Ever wondered whether you could bring together your fish pond and vegetable garden to get past the confines of space that living in the city imposes on you?
The Kochi-based Marine Products Exports Development Authority (MPEDA) is now promoting and in fact, imparting training in ‘Aquaponics’, a method that combines aquaculture – whether it is ornamental fish or the freshwater ones you would prefer to have on your dinner table – along with hydroponics, which is the cultivation of plants in water – again, this can be those charming roses and orchids, or the tomatoes, cucumbers and capsicums.
The first of such training programmes in the capital city, held at the State Agricultural Management and Extension Training Institute (SAMETI) here on Monday, had nearly 90 persons from across the city as participants.
According to MPEDA Deputy Director M. Shaji, who handled the session, the introduction of aquaponics in Kochi city a few months ago had already seen around 60 people trying out the method in their homes, either on terraces or in their gardens, while four commercial units too had started functioning.
“We are expecting a similar encouraging response from Thiruvananthapuram, both from people who want to take it up as a hobby or for their own household needs of fish and vegetables,” he said.
Aquaponics, he said, did not involve use of chemical fertilisers or pesticides, did not require soil, and small endeavours, for instance those using a 1000-litre tank, which could yield up to 25kg of fish, would cost around Rs.8,000 only.
Used bath tubs or cement rings could be used for the fish tank, with the other necessary equipment being a 25-watt submersible pump and a 10-watt aerator and a bell-siphon system.
The fish would provide with the necessary manure for the plants/vegetables, while the grow-bed for the vegetables, through which the water passes would ensure cleaned water.
The ammonia in the waste generated by the fish would be converted first into nitrite and later into nitrate for the vegetables, with the bacteria in the grow-bed handling the conversion process.
“We have seen successful experiments of sea bass and tilapia, while the vegetables being grown range from tomatoes to spinach, with root vegetables not being exactly suitable for this type of farming,” Mr. Shaji said.

Source : The Hindu