Potential benefits of saltwater aquaponics:Saltwater aquaponics open the opportunity for saltwater to be used in a way that will benefit our society.By using the saltwater, which has aquatic feces interlaced with it, it waters the plants and provides the plants with the necessary nutrients, supplied by the feces, to grow. The excess saltwater it filtered through the rocks and recycled, maintaining fish life and saving water.
Saltwater aquaponic systems, keep fish in their natural habitat or natural habitat conditions, this benefits both parties, as the fish can happily continue to multiply and the world can source/harvest food. Saltwater aquaponics can help to conserve some of the world's endangered seawater fish species, allowing them to multiply in an environment, that provides no threat to their existence. Saltwater aquaponics provide the opportunity to conserve land space, when linked to already existent land fisheries. By combining both the plants and fisheries into one, an economical aquaponic system can be created. As the water gets pumped onto the plants and drains back through the rocks, overtime this will provide the opportunity for algae to grow, effectively providing a food source for the fish below. The using saltwater to grow plants over low salinity water, means we can use the low salinity water for alternative purposes, such as providing fresh water for people who need it and keeping agricultural livestock and the human population alive. |
Benefits of aquaponics:Aquaponic systems eliminate weeds.
They reuse what is considered ‘waste’ (fish effluent) . Aquaponics saves water, as it only uses 1/10th of the amount required for regular soil based gardening/farming and even less water than hydroponics or recirculating agriculture. The aquaponic system cuts down maintenance, chores like weeding are not required. Aquaponics doesn’t use soil or toxic chemical solutions to grow plants, Instead they use nutrient high fish effluent. The fish effluent contains all the required nutrients for plants to grow, to their potential. Because water in aquaponic systems is recycled, it means crops will still be able to thrive in areas with droughts or little water. Aquaponics does not require the use of land with soil, which means we can conserve our farmland areas, for growing livestock. Aquaponics protects waterways, by not releasing toxic chemicals into them, chemicals that are often found in soils. Aquaponic systems conserve land space, as more plants can be planted per square foot than traditional farming. Aquaponics provide a way for organic farming. Because aquaponic farming systems can been grow virtually anywhere, it means they are suited for both urban and rural areas, indoors and outdoors, giving it has the potential to feed the growing population. Aquaponics conserves valuable mediums, because the food is locally produced and doesn’t require the use of heavy farming machinery, which is often dependable on gas and oil. You can grow fish and plants, using only one system. Aquaponics provide faster growth rates and faster yields. In aquaponics, there will be no soil based diseases, that can potentially harm the crops. Systems can be established locally, minimizing “food miles”. |
Disadvantages to both saltwater aquaponics and non-salt water aquaponics. |
Due to irrigation and land clearing, the quality of some saline water is variable and operations that use this water face various temperature swings, ranging from 10 degrees Celsius to 30 degrees Celsius. (Keep in mind some of these factors may not affect all sources of saline water).
The dissolved sea salt balance has been altered due to, water evaporation and a lack in some of the nutritional aspects, it originally started with, as it has been consumed by the fish, plants and muscles. As maintenance is being cut down, so are the jobs of those who are involved in that field. The use of saline water, unfiltered, limits the variety of crops that are available for use. It also limits the types of fish that can be used, as not all are saltwater tolerant. Saltwater pumping would have to occur in places where high saline water was not available, this would be a great expense, to most countries. Fish and crops that can grow using saline water may not be available in some areas across the world. Transport cost would then be a problem. |