How to Build a Solar Aquaponic System with Plastic Bottles
Grow fish and vegetables together in this cheap, efficient, portable DIY system
As the word aquaponics itself suggests, we grow plants and fish symbiotically together in an aquaponic system (Figure 1 & Video 1). In it, fish live in an aquarium and the hydroponic plants thrive in a grow bed. Water flows through the two containers with the help of a water pump. Once established, this system requires minimal input: sunlight, some water, backup power, and fish food. Fish discharge ammonia-rich urine and fecal matter into the water. Microscopic bacteria degrade the waste and convert the ammonia into nitrate. The plants use nitrate to grow. And the water is purified in the process. Finally, the waterfall brings more oxygen to the fish.
Aquaponics has many advantages. The amount of labor is cut down. It requires no fertilizer and produces no toxic run-off. The system is scalable and can be deployed indoors or outdoors. Under a well-controlled environment, interference by weeds or animals is also minimal. As a result, herbicides and pesticides are no longer needed. It has been reported that plants grow faster…
