Aquaponics

We know hydroponics is the method of growing plants in water without soil. In comparison, Aquaponics is a system that combines aquaculture with hydroponically grown plants and the cultivation of fish. In an aquaponic system, the crops and the fish depend on each other. Ecosystems are sustained by the continuous flow of energy, and the recycling of matter and nutrients within the system between organisms.

In traditional farming, photosynthesis is when plants use sunlight and nutrients to grow. In a recirculating aquaponic system, these nutrients come from fish waste. Animals take in matter when they eat and lose matter when they poop. The energy that plants need to survive starts the moment a fish produces waste. Nitrogen is released by fish in the form of ammonia through its waste; it is toxic to the fish, but essential to the plants. The water with the fish waste is cycled through a separate tank, where bacteria help convert it into nitrate-rich fertilizer. The nitrate-rich water then flows to the tank where the plants and algae are. The plants absorb the nitrates, which they use for photosynthesis. This cleans the water, which is then returned to the fish.

Uncover how the cycle of aquaponics works in the recirculating system. Then, in your own words construct an explanation that describes patterns of interactions among the organisms in this ecosystem.