If you are a homesteader looking for an alternative food growing system, you might want to consider. For many people across the globe, Aquaponics is an excellent Sustainable Alternative Food Growing System
Food is one of the basic needs of humans or any form of living organism. For both humans and animals though, the recent changes in climate and environmental conditions has threatened the source of healthy and organic food. Although, studies and researches have claimed that the world has enough food supply to feed humans and animals for years, it doesn’t state whether this supply can be sustained for the next generations. The problem lies in the fact that many of the food growing systems employed today are not sustainable.
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Sustainable Food Production
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In the food industry, when you mention sustainability, it refers to the idea where food, environment and human health are taken into account. What does that mean? This means that during the production of food products, you are actually thinking of how to maintain, improve and enhance the basic needs of the raw food product source. It also encompasses ideas such as how you can protect the environment, water supply and air in order to produce raw materials that would promote healthy living.
Sustainable food production takes into consideration the future generation. Simply, this principle asks you to think about how to produce healthy food product while taking into consideration that there is a next generation who also needs the same food supply; thus, it is important to study the techniques used in production and processing of raw materials. There are a couple of sustainable food production methods today. One of these is Aquaponics.
What is Aquaponics?
This is actually a method used to produce a sustainable food supply through the use of two conventional practices namely aquaculture and Hydroponics. The term aquaculture refers to the practice of growing aquatic creatures such as prawns, fishes, snails and others inside tanks. On the other hand, hydroponics is the process of cultivating greens in the water. An easy aquaponic system works by taking care of the aquaculture’s effluent and then transforming these effluents into nutritious products, which plants take in. The filtered effluent is then returned to the tank where the aquatic resources receive clean water and oxygen which is the plants by product. This sustainable system is able to produce healthy meat and plant products.
A Comparison of the Hydroponics and Aquaponics Food Growing Systems
Both the Hydro and Aqua systems will help you produce sustainable food products for commercial and home used. However, there is a big difference between the two. While the Aqua system has a cyclic system wherein everything is provided from water to nutrients, the Hydro system will need the help of fertilizers to keep growing. In addition, a hydro system would require a sanitized space complete with ventilation and filter system. This is to ensure that outside factors would not hinder the growth of the plants under this system. Although both are excellent alternatives, many people prefer the Aqua system because it helps them save money.
The History of one of the Best Known Alternative Growing Systems
Although this system has just recently become famous, it had been existing even before your great grandparents were born. According to historians, there are two possible origins of this system. One is from the Aztecs who have used a similar method wherein they grow plants in an island, which is either movable or stationary that utilizes waste material from canals for irrigation. The other one is from Asia where the Chinese and Thais cultivate their paddy fields with fish.
Today, this popular alternative has evolved in order to fit the lifestyle of those who are living in urbanized cities. Although many farmers are still using the older version of the system, you can start your own Aquaponics system at home today.
How to Create Your Own Easy Aquaponic System?
Before you start, you need to first gather the basic materials which includes a tank for the aquatic life forms, gravel, water pump, plastic tubing, scissors, electric tape, aquarium air pump, drill, growing medium for plants, grow bed that must not be bigger than the tank, air stone, fish and plants. Here is a quick set of instructions to create your alternative growing system:
1. Clean the gravel, then place it on the fish tank. On the growing bed, you need to drill holes which should be 2 inches apart. Make sure not to drill beyond 1/8 inches though. On the upper part of the growing bed, drill a hole for the water pumped tube.
2. Set the water pump on the tank then place the grow bed on the top of it. Connect the two by placing the water pumping tube in the hole. It is better if you make sure that the tube is wrapped around the inside of the grow bed. Then fold the end of the tube and seal it off. This will ensure that the grow bed will not be flooded because of capillary action.
3. Once the tube is in place, fill the grow bed with growing medium just above the tube. Puncture the tube every two inches; this is where the effluent will come from. After this, continue feeling the grow bed with growing medium.
4. In the tank, fill it with water, plug the pump making sure that the system only provides enough power to drive the capillary action and keep the system running. Once the system is working properly, add the air stone and air tubing. Wait for at least 24 hours to ensure that the tank has enough oxygen before adding the fish. Add the plants slowly within a four week span.
This is how you make one of those simple food growing systems at home. If you have a bigger place, then this system could undoubtedly help you sustain fresh food supply for your family. However, if you are not interested in the aquaculture part, you can opt for a Hydroponics system instead.
Organic, Safe and Healthier
Another reason why you should go for the Aqua system is because it produces healthier food products that are made from organic waste. This means that your product is safe from artificial fertilizer. Plus, unlike the Hydro system, which only produces plant products, this system also ensures that you have healthy white meat product as well. Many farmers and organic food enthusiast prefer this method over others because it has better yield too.
