Title: Define aquaponics.
Course: Aquaculture Infusion Units (AIU) > Section: Comparing Types of Aquaculture Operations

Definition should include aquaponics is a food production system that couples aquaculture (raising aquatic animals such as fish, crayfish, snails, or prawns in tanks) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) whereby the nutrient-rich aquaculture water is fed to hydroponically-grown plants, where nitrifying bacteria convert ammonia into nitrates, and detailing the types of aquaponics systems, such as

- Nutrient film technique (NFT)
- Deep Water Culture (DWC)
- Media Bed
- Decoupled

Definition should include

- site selection
  - water sources/availability (management)
  - climate
  - topography
  - location/facility (e.g., greenhouses, warehouses)
  - environmental factors

- essential equipment (e.g., lighting, water quality test kits, irrigation systems)
- maintenance
- preventive controls/biosecurity
  - BMPs for aquaponics

- advantages of aquaponics
- disadvantages of aquaponics
- species selection
  - tilapia
  - ornamental (e.g., koi)

- stocking densities
- factors of production.

Process/Skill Questions:

- What are the benefits of aquaponics?
- What makes aquaponics a sustainable approach?
- Why is maintenance important in an aquaponics system?
- What are the benefits of raising ornamental crops?
- What plants could be successfully grown in a freshwater, brackish water, and/or saltwater aquaponics system?