there is no need to change the water on the fish tank often; you can just a small amount of water to make up for those that are lost in evaporation.

-There are many kinds of fish as well as plants recommended to be grown using the Aquaponics method. Therefore you don't have to worry about the kinds of fish and plants to grow because you can grow almost any kinds of fish and plant using the Aquaponics method.

Aquaponics is something that most people are not accustomed to do but it is good to know that this kind off system in growing plants and fishes is very helpful in order for us to provide environment for both the fishes and plants to mutually benefit from each other.




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