Write a paper on aquaponics. Abstract (150 words.) Introduction (information about aquaponics, its usage and history and difference between aquaponics and hydroponics. why these plants species were...

Abstract
Aquaponics is a system that uses science to integrate the cultivation of fish with the production of plants in recirculating water systems. With the changing times and increasing need for food, a number of innovations have been going on to produce food and crops with minimum utilization of resources. Aquaponics is one such example that uses aquaculture and hydroponics to work as a sustainable system of crop production. The plants and fish work in symbiosis and help each other in growth. People all over the world are introducing this technique for cultivation which is both cost-effective and organic as it uses little or no pesticide. The system is easy to make and can be developed in different combinations of plants and fishes. The plants and fish should be chosen according to their nutritional, temperature and pH requirements. Universities are also promoting research on aquaponics to further develop this technique for sustainable development.
Introduction
Aquaponics refers to a system that combines aquaculture and hydroponics in a symbiotic environment. Aquaculture is also known as aquafarming and it refers to the cultivation of aquatic animals and plants like fish, all type of aquatic plants, algae and other aqueous organisms. Aquaculture involves the cultivation of freshwater and seawater populations under certain environmental controls. Hydroponics can be considered as a type of hydroculture i.e. a method of growing plants without using soil. In hydroponics, the plants are grown in solvent made by dissolving mineral nutrients in water. In this system terrestrial plants can be grown by exposing only their roots to the mineral solution.
Tyson, et al (2007) discussed in there article that aquaponics is an integrated system that cultivates plants and fish together with the help of biofilter with nitrifying bacteria. The non-toxic substances that would accumulate from cultivation and growth of fish can work as nutritive fertilizers for the aquatic plants. Studies have shown that the final amount of cations and anions in the system ultimately depends on the type or species of fish, the design of system, the type of feed and the source of water. The important part here is knowledge about the increase in daily metabolic by-products from the fish and thus the macronutrients available for plant production can be assessed.
History of Aquaponics
Aquaponics are considered to have ancient roots but the first occurrence is not well documented. The Mesoamericans (Aztec) had cultivation on agricultural lands known as chinampas. The plants were grown on the lake shallows and the waste materials from chinampas canals as well as the surrounding areas were used for irrigation of the plants.
The agricultural farming of rice in paddy fields along with fish is considered as one of the examples of early aquaponics system in South China and whole Southeast Asia. This technology was considered to be brought by the Chinese settlers. This system of polycultural farming existed in the far Eastern countries and they raised many fishes like oriental loach, swamp eel, carp, and pond snails in the rice fields.
Wang Zhen’s Book on Farming is a 13th century Chinese agricultural manual that gives a description of floating flat piece of wood that were covered with soil and then were used for growing rice, wild rice and fodder. This work of cultivation can be found in the early Chinese texts that indicate the use of floating raft rice in Tang Dynasty (6th century) and Northern Sang Dynasty (8th century).
The floating aquaponics systems have been installed on a large scale in China in the recent years that are used with polyculture fish ponds. These are being used for the cultivation of rice, wheat, canna lily and other crops. Fox (2010) stated that the development of modern aquaponics can be attributed to the works of the New Alchemy Institute and the works of Dr. Mark McMurtry et al. at the North Carolina State University.
In Canada, the first aquaponics research was a smaller project that was added to the already existing aquaculture research in Lethbridge, Alberta. There was a rise in aquaponics in Canada that were predominantly commercial installations throughout the 90’s for high-value crops like trout and lettuce. Dr. Nick Savidov and his team at Brooks, Alberta did research and concluded that the aquaponics system can run well in acidic environment which is tolerated well by the plants and not favored by the fishes.
Parts of Aquaponics System
Aquaponics system can be divided into two main parts i.e. the aquaculture which is present to raise the water animals and the hydroponics part which is present for the cultivation of plants. Shafeena (2016) said there occurs accumulation of effluents in water due to the uneaten food of fish and their waste materials as well and this also contains nutrients for plant growth as said by Espinosa Moya (2016) and Leach. The two main parts of aquaponics are aquaculture and hydroponic but several other components and subsystems are required for the removal of solid waste products, the addition of bases to neutralize the acids, and to maintain the oxygenation of water. Toone (2015) and Wright (2018) said that the typical components of aquaponics include the following:
1) Rearing tank – this tank is used for the cultivation of fish.
2) Settling basin – this is a basin that is used to capture the uneaten food and detached biofilms, the fine particulates also settle down here.
3) Biofilter – as the name suggests this is a live filter in the form of bacteria. These bacteria are nitrification bacteria that convert ammonia into nitrates which can then be used by the plants discussed by Schmautz (2017).
4) Hydroponics subsystem – this is the system where the plants are grown and they absorb the excess nutrients from the water.
5) Sump – this is the lower most point of the system for...