Getting started with aquaponics can be overwhelming, with so many books, blogs, videos, and approaches to building your system. It’s important to develop your own understanding of what aquaponics is and understand its basic principles so you’ll know how to start and maintain your aquaponics system.
Aquaponics combines aquaculture (the growing of fish and other aquatic animals) and hydroponics (the growing of plants without soil) in one recirculating environment. In aquaponics, the fish produce waste that is converted by the nitrifying bacteria into nutrients for the plants. Plant roots absorb these nutrients to thrive. In return, the plant roots clean and filter the water for the fish to live.
Within an aquaponics system is a delicate ecosystem composed of fish, bacteria, and plants. For everything to work perfectly, each part of the system must be balanced and healthy. Fish are required to be healthy to produce ammonia that is converted by the bacteria into nutrients for the plants.
Water temperature affects not only the health of the fish, plants, and bacteria in an aquaponics system. It is also essential for the breakdown and uptake of nutrients and wastes. So in order to maintain a healthy aquaponics system, the water temperature must be kept in the range that is safe for the fish, plants, and bacteria growing in your aquaponics system.
Bacteria play a crucial role in aquaponics. They serve as the bridge that connects fish wastes to the plant fertilizer. Plants feed on nutrients supplied by the fish and decomposed fish food. However, before a plant can absorb these nutrients, they must be converted into nitrates. It is the bacteria that convert fish wastes into nitrates, which become food for the plants.
One of the most critical factors for a successful aquaponics system is the proper maintenance of the pH levels of the water in the system. Proper maintenance of the pH levels in aquaponics is essential but tricky because of the three main living components of the system, which are the fish, plants, and bacteria.
If you plan to install your own or purchase a complete aquaponics system, you probably know what aquaponics are and what benefits you will get. However, there are some very essential things that you need to consider first, for you to be successful. So we made these lists of the essential things that you need to consider in setting up your own aquaponics system.
Most aquaponics gardeners face plant-munching pests in their aquaponics vegetables from time to time, and usually, these are not that big of a deal. However, sometimes pest numbers rise to an unacceptable level that can cause damage to the plants. As many aquaponics gardeners become more and more aware of the potential harm or exposure of the synthetic chemical pesticides, many want to skip this method and instead turn to other pest control methods.