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There are three basic types of aquaponics systems.
Media filled beds, nutrient film technique and deep water culture make up the majority of aquaponics systems in existence today. Within these categories, there are many variations of techniques. They all share the common trait of raising fish and plants together in a closed environment.
Each system must be custom tailored to site specific conditions such as normal high and low temperatures. The systems will need to be protected from wind, weather and contamination by chemicals and animal wastes. The best location will also be influenced by the amount of sunlight and the compass direction.
The system will be designed to meet the space and budget constraints. Small residential systems will be designed with different features than a large commercial venture. One of these three types of systems will be used in most setups.
1. Media Filled Beds: Containers are filled with a granular media like expanded clay or rock. Make certain the media is pH neutral or it could impact the nutrient uptake. The size of the media should provide generous surface area and adequate void space. Water from the fish tank is pumped into the media using a simple piping system which floods the media and nourishes the plants. The water from the media filled beds is then returned back to the fish tank. Recirculation can either be intermittent (ebb and flow) or continuous. The biggest advantages to these systems are the ready availability of materials, low cost of construction and the ease of operation and maintenance.
2. The Nutrient film technique is another simple and effective way to leverage fish production and hydroponics. Using NFT, water is pumped into gutters with holes placed periodically along the length of the gutters for plants. The plants root systems absorb nutrients as the thin film of waste discharges past their roots. This is a great system for small plants but not as ideal for taller plants since they will tend to tip over.
3. Deep water culture uses floating rafts to grow the plants. This is typically used in a large scale commercial setup where water is continuously pumped through the fish water holding system and aerated. The production is optimized at a large scale using this technique.
Flood and drain media filled beds are simplest and most reliable systems for beginners. It can be done in a variety of different containers and you can use recycled materials. The flood and drain system also doesn't require extensive maintenance.
For bigger systems, the deep water culture method is a great fit since the overall costs are reduced a t the larger scale of production. This method is also highly expandable.
Media filled beds, nutrient film technique and deep water culture make up the majority of aquaponics systems in existence today. Within these categories, there are many variations of techniques. They all share the common trait of raising fish and plants together in a closed environment.
Each system must be custom tailored to site specific conditions such as normal high and low temperatures. The systems will need to be protected from wind, weather and contamination by chemicals and animal wastes. The best location will also be influenced by the amount of sunlight and the compass direction.
The system will be designed to meet the space and budget constraints. Small residential systems will be designed with different features than a large commercial venture. One of these three types of systems will be used in most setups.
1. Media Filled Beds: Containers are filled with a granular media like expanded clay or rock. Make certain the media is pH neutral or it could impact the nutrient uptake. The size of the media should provide generous surface area and adequate void space. Water from the fish tank is pumped into the media using a simple piping system which floods the media and nourishes the plants. The water from the media filled beds is then returned back to the fish tank. Recirculation can either be intermittent (ebb and flow) or continuous. The biggest advantages to these systems are the ready availability of materials, low cost of construction and the ease of operation and maintenance.
2. The Nutrient film technique is another simple and effective way to leverage fish production and hydroponics. Using NFT, water is pumped into gutters with holes placed periodically along the length of the gutters for plants. The plants root systems absorb nutrients as the thin film of waste discharges past their roots. This is a great system for small plants but not as ideal for taller plants since they will tend to tip over.
3. Deep water culture uses floating rafts to grow the plants. This is typically used in a large scale commercial setup where water is continuously pumped through the fish water holding system and aerated. The production is optimized at a large scale using this technique.
Flood and drain media filled beds are simplest and most reliable systems for beginners. It can be done in a variety of different containers and you can use recycled materials. The flood and drain system also doesn't require extensive maintenance.
For bigger systems, the deep water culture method is a great fit since the overall costs are reduced a t the larger scale of production. This method is also highly expandable.
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Build your own aquaponics farm with complete backyard aquaponics plans for your backyard paradise.
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