Frequently Asked Questions

What is Aquaponics?

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The simplest definition of Aquaponics is the combination of aquaculture (raising fish) and hydroponics (the soil-less growing of plants) that grows fish and plants together in one integrated system. The fish waste provides an organic food source for the plants and the plants naturally filter the water for the fish.

Fish produces wastes -> microbes and worms convert waste to fertilizer for plants -> Plants filter water that returns to the fish -> fish produces waste

The third participants are microbes (nitrifying bacteria). These bacteria convert ammonia from the fish waste first into nitrites, and then into nitrates. Nitrates are the form of nitrogen that plants uptake and use to grow. Solid fish waste is turned into compost that also acts as food for the plants.

What is Hydroponics?

Hydroponics, by definition, is a method of growing plants in a water-based, nutrient rich solution. It does not use soil, instead the root system is supported using an inert medium such as perlite, rockwool, clay pellets, peat moss, or vermiculite. The basic premise behind hydroponics is to allow the plant roots to come in direct contact with the nutrient solution, while also having access to oxygen, which is essential for proper growth.

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Advantages of Hydroponics?

Growing with hydroponics comes with many advantages, the biggest of which is a greatly increased rate of growth in the plants. With the proper setup, the plants will mature up to 25% faster and produce up to 30% more than the same plants grown in soil. Plants will grow bigger and faster because they will not have to work as hard to obtain the nutrients. Even a small root system will provide the plant exactly what it needs so the plant will focus more on growing upstairs instead of expanding the root system downstairs. All of these are possible through careful control of the nutrient solution and pH level. Hydroponic system will also use less water than soil based plants because the system is enclosed which results in less evaporation. Hydroponic is better for the environment because it reduces waste and pollution from soil runoff.

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Disadvantages of Hydroponics?

Despite the fact that the hydroponic system has so many advantages, there are a few disadvantages as well. The biggest factor for most people is that a quality hydroponics system of any size will cost more than its soil counterpart. A large scale hydroponic system can take a lot of time to set up for the most inexperienced grower. Plus managing the hydroponic system will also take a lot of time. One has to monitor and balance the pH and nutrient levels on a daily basis. The greatest risk with a hydroponic system is that something like a pump failure can kill off the plants within hours depending on the size of the system. Plants can die quickly because the growing medium cannot store water like the soil can so the plants are dependent on a fresh supply of water.

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Types of Hydroponics System

1. Deepwater Culture (DWC) – also known as the reservoir method is by far the easiest method for growing plants with hydroponics. In a deep water culture hydroponic system the roots are suspended in a nutrient solution.

2. Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) – is a type of hydroponic system where a continuous flow of nutrient solution is on a slight tilt so that the nutrient solution will flow with the force of gravity.

3. Aeroponics – is a hydroponic method by which the roots are misted with a nutrient solution while suspended in the air. There are two primary methods to get the solution to the exposed roots. The first method involves a fine spray nozzle to mist the roots. The second method uses what is called a pond fogger.

4. Wicking – is one of the easiest and lowest costing methods of hydroponics. The concept behind wicking is that one has to have a material, such as cotton, that is surrounded by a growing medium with one end of the wick material placed in the nutrient solution. The solution is then wicked to the roots of the plant.

5. Ebb and Flow – also known as the flood and drain system is a great system for growing plants with hydroponics. This type of system functions by flooding the growing area with the nutrient solution at specific intervals. The nutrient solution then slowly drains back into the reservoir.

6. Drip System – works by providing a slow feed of nutrient solution to the hydroponics medium.

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What is Aquaculture?

Aquaculture has growing potential in Asia.

The primary reason for increased optimism is that there is ample room for catching up with more productive technologies, especially in Asia, to expand output without running into resource constraints. (source: Audun Lem, a senior official at FAO’s Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy and Economics Divisions.

Fish prices in 2022 will be 27 per cent higher than today in FAO’s baseline scenario, but up to 20 per cent lower if aquaculture expands more quickly. (Source: The Fish Site) According to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Aquaculture in the Philippines has a long history and involves many species and farming practices in diverse ecosystems. Most of the production comes from the farming of seaweed, milkfish, tilapia, shrimp, carp, oyster and mussel.

Aquaculture contributes significantly to the country's food security, employment and foreign exchange earnings. Aquaculture is growing much faster than capture fisheries. However, the global position of the Philippines in aquaculture production has fallen steadily from 4th place in 1985 to 12th place today. The Philippines now contributes only a little over one percent of global farmed fish production compared to five percent previously.

The future growth of Philippine aquaculture may not be sustained unless new markets are developed, market competitiveness is strengthened and farming risks are reduced, In this age of international trade and competition, the Philippine aquaculture industry needs to plan and implement a development and management program with a global perspective. The Philippine government and the private sector are in the process of preparing a national fisheries development plant which includes aquaculture.

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Sources of Aquaponic and Hydroponic Water

The average aquaponic system uses 1 to 3% of its total water volume per day, depending on the type of plants being grown and the location. The sources of water are: rainwater, cistern or aquifer water, tap or municipal, filtered water.

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The Problems of Traditional Soil Based Gardening

One has to deal with pesticide and artificial nutrient usage, weeds, pests, and soil-borne insects, the amount of water required, the heavy digging/bending/backstrain for the farmer. The farmer must have the knowledge of the composition of the soil and know when to water, when and how to fertilize. These issues are all solved with hydroponics, but hydroponics has problems of its own.

Traditional hydroponics system relies on the careful application of expensive, man-made nutrients made from mixing together a concoction of chemicals, salts, and trace elements. In aquaponics, one merely feeds the fish inexpensive fish feeds, food scraps, and food you grow yourself.

The strength of this hydroponics mixture needs to be carefully monitored along with pH and total dissolved solids (TDS). In aquaponics, you carefully monitor your system during the first month, but once your system is established, you only need to check pH and ammonia levels weekly or if your plants or fish seem stressed.

Water in hydroponics systems needs to be discharged periodically, as the salts and chemicals build up in the water, becoming toxic to the plants. This is both inconvenient and problematic as the disposal location of this water waste needs to be carefully considered.

In aquaponics, you do not need to replace your water; you only top it off as it evaporates.

Hydroponics is prone to a disease called pythium or root rot. This disease is virtually non-existent in aquaponics.

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How Aquaponics Change the Game

Waist-high aquaponics gardening eliminates weeds, backstrain, and small animal access to your garden. Aquaponics relies on the recycling of nutrientrich water continuously. In aquaponics, there is no toxic run-off from either hydroponics or aquaculture. Aquaponics uses only 1/10th of the water of soilbased gardening and even less water than hydroponic or recirculating aquaculture.

Aquaponics is a natural ecosystem - no harmful petrochemicals, pesticides, or herbicides. Gardening chores are cut down dramatically or even eliminated. The aquaponics grower will be able to focus on the enjoyable tasks of feeding the fish and tending to and harvesting the plants.

Aquaponics systems can be put anywhere. – use them outside, in a greenhouse, in your basement, or even living room. By using grow-lighting, space can be a productive garden.

Aquaponics systems are scalable. They can fit most sizes and budget, from small countertop herb system to backyard gardens, to full-scale farms.