Sneak Peek
Self Paced 20-hour course to help you understand more about Aquaponics
Aquaponics combines aquaculture with hydroponics. It is an intensive way of farming plants and aquatic animals (eg. fish, crayfish); in the same system. Plants are grown in a soilless aquaponic system, with their roots growing in an inert material such as sand, or inside enclosed NFT channels. Water around the roots drains into a tank which contains fish or crayfish; then (usually) is pumped back to the plants to water and feed the plants. In essence, fish excrement can feed the plants, and the plants clean the water before it is returned to the fish. In reality it is more complicated than just pumping water around in a circle. This course helps you to understand and begin to manage that whole process.
Our 20 hour courses are self paced and will help you understand a topic in a short amount of time. You can work through the course when you like- test yourself with mini-tests along the way. There are extra case studies or research you can undertake if you would really like to get into the topic. Once you have completed the lessons and self assessment tasks, there is a final exam undertaken online- you can then download your personalised certificate.
Course Content - What do you learn?
This course has five lessons. Each lesson has a corresponding online self-assessment test.
Lesson 1 SCOPE AND NATURE OF AQUAPONICS
- What grows well in aquaponics?
- Home systems
- Commercial farms
- Advantages of aquaponics
- Aquaponics is about balance
Lesson 1 additional reading
Review what you have been learning
Lesson 2 THE AQUAPONICS SYSTEM
- What media is best for your grow beds?
- What else do you need to consider?
Lesson 2 additional reading
Review what you have been learning
Lesson 3 GROWING FISH IN AQUAPONICS
- Key facts for growing fish in aquaponics
- Feeding fish
- How many fish?
- Monitoring fish
- Common problems and their symptoms
Lesson 3 additional reading
Review what you have been learning
Lesson 4 FISH SUITED TO AQUAPONICS
- Silver Perch (Bidyanus bidyanus)
- Golden Perch (Macquaria ambigua)
- Jade Perch (Scortum barcoo)
- Murray Cod (Maccullochella peelii peelii)
- Barramundi (Lates calcrifera)
- Brown Trout (Salmo trutta)
- Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
- Carp
- Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio)
- Catfish
- Eel Tailed Catfish (Tandanus tandanus)
- Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)
- Silver Cobbler (Neoarius midgleyi)
- Lake Argyle Catfish (syn. Arius midgleyi)
- Eels (Anguilla)
- Tilapia
- Freshwater Crayfish
- Marron (Cherax tenuimanus)
- Red Claw (Cherax quadricarinatus)
- Yabbies (Charax destructor)
Lesson 4 additional reading
Review what you have been learning
Lesson 5 GROWING PLANTS IN AQUAPONICS
- What system?
- Planting guide
- Planting
- Herbs
- Some herbs to grow hydroponically
- Basil (Sweet) Ocimum basilicum
- Mint (Mentha spp.)
- Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)
- Vegetables
- Cabbage (Brassica oleraceae - Capitata Group)
- Lettuce (Lactuca sativa)
- Pak-choi and Bok-choy (Brassica rapa - Pekinensis Group)
- Spinach (Spinacia oleracea)
- Water Chestnut (Eleocharis dulcis)
- Other
- Iris species (Iris spp.)
- Nutrients and deficiencies
- Mobile and Immobile Nutrients
- Plant Nutrition
- Nutrient Deficiency
- Control of water quality
- Measuring pH and EC
- EC Meters and EC Controllers
- pH Controller
- Plant pest and disease problems in aquaponics
- Pests
- Diseases
- Damping-off disease
- Grey mould
- Powdery mildew
- Wilt
Lesson 5 additional reading
Review what you have been learning
Final assessment
How does this course work?
You can enrol at any time.
Once you have paid for the course, you will be able to start straight away.
Study when and where you like. Work through at your own pace.
You can download your study-guide to your smart phone, tablet or laptop to read offline.
There are automated self-assessment tests you can complete at the end of
each lesson. You can attempt these as many times as you wish and each
time, upon completion, you can see your results. You will need internet
access to complete the self assessment tests.
At the end of the course, you are presented with a large assessment
which can be attempted online, anywhere, anytime. If you achieve a 60%
pass in the exam; you immediately receive a downloadable certificate of
completion with your name on it. If you do not achieve a 60% pass rate,
you can contact us to re-sit your exam ( email- admin@acs.edu.au )