Ryan Sultana
What is Aquaponics?
…‘Aquaponics is the art of
growing food with fish poop’,
Anonymous
“Essentially, all life depends upon the soil ...
There can be no life without soil and no soil
without life; they have evolved together.”
Charles E. Kellogg
An integration of two systems:
Hydroponics and Aquaculture
The process of growing food in an inert
medium by controlling and adding
nutrients but without soil
The cultivation of aquatic
animals or plants for food.
History
Chinampas
Built by Incas and Aztecs
Between 14th -16th century A.D
History
Paddy Fields
In China and Thailand
Since the 6th Century
History
Barrays
Built by Cambodians
In Angkor, India
Hydroponics – Growing in water…
The Raft System
also known as
Deep Water Culture
Hydroponics – Growing in water…
The Raft System
also known as
Deep Water Culture
Other Systems
• NFT – Nutrient Film
Technique
• Wick System
• Ebb and Flow
• Drip System
• Aeroponics
Nutrient Film Technique
Other Systems
Aeroponics
Aquaponics
Aquaculture
Bacteria
Hydroponics
SUN
A Sustainable System
3
1
2
Why Aquaponics ?
Advantages
• Reduced labour
• Higher production rate
• Provides income from two separate products
• Aquacultural waste products are used
• A lot of current research and improvements
going on
Why Aquaponics ?
Advantages
• Less pests and diseases (if controlled)
• Reduced carbon footprint
• Reduced water loss
• Makes use of dead space
 Rooftops
 3-D vertical dimension
Vertical Drip
System Towers
Why Aquaponics?
Disadvantages
• High initial cost
 To fill up water tanks
 To build the system (Greenhouse, pumps etc.)
• Requires skill and know-how
• Constant monitoring of water parameters
• Pests and diseases can be devastating
• Limitations concerned with fish species reared
• Competitive market prices
Other Possibilities
Organic Aquaponics
• Natural fertilizer
• Natural minerals (snail shells)
• Good marketing – labelling
Use of Technology
• Smart phone applications
• Pipe blockage warning
• System automation
- Check out ‘urban aquaponics in
Oakland’ on youtube or Kijani Grows
on a search engine for more ideas -
Other Possibilities
Growing Indoors
• Can be used underground
and indoors
• Artificial lighting
• May be a life-saviour in
post-apocalyptic scenarios
• The Great Tennessee Pot
Cave drug bust
Other Possibilities
Growing Upwards
• Futuristic Concepts
• Growing locally
• Dedicated Skyscraper
Farms
• Makes use of limited
space availability
• Space missions
Other Possibilities
Taken from the movie ‘Sunshine’
Thank You
“The ultimate goal of
farming is not the
growing of crops, but the
cultivation and perfection
of human beings.”
― Masanobu Fukuoka,
The One-Straw Revolution
Ryan Sultana