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What is aquaponics?
Aquaponics is the symbiosis between aquaculture, the raising of aquatic organisms, and hydroponics, the cultivation of plants in water.
Aquaponics has its origins in integrated farming methods that have existed for millennia. Integrated farming is a set of practices that seek to imitate nature as closely as possible. Among the best-known examples are the Aztecs who cultivated their crops on chinampas, networks of shallow canals in which fish lived; Southeast Asia, where they stocked flooded rice paddies with fish; and several peoples in Africa who raised their livestock on stilted platforms above bodies of water.
There are different types of aquaponics and several technologies for each crop. Since its creation, ÉAU has specialized in decoupled aquaponics for the development of its commercial aquaponic farms.
Commercial Aquaponics
Three interdependent sections
The commercial, or decoupled, aquaponics system consists of three interdependent sections: aquaculture production, a water treatment system, and horticultural production. This system forms two loops through which the water circulates.
Control over the entire chain
A commercial aquaponics system offers the ability to control parameters in each section – aquaculture, water treatment, and horticulture – independently of the other sections. This allows the needs of the elements within each section – aquatic organisms, bacteria, and plants – to be met without impacting other species.
Commercial aquaponics production allows for:
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Water savings
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A reduction in the use of chemical fertilizers
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Overall, better control of the aquaculture and horticultural environment leads to better yields.
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Cold-water fish farming in conjunction with temperate-water plant cultivation
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