Disclaimer: Please note and abide by copyright laws. Some items contained in these presentations are taken from copyrighted material without express permission of redistribution. These slides are archived here for your use in educational activities. Although an educational use exemption would apply. Presentations are catalogued here for educational purposes. Unit 1.1 Aquaponics Introduction

Aquaponics Introduction

Aquaponics Combination of recirculating aquaculture and hydroponics Fish and plants grown in one body of water Daily water use is minimal Large volume of crops in a small space Utilizes wastes Systems can be built in urban areas and regions with poor soil

Aquaponics Continued Recent development Versatile technology 1970’s Research scientist Commercial growers Hobbyists Educators Versatile technology Commercial scale Subject of research Tool for hands-on education Source of food at home Hobby Most popular is as a home food production unit

Aquaponics Continued Becoming more popular due to renewed interest in sustainable, local agriculture and gaining attention from: Business people Investors Family farms Entrepreneurs Priority Food safety Viability Supply Globally will need to produce twice as much food by 2050 as we are capable of producing today Aquaponics will play a role in feeding people in the future due to: Highly productive, urban and sustainable food production systems

Aquaponics Continued Commercial aquaponics Small but growing Consumers demand fresh, safe food along with productive and environmentally friendly agriculture Well-designed system Management Marketing Training

Aquaponics Continued Education Science Agriculture Math Business Biology Horticulture Chemistry Physics Economics Engineering Nature’s natural cycles Nitrification Fish anatomy Nutrition Gives students a sense of responsibility, inspires imagination and attention in the learning environment

Controlled Environment Aquaponics Food contamination Impure water Unsanitary field/packaging facilities Imports that are not inspected 99% of fresh food imported into US is not inspected Food grown and processed in US in large facilities is susceptible to contamination Bio-security Keep food free of contamination Eliminates long distance travel

Hydroponics Growing plants in water and nutrient solution without soil Advantages Disadvantages Growing plants in water and nutrient solution without soil More efficient More productive Less labor Less water Less fertilizer Hydroponic growing Not organic Manufactured or mined fertilizers Pesticides Herbicides Organic fertilizers costly Lack some essential elements for plant growth

Aquaculture High stocking rates Advantages Disadvantages Propagation, cultivation, and marketing of aquatic plants and animals Densely stocked Relieves wild fish populations as farmed fish are used instead of wild caught fish Contributes to fisheries Stocking of ponds and lakes with farmed fish High stocking rates High volume of waste Water must be filtered and cleaned Lots of aeration and sometimes oxygenation of water Mechanical and biological filtration Costly to keep fish healthy

Comparison of Methods Organic Farming Inorganic Hydroponics Recirculating Aquaculture Aquaponics ADVANTAGES Healthier way of growing food Utilizes wastes for fertilizer Natural pest control Better tasting, more nutritional crops High volume of crops in small space Combined with controlled environment yields year-round production Large volumes of fish in small space Produces fertilizer Fish don’t carry pathogens that warm-blooded animals do Reduced risk to fish Natural sustainable cycle DISADVANTAGES Increased land use Costs to grow and get certification Dependent on manufactured an mined fertilizers that are costly and harder to get due to demand worldwide High failure due to heavy stocking and small margins for error Produces massive amounts of waste Management requires someone trained in fish and plants Any major loss in fish tanks disrupts plant production

Challenges of Growing Aquaponically Increased potential problems when combining two systems Need a person who specializes in both fish and plants Plants depend on number of fish, size of fish, and amount that fish are fed Algae production that may clog pipes and drains Must find a balance between fish, plants, and bacteria when it comes to their environmental needs for optimal growth and development More research is needed in finding greater varieties of plant and fish species to raise so that there may be growth in the industry Most fish feed is made of fish meal; natural populations are declining and alternative sources of protein that meet fish nutritional needs should be researched

REFERENCE Nelson, R. L. Aquaponic Food Production Raising Fish and Plants for Food and Profit. 2008. Nelson and Pade, Inc. Montello, WI. Pgs. 14-26. With contributions from John S. Pade