Aquaponics for Personal Hobby and Commercial Use

Farms, fish ponds, and even resorts tend to be a favorite business in rural areas. This is basically because of the presence of large space and good environment. However for cities, and urban areas, most people tend to have a problem of limited area and pollution. Is there an alternative way, or a hobby that can be worked on amidst of these limitations? Definitely, yes - using Aquaponics.

Aquaponics uses both Hydroponics (taking care of plants), and Aquaculture(taking care of aquatic animals), and combines them onto a beneficial symbiotic setup which is sustainable and easy to maintain. Some people treat it as a hobby, but most use Aquaponics for Commercial purposes - especially for business.

Before you jump into building your own, you must first understand that it is a very easy system you can work on your free time. It can be build in your backyard or lawn area. There are three styles you can choose from - (a) Media Filled Beds - which uses media like clay or soil. It absorbs water via a continuous water system. (b) Nutrient Film Technique - where the nutrient filled water from the fish tank is being flowed (via very thin tubes) to the plant area composed of cup like containers. (c) Deep Water Culture - looks like a normal plant bed on the top view, but when you try to look on the bottom, you can see that the plants are actually hanging down, their roots dipped in water to ensure that they get the nutrient-rich water they need. The fish lives in the water below. For Hobby, you can start with media-filled beds; If you want an Aquaponics commercial setup - go for Deep Water Culture (DWC), since they allow more capacity, and provides a more conducive environment where you can grow plants and fish.

There are numerous Plant species you can try. Root crops like Potatoes, Carrots, and Beets can definitely be grown in Aquaponics plant beds. It is one of the easiest plants to maintain - and you might be surprised on how big it can grow. You also have the option to use seeds or seedlings, depending upon your confidence of growth. As for the growth rates, there are some studies showing that it can reach up to four times the normal plants - which is a good win.

For fish, most practitioners tend to use Tilapia - the second most cultured fish in the world. The primary reason is that they are not sensitive and easy to grow. They can even live in very poor water conditions. Also - Tilapia grown in an Aquaponics system tend to have a very clear taste. Another fish - you can choose is the Carp, and Koi (special type of Carp). Unlike the Tilapia, these two species are more difficult to maintain. The Catfish are well suited for Aquaponics. One type, which is the Channel Catfish is the most widely farmed Aquaponics fish in United States. Lastly the Trout requires cooler water. It has a fast growth rate and excellent food conversion ratio making it great for commercial purposes.

E.Y. Guiriba is an aquaponics expert. For more great information on aquaponics commercial, visit http://www.smallaquaponicssystem.com/.

Source:http://ezinearticles.com