The Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) and water treatment technology company Fine Bubble Technologies have launched a nanobubble aquaponics pilot plant at De Grendel School of Skills, in Cape Town, that may increase yield by 50%.
The Fine Bubble Technologies patented nanotechnology provides a natural cleaning process by aerating water with up to 222 million bubbles per 1 mℓ of water.
The range of applications for the nanobubble technology includes agriculture, aquaculture or aquaponics, medical cleaning, and water purification, the TIA said in a statement.
The pilot plant is at a larger scale than Phase I funded by the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), during which it was demonstrated that the nanobubble technology increased productivity by up to 50% in both the aquaculture and hydroponic operations.
Common challenges faced in hydro- and aquaponic systems are pathogenic presence within the water and insufficient oxygen levels, which hamper productivity. Additionally, systems currently available for the introduction of ambient air or oxygen within aquaculture and aquaponics in the market are costly and inefficient.
These high costs presented the challenge of high startup capital, creating a barrier to entry for small-scale, upcoming, and subsistence farmers, the TIA said.
Source: Engineering News.