EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -Fish produce waste that is full of ammonia. Bacteria convert them into nitrites and then nitrates necessary for plant growth. Fish produce ammonia to your aquaponics system through their feces and from their gills.

Detailed explanation-2: -Tilapia and goldfish are the most common fish species used in aquaponics because they are readily available in most parts of the world.

Detailed explanation-3: -Nitrification is the process of Aquaponicsadding unionized ammonia (NH3) or ammonium (NH4+) into the aquaponics system; over time, bacteria will begin to establish themselves, which convert the ammonia/ammonium to nitrite (NO2-) and then to nitrate (NO3-) (Figure 1).

Detailed explanation-4: -The nitrifying bacteria plays an essential role in an aquaponics system. The nitrifying bacteria convert fish waste, which enters the system as ammonia, into nitrates that fertilize the plants.

Detailed explanation-5: -In aquaponics, nitrate is the good guy in your system’s nutrient cycle. Fish produce ammonia in their waste, and part of your system’s biofilter will oxidize-“eat”-that ammonia to produce nitrite, but both ammonia and nitrite are deadly toxic to fish if they build up to significant concentrations in the water.