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Biochar trickling filter This is another type of filter used in aquaponics at Lethbridge College, and it involves biochar. Biochar is a very porous and very stable material that was proved to be an effective option for filtration of fish effluent in aquaponics and aquaculture. Biochar can be used to improve water quality for both plants and fish, and it presents a very hospitable environment for microbial life to live and thrive.
Aerobic Bioreactor
Feeding pump Medium
An aerobic bioreactor is the essential part of any aquaponics system, and it is the part that truly makes it a zero-waste technology. Bioreactors break down solid materials into liquid minerals, allowing plants to absorb the liquid material as nutrients. Microbes carry out this process, consuming the organic materials with 100 per cent efficiency. The end result is a clear, odourless and disease-free solution, which can then be added back to the aquaponics system or used as a fertilizer for the plants.
Oxygen
Agitation system System monitor Sensor probes
Reactor tank
Submerged aerator
Effluent
Flocculation and coagulation After an aerobic bioreactor fills up, it has to be stopped, with the residual sludge settling down. This process starts with the decant, which is the fluid that contains dissolved minerals found above the sludge. Colloids, which are the smaller solid particles and tiniest substances still found in the decant, are removed through flocculation and coagulation, which is what happens in physical chemistry when solid particles are separated from a liquid to form loose, soft flakes. After flocculation, the decant becomes crystal-clear.