Aquaculture and Aquariums

The term Aquaculture refers to the farming of freshwater and saltwater organisms. Unlike fishing, aquaculture, also known as aqua farming, implies the cultivation of aquatic populations under controlled conditions. There are many forms of aquaculture that are practiced worldwide all of which require extremely specific conditions to be maintained to ensure the best possible environment for the species being cultivated.

There are several types of aquaculture that specialize in different species of Aquatic life.

Algaculture is the process of farming different species of algae, the majority of algae that are intentionally cultivated fall into the category of microalgae, which are microscopic algae, typically found in freshwater and marine systems, and are often called Microphytes. Macroalgae, commonly known as seaweed, also have many commercial and industrial uses, but due to their size and the specific requirements of the environment in which they need to grow, they do not lend themselves as readily to cultivation on a large scale as microalgae and are most often harvested wild from the ocean.

Fish farming is the principal form of aquaculture; it involves the raising fish commercially in tanks or enclosures, usually for food. Another use of fisheries is for the release of juvenile fish into the wild for recreational fishing or to supplement a species' natural numbers. This type of fishery is referred to as a fish hatchery. Fish species raised by fish farms include salmon, catfish, tilapia, cod, carp, trout, Koi and others. Increasing demands on wild fisheries by commercial fishing has caused widespread over fishing. Fish farming offers an alternative solution to the increasing market demand for fish and fish protein.

The parameters that are essential for the up keep of Fish in either a fish farm or in the domestic ponds are:

• Conductivity
• Dissolved Oxygen
• pH
• Nutrient levels
  
• Salinity
• Temperature
• Total Dissolved Solids
• Water Hardness.

At Hanna we have developed various meters to ensure that every parameter required for Aquaculture applications has been covered, enabling Fish farmers and domestic pond keepers to maintain the perfect conditions for the aquatic life present.