The practice of Aquaponic farming is not a new technology, it dates back to the Aztecs and was called "Chinampas". But recently it has has been re-discovered. By definition, aquaponics is the symbiotic cultivation of plants and aquatic animals in a recirculating environment. Water from the fish tank is filtered and recirculated by the biological methods of the plant. Ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, and phosphorus are stripped away and then the freshly cleansed water is recirculated back into the fish tanks. In return, nutrients generated from fish manure, algae, and decomposing fish feed - that would be toxic to the fish - serve as liquid fertilizer to hydroponically grown plants.

     Another problem facing the environment of the area is food. Even though this is a tropical rainforest with the capacity to sustain lives of unlimited numbers, according to an April 2012 United Nations report, "In Guatemala, the face of poverty and hunger is young, indigenous and rural. Guatemala, with the fourth highest rate of chronic malnutrition in the world and the highest in Latin America and the Caribbean, faces a serious challenge to reduce chronic undernutrition, currently at 49.8% among children under 5." The Rio Dulce has been and continues to be over fished due to lack or regulation or ability to enforce current legislation. To address this issue is another easy, inexpensive solution, aquaponics.

Most of the systems pictured above are small backyard designs that can yield enough for an average family. Typically one fish needs one gallon of water and some species can mature to one pound in six months. Vegetables with this technology grow twice as fast than normal soil conditions, so the yield is high as well. The film above shows 1/8th of an acre of land, yielding 20,000 pounds of fish and 70,000 pounds of vegetables!

    There are thousands of website dedicated to promoting this technology and plans can be obtained by video or in print. I happen to have plans of the "Tote System" and "Barrel System" pictured above if anyone wants to purchase them for the cost of copying them.