All About Aquaponics
Bryan Lee
January 2nd, 2022
January 2nd, 2022
Aquaponics is a method of cultivation in which farmers grow plants and marine animals at the same time. First discovered in the late 1900s, aquaponics is growing in popularity as a sustainable method of food production. As its name reveals, aquaponics operates on the work of fish: “aqua” means raising fish in a controlled environment, and “ponics” is the Latin word for “doing work.” As fish eat and grow in the environment, they produce ammonia as their waste, which serves as a great fertilizer for plants. Ammonia contains nitrogen, an important element that organisms need to produce crucial biological molecules such as amino acids, proteins, and DNA/RNA. Aquaponics capitalizes on this process, creating a mutual relationship between the fish and the plants. Today, this method of farming has become a popular farming choice for many, especially for environmentalists, for it puts less strain on nature compared to traditional farming methods. As of today, countries like Myanmar, Peru, Germany, and the U.S have been tinkering with aquaponics for years. However, it has been used mostly by garden hobbyists; it has yet to be used on a macroscale commercial basis.
Just like any other agricultural system, aquaponics has its advantages and disadvantages. One of its advantages is that it is environment-friendly as it can grow plants and fish simultaneously without the use of potentially harmful, artificial fertilizers. As a result, financial costs are relatively low. Using natural fertilizers in the form of fish feces, therefore, makes aquaponics an affordable and environment-friendly choice for farmers and hobbyists.
“You know, there’s a lot of us that are concerned about the quality of our food, where it’s coming from. But once you’re growing your own food, then you’ve got control of your food” (NBC), says Sylvia Bernstein, a hobbyist and the founder of the Aquaponic Source. Furthermore, aquaponics uses 90% less water than traditional farming. Traditional methods account for 70% of all freshwater withdrawals in the world, for soil requires a substantial amount of water to ensure maximum plant growth. Aquaponics, on the other hand, does not require a large input of water because the water in the system is continuously recirculated from the fish tanks to the plant beds. Unless users mishandle the system, there is little to no risk of contamination since the plants return freshwater back to the fishes after consuming all the nutrients.
So far, aquaponics seems like the ideal product for agriculture; however, there are its disadvantages as well. First, there is a limit to the kinds of crops that can be grown through aquaponics. Many plant species like tuberous plants and root vegetables require soil for growth, which aquaponics does not provide. Even if the plant does not require soil for growth, aquaponics reaches a dead-end when it comes to large-scale production because there is a limited amount of ammonia the fishes can produce. Additionally, aquaponics consumes a lot of electricity. The fish tanks need to be turned on the entire time, water pumps need to work, and the temperature of the fish tanks needs to be controlled. Thus, the large consumption of electricity partially contradicts the goal of putting less strain on the environment.
In essence, although aquaponics appears to be an affordable and efficient method of farming, it also has its downsides. With more improvements and innovations, aquaponics will attract the eyes of many with its eco-friendly benefits, potentially becoming a crucial system for the future of food production and agriculture.
Sources:
pbs.org/newshour/show/aquaponic-farming-saves-water-can-feed-country
youtube.com/watch?v=cl7qz2SGzpY
environment.co/pros-and-cons-of-aquaponics
youmatter.world/en/definition/aquaponics-sustainable-benefits-system
theaquaponicsource.com/what-is-aquaponics
Just like any other agricultural system, aquaponics has its advantages and disadvantages. One of its advantages is that it is environment-friendly as it can grow plants and fish simultaneously without the use of potentially harmful, artificial fertilizers. As a result, financial costs are relatively low. Using natural fertilizers in the form of fish feces, therefore, makes aquaponics an affordable and environment-friendly choice for farmers and hobbyists.
“You know, there’s a lot of us that are concerned about the quality of our food, where it’s coming from. But once you’re growing your own food, then you’ve got control of your food” (NBC), says Sylvia Bernstein, a hobbyist and the founder of the Aquaponic Source. Furthermore, aquaponics uses 90% less water than traditional farming. Traditional methods account for 70% of all freshwater withdrawals in the world, for soil requires a substantial amount of water to ensure maximum plant growth. Aquaponics, on the other hand, does not require a large input of water because the water in the system is continuously recirculated from the fish tanks to the plant beds. Unless users mishandle the system, there is little to no risk of contamination since the plants return freshwater back to the fishes after consuming all the nutrients.
So far, aquaponics seems like the ideal product for agriculture; however, there are its disadvantages as well. First, there is a limit to the kinds of crops that can be grown through aquaponics. Many plant species like tuberous plants and root vegetables require soil for growth, which aquaponics does not provide. Even if the plant does not require soil for growth, aquaponics reaches a dead-end when it comes to large-scale production because there is a limited amount of ammonia the fishes can produce. Additionally, aquaponics consumes a lot of electricity. The fish tanks need to be turned on the entire time, water pumps need to work, and the temperature of the fish tanks needs to be controlled. Thus, the large consumption of electricity partially contradicts the goal of putting less strain on the environment.
In essence, although aquaponics appears to be an affordable and efficient method of farming, it also has its downsides. With more improvements and innovations, aquaponics will attract the eyes of many with its eco-friendly benefits, potentially becoming a crucial system for the future of food production and agriculture.
Sources:
pbs.org/newshour/show/aquaponic-farming-saves-water-can-feed-country
youtube.com/watch?v=cl7qz2SGzpY
environment.co/pros-and-cons-of-aquaponics
youmatter.world/en/definition/aquaponics-sustainable-benefits-system
theaquaponicsource.com/what-is-aquaponics
