Aquaponics

Ryan Sultana
 What is Aquaponics?

…‘Aquaponics is the art of “Essentially, all life depends upon the soil ...
growing food with fish poop’, There can be no life without soil and no soil
Anonymous without life; they have evolved together.”
Charles E. Kellogg

An integration of two systems:

Hydroponics and Aquaculture

The process of growing food in an inert The cultivation of aquatic

medium by controlling and adding animals or plants for food.
nutrients but without soil
History

Chinampas
Built by Incas and Aztecs
Between 14th -16th century A.D
History

Paddy Fields
In China and Thailand
Since the 6th Century
History

Barrays
Built by Cambodians
In Angkor, India
Hydroponics – Growing in water…

The Raft System

also known as
Deep Water Culture
Hydroponics – Growing in water…

The Raft System

also known as
Deep Water Culture
 Other Systems

• NFT – Nutrient Film

Technique
• Wick System
• Ebb and Flow
• Drip System

• Aeroponics

Nutrient Film Technique

Other Systems

Aeroponics
 Aquac
ulture

Aquaponics
Bact
eria
Hydro
ponics
 SUN
A Sustainable System

2
 Why Aquaponics ?

Advantages
• Reduced labour
• Higher production rate
• Provides income from two separate products
• Aquacultural waste products are used
• A lot of current research and improvements
going on
 Why Aquaponics ?

Advantages
• Less pests and diseases (if controlled)
• Reduced carbon footprint
• Reduced water loss
Vertical Drip
• Makes use of dead space System Towers
 Rooftops
 3-D vertical dimension
 Why Aquaponics?

Disadvantages
• High initial cost
 To fill up water tanks
 To build the system (Greenhouse, pumps etc.)
• Requires skill and know-how
• Constant monitoring of water parameters
• Pests and diseases can be devastating
• Limitations concerned with fish species reared
• Competitive market prices
 Other Possibilities

Organic Aquaponics
• Natural fertilizer
• Natural minerals (snail shells)
• Good marketing – labelling
- Check out ‘urban aquaponics in
Oakland’ on youtube or Kijani Grows
on a search engine for more ideas -

Use of Technology
• Smart phone applications
• Pipe blockage warning
• System automation
 Other Possibilities

Growing Indoors
• Can be used underground
and indoors
• Artificial lighting
• May be a life-saviour in
post-apocalyptic scenarios
• The Great Tennessee Pot
Cave drug bust
 Other Possibilities

Growing Upwards
• Futuristic Concepts
• Growing locally
• Dedicated Skyscraper
Farms
• Makes use of limited
space availability
• Space missions
Other Possibilities

Taken from the movie ‘Sunshine’

 Thank You

“The ultimate goal of

farming is not the
growing of crops, but the
cultivation and perfection
of human beings.”
― Masanobu Fukuoka,
The One-Straw Revolution

Ryan Sultana
 Introduction to Aquaponics

Aquaponic systems combine recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) with different

types of hydroponic systems (the soiless culture of plants in nutrient solutions).
This workshop describes the basic concepts of aquaponics with tilapia
aquaculture ending with tours of the on-campus greenhouses Demonstrations
will be conducted of different aquaponic systems, RAS, and tilapia culture.
The program will also include the following speakers:
Mr. Allen Benjamin, Quality Certification Services, Gainesville, FL Organic
Certification for Aquaculture Products
Ms. Naomi Davis, Davis Farms CSA, Roberta, GA Marketing of sustainable, locally
grown products in CSA,s and farmers markets
Dr. Pat Duncan, Georgia Center for Aquaculture Development, FVSU, Basics of
aquaponics, system design, and operation plus tilapia culture
May 5, 2011 1:00-5:00 pm,
$5.00 payable at the door
Auditorium, C.W. Pettigrew Center
Cooperative Extension Program
Fort Valley State University, Fort Valley, GA
Contact Dr. Pat Duncan at 478-825-6575 or 825-6335