Aquaponics

Aquaponics is the combination of aquaculture and hydroponics within a single system. You grow the plants (vegetables) hydroponically using the fish waste as the main source of nutrients. The plants in turn purify the water for the fish.

Notes on aquaponics are provided on role player websites (see heading 2). Benefits of the system include:

• A small system can be fitted into backyards
• Low labour requirement
• No weeds or pests
• No soil cultivation necessary
• No wastage of water
• Fish waste utilised
• Higher yields and quality
• Constant production throughout the year

Ensure that you have a market for the organic produce (vegetables and fish) before you set up an aquaponic production system.

Role players
Websites and publications

Role players

Associations and NGOs

• Aquaponic Association of South Africa www.aquaponicssa.org
• INMED South Africa Tel: 011 486 1090 https://inmed.org Find “South African Adaptive Agriculture/Aquaponics” on the website

Training and research

• Agricultural Research Council (ARC) Dr M-J Thaela-Chimuka Tel: 012 672 9316 ThaelaMJ [at] arc.agric.za
• Aquaculture Innovations Tel: 046 622 3690 www.aquaafrica.co.za Training courses, training materials, consulting and aquaponics equipment are offered.
• Stellenbosch University Division of Aquaculture Tel: 021 808 9146 / 2544 hbs [at] sun.ac.za www.sun.ac.za
• University of KwaZulu-Natal Ukulinga Research Farm Tel: 033 260 6825 www.ukzn.ac.za

Companies involved

• Aquaponics Africa Tel: 035 772 4586 www.aquaponicsafrica.co.za Aquaponics Africa supplies and installs complete aquaponic systems. Advice and a manual are available.
• Closing the Loop www.closingtheloop.co.za Aquaponics systems, advice and training offered
• Eden Aquaponics Tel: 0860 111 246  www.edenaquaponics.co.za Fresh produce and training offered
• Ichthys Aquaponics Tel: 081 009 5368 www.ichthysaquaponics.co.za Commercial set up which also offers training
• Kleinskuur Boerdery Aquaponics www.ksba.co.za
• La Pieus Aqua www.lapieusaqua.co.za An aquaponics farm owned and operated by a 15-year old!
• My Aquaponics Tel: 010 5927856 www.myaquaponics.co.za and www.facebook.com/myaquaponics/ Fish, equipment and workshops offered
• Rooftop Roots Tel: 010 595 2370 http://rooftoproots.co.za
• Urban Farm Aquaponics Tel: 082 551 0016 http://urbanfarmaquaponics.co.za
• Urban Farmers South Africa Tel: 079 758 4703 www.urbanfarmersafrica.com
• Valverde Eco Hotel Tel: 010 591 6840 www.valverde.co.za

Websites and publications

Visit the websites listed earlier on this page.

• Find the information on www.fao.org. This includes documents like Small-scale aquaponic food production. Integrated fish and plant farming. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Technical Paper No. 589.
• Read the PDF aquaponics grower notes by the ARC.
• Find YouTube videos like “Aquaponics” (Purdue University) and “Small scale aquaponics”.
• Visit the Aquaponic and Hydroponic farming in Africa pages on Facebook.
• Watch “Verticulture – Aquaponic Farming” at https://12stepstofarming.net/portfolio/verticulture/.
• Find the “Aquaponics” option at www.technologywater.com
• Open Source Ecology teaches people to complete modern sustainable Projects like aquaponics. Online courses can be taken from anywhere in the world. Take a look at http://opensourceecology.org.

Some articles

• Rossouw H. 2019, November 22. “VIDEO: Laerskool Kempton Park’s aquaponics garden thrives”. Kempton Express. Available at https://kemptonexpress.co.za/218422/laerskool-kempton-parks-aquaponics-still-thriving/
• Reinecke R. 2019, August 2. “Akwaponika: ‘n Fliek, visse en volhoubare voedsel” [Aquaponics: a movie, fish and sustainable food]. Landbouweekblad. Available at www.netwerk24.com/landbou/Leefstyl/Gesin/akwaponika-n-fliek-visse-en-volhoubare-voedsel-20190802
• James, N. 2018, September 25. “The best fish species for aquaponics”. Farmer’s Weekly. Available at www.farmersweekly.co.za/animals/aquaculture/best-fish-species-aquaponics
• Phillips, G. 2018, June 26. “Innovative, sustainable aquaponics production in Berlin”. Farmer’s Weekly. Available at www.farmersweekly.co.za/agri-business/agribusinesses/innovative-sustainable-aquaponics-production-berlin/
• Kriel, G. 2017, August 18. “Aquaponics: ‘economy of scale is the key’”. Farmer’s Weekly. Available at www.farmersweekly.co.za/agri-business/agribusinesses/aquaponics-economy-scale-key/
• Aquaponics is “an emerging urban farming trend that’s ideal for big cities”. Read the article “Three Aquaponic farms in Brooklyn Killing It” on www.ecowatch.com.  One of these urban aquaponic operations is VertiCulture.
• Burgess M. 2013, October 14. “The commercial viability of aquaponics”. Farmer’s Weekly. Available at www.farmersweekly.co.za/agri-business/agribusinesses/the-commercial-viability-of-aquaponics/