A Brief Study on Aquaponics: An Innovative Farming Technology

Abstract

Objective: The article presents a discussion on the aquaponics technology, including its working principles and applications in farming as well as the trends and challenges associated with its use in different areas of agriculture. Methods/statistical analysis: In this work, we discuss aquaponics, a combination of two techniques: a. 'hydroponic', which means cultivating plants/vegetables without soil, and b. 'aquaculture', which means fish farming. Aquaponics has become a popular technique because of its similarities to natural ecosystem, where the only difference is that it is a controlled system, in which the fish eats and produce ammonia, beneficial bacteria convert ammonia produced by the fish into nutrients, and the plant absorbs the natural fertilizer and the nutrients. In addition, the water carrying the ammonia and nutrients is continuously recirculated through the system. Findings: The present study was conducted to explore and find a better way to apply the aquaponics agriculture system in various agriculture industries. Findings show that this method enhances the benefits and eliminates the many drawbacks that occur in traditional soil-based agriculture. Application/improvement: This agriculture system does not depend on the soil, and no pesticide is required during the farming. This system is suitable for year-round farming and can produce high-quality vegetables at a much higher yield rate. Vegetables grow at a much faster rate using this technique, compared traditional farming techniques. Aquaponics takes place in a closed system and there is no discharge of waste into the stream. This system produces up to 30% more production compared to traditional farming using the same amount of space. This system requires less water compared to traditional farming.

Sustainable Smart Aquaponics Farming Using IoT and Data Analytics

“…More than 50% of the waste produced by fish is in the form of ammonia secreted in the urine and, in small quantities, through the gills. Ammonia is toxic to fish in high concentrations, so it must be removed (Kulkarni et al, 2019). Nitrosomonas turns ammonia into nitrite, while nitrobacter converts into nitrate.…”

“…These plants are placed in beds that sit on tubs filled with water, and the water is enhanced by nitrate harvested from the fish waste. The plants' bare roots hang through holes in the beds and dangle into the nutrient-laden water (Kulkarni et al, 2019). The roots of the plants absorb nitrates, which act as nutrient-rich plant food.…”

“…These nitrates, which come from fish manure, algae, and decomposing fish feed, would otherwise build up to toxic levels in the fish tanks and kill the fish. But instead, they serve as fertilizer for the plants (Kulkarni et al, 2019).…”

“…They strip ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, and phosphorus from the water. Then, that clean water is circulated back into the fish tanks (Kulkarni et al, 2019). The grow bed consists of a bell siphon which lets the water get accumulated in the grow bed for a certain height and then pumps down the water back to the fish tank.…”

Smart Aquaponics with Integration of AI and IoT for Yield Enhancement through Real-Time Monitoring and Decision Support

“…Aquaponics is a low-impact farming method that has significant potential for tackling the problems of food security, environmental degradation, and water shortages. As such, it will play a crucial role in the development of sustainable agriculture in the future [1] [2]. The introduction of AI and the IoT in agriculture has resulted in a fundamental shift in how farming and food production are approached.…”