Small Scale Indoor Fish Farming Facts to Know

Learning as much about small scale indoor fish farming is crucial before setting up your own business. Fish cultivation is said to have been always carried out in the open. However, this method has been facing several issues, which are both unfriendly to the environment as well as to the business. New technologies and innovations that has been made in this direction has helped entrepreneurs to practice indoor fish farming, where farmers can have full control on the production parameters in a manner, in which they can assist the environment and the business.

Problems in Traditional Fish Farming

 
Aquaculture traditionally and largely has been carried out in open ponds, making use of cages and nets in streams, rivers and oceans. There are certain problems that are posed from this type of production system, more specifically using of cages and nets.

One major issue is that farmed fish can escape into natural waters, thereby resulting competition with the wild fishes present and subsequent dilution of the wild fish breed, release of large fish excrement of fish containing chemicals into coast waters, etc. Since these systems are quite open to elements, they have been affected by weather. Other issues posed by the system for fish farmers are their lack in controlling factors which influence fish production.

Small Fish Farming Facts to Know: Understanding the Solutions

 
The latest and advanced indoor fish farming system is said to have been offering effective solutions to those whose business are hampered due to issues faced in the traditional methods. Indoor fish farming facts include the use of sophisticated system, which allows auto collection, processing of wastes to ensure that these get converted to usable forms like crop fertilizer.

Small scale indoor fish farming can be one having several tanks that are filled up with water in thousands of gallons and equipped with control mechanisms and high tech filters.

Re-circulating aquaculture system is termed to be another indoor fish farming method that is fast gaining popularity. Water in flow-through operation, is utilized just once and gets flushed out combined with wastes present in it. Water in the re-circulating system gets treated to be reused.

Fish Farming Facts to Know: Benefits of Indoor System

 
Fish stock gets protected from weather changes, natural calamities and predators.
With greater control over water quality, feeding and temperature, it becomes possible for producing fish quickly and at any point of time in the year.

Closed, small scale indoor fish farming can be considered to be much more environment friendly, since they need less water and results in less waste. Moreover, when regarded as marine aquaculture’s alternative, it does not pollute coastal water with chemicals, antibiotics and drugs.

Another interesting indoor fish farming fact is that it prevents the fish from escaping that are commonly noticed in traditional cage system and open net pens in coastal water fish farming.

It permits high stocking densities, thereby needing lesser management and small space requirements. Hence, it can help the farm owner to save a good amount of time and labor while trying to manage the farm.

Furthermore, it does allow production facilities to be located very near to the market, thereby saving on transportation expenditure.

Algae water from hydroponic nutrient water

Algae water? In hydroponics? What do you do when your hydroponic nutrient water turns green, black, or brown overnight? Trust me, it will happen to you someday and it can be rather shocking.

Fortunately, as surprising as it is, it is nothing to really worry about as long as you take care of this nuisance quickly. It is merely algae in rather large densities.

Algae are simple to plant organisms that turn light energy into sugars – they are harmless to you and your plants and the only non-toxic way to rid yourself of an algae infestation is to change your nutrient water and flush your system.

There are chemical deterrents for sale that will prevent the growth of algae but why introduce an unnecessary toxic substance to your plants? Algae will turn nutrient water into a somewhat thick syrup consistency but will not directly harm your plants although it could clog your system.

Harmless to plants, yes. But, being a living organism, algae will use oxygen and could very well deplete your nutrient water of available oxygen if left to multiply. As algae grow, die, and then decompose the growth of undesirable anaerobic bacteria is encouraged not to mention that algae attract certain insect predators such as fungus gnats and flies.

Depleted oxygen levels along with the increase of anaerobic bacteria could lead to an infection such as root rot or dropping off.

So as pretty as algae may appear, get rid of it quickly.

Also, if you look very closely at the picture of my hydroponics system on my homepage you will see that my nutrient solution was green. Yes, I had an algae attack when that picture was taken…

Shortly after that picture, I substituted the clear nutrient container for an opaque one filtering out any sunlight from reaching the nutrient solution thus discouraging the further growth of any algae. And I have not had a problem since then.