Monday, March 27, 2017

Aquaponics: A Guide to How To Set Up An Aquaponics Farming System For Less Than $500






In a world where everything is done on the run and more and more people complain about their lack of time, starting a new activity seems as a way of social suicide (you will have less time to see your friends and your family). This is why many people are quite reluctant in giving their precious time away on new activities, especially if that new activity is gardening. Yet, what I want to propose you is something simpler, which even though is a way of growing crops, has nothing else to do with gardening. It is called aquaponics and it is the easiest way to have fresh food on your table.
Aquaponics is a system which involves growing fish in normal tanks and using their water, filled with bio-nutrients in a system similar with that promoted by hydroponics. The best thing about aquaponics is that you will not have to take care of the plants, as the fish will offer them enough food to grow and develop properly. You will just have to take care of your fish, which will also take less time as you will only have to monitor the water and feed them. There is no need to change or clean the water as this is something which your plants will do.

This symbiosis between fish and plants is the one which will save you lots of time and will give you the opportunity to take on this activity without compromising your social or professional life. Few minutes each day will be enough for you to make sure that both your crops and your fish are alright! In fact, growing plants and fish with the aquaponic system is so easy that your entire family will be willing to help you with that. Because it involves no dirty hands, bending and digging in the ground, you can even let your children help you. It will not take long so that they will not get bored and you will get to spend some moments with them.

Aquaponics is the easiest way through which you can have tasty, fresh and healthy vegetables on your table each and every day. There is no need to be afraid to start such a new activity as this is one of the best steps you can take for you and your family!

For more information click - Aquaponics Farming

Advantages of Aquaponic Farming

Advantages of Aquaponic Farming


Aquaponics is a new way of approaching farming. Unlike traditional agriculture where you needed plants to grow vegetables, with aquaponics you need water and fish in order to have healthy food on your table each and every day. Basically, aquaponics relies on the interdependence between fish and plants: the fish produces bio-nutrients for the plants, while the plants clean the water, creating a perfect environment for the fish to grow and develop. It is a blend of aquaculture and hydroponics that has plenty of advantages. If you need some reasons to get your own aquaponic system started, then here are some of the advantages you will get once you assemble it.
First of all you will have fresh organic food on your table each and every day, regardless of the hour when you decide to cook your meals. You simply take your tomato, cucumber of your basil from the aquaponic "field" and use it for your meals. It is as easy as it sounds.

The second best thing about it is that you not only grow vegetables, but you also have plenty of fish. Whether you want them for cooking tasty meals or simply for your décor, they are a great addition in your home! They also have a practical purpose, as you will never have to use chemical fertilizers on your plants, thus obtaining real organic food.

If you ask how difficult is this system to put in practice, the answer is extremely simple. Not only will you be able to assemble it all by yourself, without the help of your family or neighbors, but you can also put it wherever you want. If you move from one house to another, then you simply disassemble the system and take it with you! What can be easier than that?

Another great advantage of the hydroponic farming is that it offers you financial independence and control over your money. You know exactly how much you need to spend on your food and you will no longer depend on the market for your veggies' supplies.

Last, but not least, it involves no dirty hands and clothes, no bending and digging, no land and little maintenance time, so it will be like your veggies and fish grow all by themselves! Quite an easy to put in practice system, suitable for all types of people, even for busy and impatient ones!

There are plenty advantages that the aquaponic system can offer you! Your health and your comfort will be improved, while your savings will considerably grow with the constant use of the aquaponic type of farming! If this is what you want, then why not give it a try?

How to Adding Salt in Aquaponics



Adding Salt in Aquaponics

Many people add salt to their aquaponics system and you may be thinking of doing the same. The practice of adding salt in Aquaponics has its pros and cons, and if you decide to use salt you should do so carefully.
The main purpose of adding salt in Aquaponics is for disease control; salt acts like a natural anti-bacterial agent. In addition, a small amount of salt improves the mucous covering on a fish's body, and this improves the resistance of the fish to diseases and parasites. Salt may also help to prevent fungal infections. If you opt for salt addition, use pure sea salt and avoid table salt. If you can't find any pure sea salt, swimming pool salt is a viable alternative.

However, adding too much salt will kill the fish and stunt plant growth. Therefore, when adding salt, you should do it only in calculated amounts. A good rule of thumb is 1 to 2 ppt (parts per thousand) of salt to water. Some plants and fish will tolerate higher levels, but if you are a novice in Aquaponics systems, you should stick to this amount. Remember, that as time passes, the concentration of salt in the system will change. Evaporation of water, water taken up by the plants, etc... will lead to an increase in salt concentration. It is therefore important that you monitor salt concentration regularly, and you can do so by using an apparatus called a refractometer. You can buy cheap refractometers for just a few dollars and they will do the job.

Many people will have a separate small tank that they use for sick fish, a kind of quarantine tank. This is a good idea as it prevents the spread of disease to other fish and allows you to give medication only to the sick fish and not to the whole system. If you keep such a tank, salt can be very useful, as salt will enhance the fish's immune system. You can use higher concentration of salt in your sick tank - up to 10 ppt for a few hours to a few days. Make sure to keep the tank well oxygenated.

As mentioned already, different fish have different levels of salt tolerance, so to be on the safe side check with your local fisheries department for levels of tolerability of the species you are growing. In addition, remember that even if the fish you are growing are very tolerant to salt (for example tilapia can be grown in a salt concentration of up to 20-30ppt), the plants will not tolerate high concentrations. It is safer if you stick to 1-2ppt.

Discover how to optimize your aquaponics system, and therefore maximize yields while minimizing costs, in Aquaponics 4 You