Aquaponics

Aquaponics is a food production system that couples aquaculture, the raising of aquatic animals such as fish, crayfish, snails or prawns in tanks, with hydroponics, the cultivation of plants in water, so that nutrient-rich water from the aquaculture tanks is fed to hydroponically grown plants whose roots filter out the ammonia and other compounds that would otherwise be toxic to the animals. Once the water has passed through the plant beds it is cleaned and oxygenated before returning to the aquaculture tanks. The fish most commonly raised in aquaponic systems include tilapia, koi, goldfish, carp, catfish and barramundi, alongside plants such as lettuce, kale, basil, tomatoes and peppers, and the three major types of modern aquaponic design are the deep-water or raft system, nutrient film technology, and media-based or reciprocating beds.