A survey proved that the world consumes over 70% of freshwater just for irrigation! The percentage really makes us think about the abundance of water used for agriculture and other activities.
When it comes to areas that barely manage the water resources, it is harder to use the water resources. They would indeed collect the water used for agriculture for other needs.
Since there are good facilities for filtering and purifying water, collecting the excess water from the agricultural fields and reusing them could be very beneficial.
Water is a precious resource. When it comes to areas prone to drought and less rainfall, it’s necessary to indicate preserving water activities.
That’s when aquaponics has come to the big picture. With aquaponics, the farmers can save up lots of water and cut down on unnecessary waste. Aquaponics has gained quite a popularity for conserving water and yet being very effective for the plants.
Most people still wonder if an aquaponics system could really save water. And our answer is a Yes; with proven studies, we see that the aquaponics system can reduce up to 90% of water usage compared to what regular farmers use for their farms.
The biggest reason for this is, aquaponics doesn’t have soil to absorb water; the water is always generated from the fish tank to the plant’s tank.
The water is recycled and used timely. So there’s no extra water involved unless the water becomes significantly stagnated.
When water is circulated in the plant beds, it filters the water, and the plant takes in the nutrients the way it wants.
How does the aquaponics system work?
Water is the main element of aquaponics; it solely saves the plants and also the aquatic creatures.
Aquaponics is a system that carries fish waste to the plants. The medium is through water only. Water circulates from the fish tank to the plant bed. It goes on like a continuous cycle.
When the plants are planted in the water bed, they tend to consume lesser water. This is because the plant actually takes what is required.
When planted in the soil, the soil alone absorbs a good amount of water to be moist for the plant.
Since the water consumed is less, there will be literally no wastage of water as you can always retain the water from the tanks and purify it.
Since it’s only fish and plants, there is no huge contamination of water. The water is said to be reusable until you find it very unclear and stagnated.
You will actually save up a lot of water more than you think.
With Aquaponics, the plants have started growing well; the farmers were relieved that the technique can really help them out for planting.
Switching to aquaponics is saving about 90% of water which is absolutely remarkable.
Do Aquaponics systems lose water?
Though the Aquaponics system has proved to be saving a lot of water, there are possibilities of losing water at some point in time. But note that you wouldn’t be losing a lot of water unless there is a problem with water equipment or leakages.
Aquaponics doesn’t significantly lose a great amount of water from the setup. The small amount of water loss that can be found is either due to evaporation, the plants absorbing, or finally due to some leaks.
Other than that, the aquaponics system cannot be pointed out for wasting or losing water throughout helping the plants.
How to make sure that the aquaponics system doesn’t cause water loss?
Though there are very minimal chances of losing water, you must be careful with the setup. Since the set-up carries water, you must make sure that the equipment is ready and has no leaks.
You can be careful with it by checking it beforehand.
Using good equipment such as float switches to pump water, keep a check on your plants’ temperature, and carefully monitor the placement of the water pipes.
The small checks could help you have a great experience with aquaponics farming.
Can rainwater be used for Aquaponics systems?
Yes, you can use rainwater for Aquaponics farming, which makes this stand out even more. Rainwater is free, you can only set up and install a collecting facility, and you are ready to go.
The rainwater is ideal for both the plants and the fish, so you need not worry about anything else.
By using rainwater, you are conserving freshwater.
But before stepping forward to collect rainwater for your aquaponics system, you must check with your local government if it’s legal to collect rainwater.
In some states and regions, collecting rainwater is banned. This is to prevent people from creating a breeding ground for dangerous insects.
It’s always best to check so you can be sure and proceed by investing in some good rainwater harvesting methods.
Best ways of harvesting rainwater for aquaponics systems.
The rainwater is a boon to aquaponics farmers. Once you find out that you can set up a rainwater harvest, you can get started.
Here are some of the best ways of rainwater harvesting
Rooftop rainwater harvesting
The rooftop method is the most traditional way of saving rainwater, and it works quite well.
You just have to direct the water from the rooftop to draining pipes that will lead to a huge tank. Connect and direct all the pipes around the house that are capable of transporting rainwater to the tank.
If you have an average rainfall, this water harvested can be enough for a small-scale aquaponics system.
Collect rainwater in wells, lakes, and other stagnating areas
Catching rainwater through their systems could be an effective way, and it’s easier too. You must be careful to store the water in good condition after collecting.
If these surfaces are left open, they can be contaminated and thus, it could be a wasted effort.
When dealing with this technique, you must direct your attention to retaining the water in good condition.
Use rainwater Saucers
Another great way of preserving rainwater. The saucers are a great piece of equipment that will catch the water that’s perfect for the plants.
As the saucers directly catch the water, the Rainwater qualities and elements remain the same, making it ideal for aquaponics system plantations.
Aquaponics has proved to be water savers and, on the other hand, an excellent method to grow plants.
Both the fishes and the plants are made interdependent what stands out the most is the use of less water.
Aquaponics uses very less water though water is the main component for this technique. It saves up a lot of water because of recycled water. The water would be circulating in both the tanks carrying nutrients from one tank to another.
The concept of aquaponics is basically like the ecosystem, Where the aquatic creatures and the plants that grow around are dependent on each other to survive. Aquaponics is a virtual way of the ecosystem concept in tanks.
By conserving several gallons of water, this system is well appreciated by the farmers. It’s easier and more conserving to grow crops in the most beneficial manner.
Saving natural resources wherever we can be very rewarding. And the water used in aquaponics can be recycled and used until it seemed to be very unusable.
Additional methods like using rainwater are an added advantage for aquaponics systems. Without using many resources and being able to grow plants is very innovative.
Conservative methods for plantings have always been the greatest advantage. With increasing awareness, this system is already emerging successfully and saving lots of water throughout the world.
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