Aquaponics is a polyculture that combines aquaculture
and hydroponics cultivation, i.e. fish farming and soil-independent
food production, in a circulatory system with the aim of recycling
nutrients from fish farming wastewater. In this MOOC course of the ZHAW,
you will learn the most important points about aquaponics and how to
plan and design such a sustainable production system.
What you'll learn
- Understand the basic technological principles
behind aquaponics, be able to assess the advantages and disadvantages of
aquaponic systems, and have an insight into current research and
potential applications in terms of urban agriculture and vertical
farming.
- Be familiar with fish anatomy and physiology, fish feed and growth along with fish health and welfare.
- Understand the principles of fish cultivation in
recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS), the required technical
components, the calculation of dimensions in terms of engineering, and
the important role of water treatment and monitoring.
- Understand basic plant anatomy, physiology, and
growing requirements. Know the basic principles of hydroponics and its
different cultivation systems. Be able to calculate the nutrient supply
in hydroponic systems and determine nutrient supplementation in
aquaponics if required.
- Be familiar with the plant varieties suitable for
aquaponic systems, learn how to monitor plants, and understand the key
factors of integrated pest management.
- Know how to assemble the basic components of an
aquaponic system and understand the importance of water flow from one
component to another. Be able to plan and design an aquaponic system and
calculate its dimensions yourself.
Video: 101_Introvideo_Nadine