Aquaponics integrates two distinct agricultural methods: hydroponics, which involves growing plants without soil, and aquaculture, which refers to the cultivation of aquatic animals such as fish and crustaceans. While an aquaponic system may appear similar to a hydroponic setup from an aerial perspective, it differs in that its nutrients derive from a tank of live fish rather than a primary reservoir of nutrient-rich solution.
Aquaponics is beneficial for any plant that can be grown hydroponically, including popular plant varieties such as tomatoes, peppers, leafy lettuce greens, and herbs. Freshwater fish are commonly utilized in aquaponic systems, and it is important to carefully balance factors such as temperatures, pH, and nutrient levels between the plants and animals to achieve success. Tilapia is a preferred choice for most systems due to their adaptability to different environments and water conditions, as well as their ease of breeding.
How Does Aquaponics Work?
Aquaponics is a method where the plant roots are nourished by water originating from the fish tanks, while the plants are naturally fertilized by the waste produced by the fish. This method also involves water filtration by plants, ensuring the water is safe for the fish. The recirculation of water from the fish tank throughout the system and across grow beds, densely populated with plants, helps in absorbing nutrients dissolved in the water.
Aquaponics is designed to replicate the ecological systems present in freshwater environments like rivers, streams, and other aquatic habitats, establishing a mutually beneficial partnership between plants and animals.
Although it may seem straightforward, several additional variables come into play in this situation. Three living organisms are present in an aquaponic system including plants, fish and bacteria, each with their own unique pH requirements. Therefore, constant monitoring is necessary to prevent the pH balance from becoming too high or low. Fish waste, for example, could cause the water’s pH to become excessively acidic, impeding nutrient absorption for plants and jeopardizing all elements of the system. Hence, it’s vital to pair your fish and plants according to factors such as temperature and pH as nature would do in the wild. An aquaponic producer should also keep compatible pH adjusters readily available to maintain the delicate balance. Some may also add red worms to the grow beds to aid in waste breakdown and equal distribution among plants.
Types of Aquaponics
Similar to hydroponics, aquaponics necessitates the use of growth media to support and safeguard the roots of plants rather than soil. Additionally, the growth media in aquaponics functions as a habitat for beneficial bacteria to flourish within the grow bed and eliminate the waste produced by the fish tank. While expanded clay pebbles are a costly but effective lightweight aggregate, other types of media like gravel, shale, and porous lava rocks can also serve as growth media. The appropriate choice of media is dependent on several factors including the plant type, system size, pH level, cost, and type of aquaponic system employed.
Maintain the same meaning: The culture of Deep Water
This aquaponic method, referred to as raft-based cultivation, employs a foam raft that floats in a water-filled channel, filtered to eliminate solid waste, from the fish tank. The plants are placed in the raft’s holes, with their roots hanging in the water, allowing them to extract nutrients directly from the channel. This approach is widespread in commercial ventures or for cultivating plants like salad greens that require less nourishment and grow faster.
Bed media
Plants are cultivated in non-reactive planting media beds like shale or expanded clay pebbles which are placed on or near the fish tank for the purpose of providing both biological and mechanical filtration. The process of biological filtration involves transforming naturally occurring fish waste ammonia into nitrates, whereas mechanical filtration pertains to the removal of solid waste. A pump is used to transfer the water from the fish tank, which flows through the media bed allowing plants to extract nutrients from the water, before the fully filtered water is circulated back into the tank.
Aquaponics is a popular choice for home and hobby systems, as well as for bigger facilities growing fruits, vegetables, and herbs.
Aquaponics in a vertical arrangement
Vertical aquaponics employs a tower-like structure that is used to stack plants. It works by channeling water from the top, using a wicking material to provide nutrients to the roots of the plants, before draining into a lower trough or fish tank situated directly beneath the system. This technique is perfect for optimizing space and can yield a larger volume of produce using minimal square footage.
The technique known as Nutrient Film should be rephrased as follows: The Nutrient Film approach.
The nutrient film technique, commonly known as NFT, is ideal for growing plants such as herbs, leafy greens, and strawberries that do not need much support. The method involves placing these plants into holes drilled into narrow troughs, usually made of PVC pipes, which enables their roots to hang directly into the water. This system can be hung from ceilings or run across walls, making it an efficient use of space.
Alternative Fish Food in Aquaponics
Small-scale aquaponics systems require fish food which is a costly input. Fish food is responsible for providing the fish and plants with essential nutrients to facilitate their growth. Efficient fish production and waste conversion into nutrients for plants is dependent on the good health of the fish.
If you wish to reduce costs on your aquaponic setup or encounter a scenario in which commercial pellets are not accessible, understanding the substitute fish food appropriate for your aquaponics fish is crucial. This article will provide insights on how to generate alternative fish food for aquaponics systems in your home.
What Do Aquaponics Fish Eat?
For optimal health and success of your aquaponics system, it is important to be aware that various fish species have distinct dietary requirements. Certain fish are classified as herbivorous and others as carnivorous or omnivorous. Having knowledge of the precise diet of your aquaponics fish is integral.
- Herbivore: Herbivorous fish eat only plant matter. Tilapia is an example of an herbivore; they feed on algae and other aquatic plants in the wild. Herbivorous fish may like fruits, vegetables, and aquatic plants like duckweed and algae.
- Carnivore: Carnivorous fish such as trout and barramundi require rich in protein fish food, which usually consists of meat (live or dead). Carnivorous fish can be given critters, live fish, or brine shrimp. Most carnivorous fish are predatory and eat smaller fish species.
- Omnivore: Omnivores are flexible eaters, meaning they can eat plants and meat. They are also easier to feed compared to other fish types.
What Should You Feed Your Aquaponics Fish
To feed your fish properly, first identify if they belong to the carnivorous, omnivorous, or herbivorous category. You may choose to feed your aquaponics fish using either commercial or homemade fish food. While commercial fish food is enriched with essential nutrients to maintain the fish’s health, homemade organic food is the ideal choice to keep your system and the plants in it organic.
If you possess a small aquaponic system, using alternative fish food is the perfect option. This guarantees that both your fish and plants receive a specified diet, and if you intend to consume the fish, you have knowledge of the contents of the food they ingest.
Benefits of Alternative Fish Food in Aquaponics
When opting to use an alternate source of food for your aquaponics fish, it is vital to provide the appropriate quantity of nutrients that aid in fish advancement. The following are the advantages of utilizing alternative or self-made fish feed for your aquaponics fish.
- Using alternative or homemade fish food saves money as most of the food you usually throw away can be eaten by the fish.
- You have control over what your fish eats.
- Alternative fish food or homemade fish food has all the nutrients your fish need.
Alternative Fish Food in Aquaponics
Aquaponics has a variety of fish feed options available as alternatives.
- DIY Vegetarian Fish Food
Prepare this vegetarian meal for your herbivorous fish in aquaponics. They will surely enjoy it!
The components utilized:
- Cucumber – 136g
- Spinach – 136g
- Frozen peas- 136g
- Oats – 136g
- Gelatin (unflavored) – 136g
Method:
- Blanch all the vegetables and let them cool.
- Blend all the vegetables to form a puree.
- Add the oats and blend again. Set aside.
- Take the gelatine in a bowl and add hot water and mix well.
- Add the gelatine to the vegetable puree and store it in ice cube trays.
- DIY Meat Fish Food
For carnivorous aquaponics fish, this protein-rich meat fish food can be made at home.
List of ingredients:
- Shrimp – 136g
- Whitefish – 136g
- Vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. – 136g
- Gelatin (unflavored) – 268g
Method:
- Cut the vegetables and boil them.
- After boiling, let them cool and blend the vegetables to form a puree.
- Blend the shrimp and fish.
- Take the gelatine in a bowl and add hot water and mix well.
- Mix the pureed vegetables and gelatine, mix well, and store in ice cube trays.
- Use when needed.
- DIY Standard Fish Food
Feeding your fish with this DIY fish food is the most prevalent method.
The components:
- Garlic – 68g
- Vegetables (spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, and other veggies) – 408g
- Gelatin mix (unflavored) -268g
- Water – 1cup
- Seafood – 68g
- Fish vitamins -1 drop
Method:
- Cut the vegetables and boil them. Let them cool.
- Blend the vegetables with the seafood and garlic.
- Add one drop of fish vitamins.
- Take the gelatine in a bowl and add hot water and mix well.
- Mix the pureed vegetables and gelatine, mix well, and store in ice cube trays.
After freezing your homemade fish food in an ice cube tray, transfer them to an airtight container for storage. They can be used as per requirements and if properly stored, can last up to a year.
- Duckweed
Your aquaponics system can support the flourishing of Duckweed, which is a small floating aquatic plant that grows rapidly in nutrient-rich water. Duckweed is a source of protein, and its growth rate is exceptional as it can double in just a few days.
Quickly developing plants play a vital role in forming a favorable habitat for fish by consuming surplus nutrients found in the fish tank, including, but not limited to, nitrogen and phosphorus. Yet, duckweed needs to be cultivated in a distinct container since it flourishes rapidly in tranquil and slightly shaded aquatic environments. Duckweed could be a high-quality substitute fish nourishment for tilapia, koi, perch, and trout.
- Azolla
Azolla, a water fern that thrives on the surface of water bodies, has the unique ability to harness atmospheric nitrogen and synthesize proteins. It is a protein-packed plant that finds application as a fish fodder in certain aquaponic setups. For optimal growth, Azolla should be cultivated in a dedicated fish tank, which should be partially shaded and have a gentle water flow.
- Insect and Worms
For centuries, insects and worms have been serving as a natural source of food for fish and other animals, thus making them suitable as alternative fish feed for aquaponics. In aquaponics, insects are highly beneficial due to their abundant protein, lipids, and essential minerals, which make them a nutritious and healthy source of nutrients.
Amino acids are abundant in insects, which are typically scarce in most commercially available fish feeds. Various types of small creatures such as crickets, insect larvae, flies, crustaceans, cockroaches, fish eggs, and numerous kinds of worms like black worms, earthworms, and red wigglers can be used to nourish predatory fish.
- Black Soldier Flies
Black soldier fly larvae are abundant in protein and serve as a vital protein source for livestock and fish. Its life cycle renders it a desirable inclusion in select farming methods within climates that are favorable.
To culture black soldier flies, compost units with adequate drainage and airflow are used to contain food waste or manure. Afterward, the larvae are added to the unit, and once they mature, they’re gathered and turned into fish feed.
The adult black soldier flies do not act as carriers of diseases, nor do they exhibit any preference towards human-related activities. Instead, these flies engage in mating activities and subsequently head back to the compost unit where they both lay their eggs and eventually perish, typically within a week.
The use of black soldier flies has the benefit of thwarting houseflies and blowflies in their facilities while also reducing the quantity of pathogens in the compost. Nevertheless, it’s crucial to ensure the larvae’s safety before feeding them to fish. This can be accomplished by baking the larvae in the oven at 170°C for an hour to eliminate any disease-causing organisms. The dried larvae can then be ground down and processed as fish food.
- Moringa
With its abundance of nutrients, protein, and vitamins, Moringa oleifera, a tropical tree species, makes for a beneficial substitute for homemade fish feed in aquaponics systems.
The Moringa tree, which is able to grow rapidly in tropical regions and withstand drought, can be easily propagated using cuttings or seeds. However, it is unable to survive in colder climates since it cannot tolerate frost. Although all sections of the tree are safe for human consumption, only the leaves are given to fish during aquaculture. The leaves are gathered for production and can be served fresh or dried to the fish.
- Other Fish Food Alternatives
It is possible to provide your plant-eating aquatic pets with vegetables that can be effortlessly cultivated in your aquaponics growth containers. These might include kale, lettuce, watercress, and fruits like bananas, apples, and grapes.
