Aquaponics is a great way to grow clean, fresh food.
Arguably, it’s principal benefit includes its capacity to grow a crop of fish for the same quantity of water that it would otherwise take to just grow the plants.
Like all new ideas, however, aquaponics is becoming encumbered with its fair share of silly claims…..which I’ve dubbed aquaponic mythconceptions.
In some cases, these claims are the product of ignorance on the part of those who make them. Sometimes, they were utterances that gained momentum before they could be adequately challenged.
Some of these claims (while illogical) were well-meaning enough in that they sought to provide guidance to newcomers to aquaponics…..while others just reflect vested interest.
Some of the more obvious examples include:
-
Stocking Densities
- Component ratio
- Grow bed depth
- Removal of solid wastes
- Sustainability
- Aquaponics is easy
In this six-part series of posts, I’ll identify the origin of each of the mythconceptions and challenge their underpinning. Stay tuned!
-o0o-
{ 1 trackback }
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I am waiting, assuming Stocking Densities will be first what effect does the dept of water have on stocking densities of fish. (or does that depend on the type of fish farmed?
Is there an optimal surface area too dept ratio? (assuming the surface area is the same as the area on the bottom of the tank/pond,cage)
lazyfisherman……I’ve grown freshwater fish successfully in as little as 650mm of water and in an area of one square metre so there doesn’t seem to be issue down to that size anyway. Let’s remember that we’re growing fish in our backyard. A commercial operation may be very different.