Glossary

Acidic	Having a pH of less than 7
Aerobic	Requiring, or having abundant air
Aggregate	Course material including crushed rock or gravel
Alkaline	Having a pH above 7
Ammonia	Produced by the fish in their waste and through the gills, can build up becoming toxic if not diluted or converted in thesystem
Anaerobic	Dead zones caused by lack of oxygen, harbour bacteria, and release harmful toxins
Aphid	Soft bodied, sap sucking insects may be white, yellow, black, or green
Aquaculture	The cultivation of aquatic animals and plants in a controlled environment
Aquaponics	Symbiotic relationship of plants and fish growing together in a system
Autosiphon	Useful mechanism for controlling flood and drain cycles of a grow bed
Bacillus thuringensis	Naturally occurring micro-organism effective as a treatment against caterpillars. Certified organic and not harmful to beneficial organisms
Bacteria	Naturally occurring microscopic organisms, both good and bad
Biological filter	Place that supports the colonisation of nitrifying bacteria, eg. growbed
Blue metal	Greyish coloured crushed rock or aggregate, usually granite
Broodstock	Mature fish used for spawning and the production of young
Buffer	Additive which resists changes in pH when small quantities of an acid or alkali are added
BYAP	Backyard Aquaponics
Calcium	Silver/white, soft alkaline earth metal. Necessary for plant growth
Calcium carbonate	Found naturally in chalk, limestone, and marble. Used to buffer pH
Carnivore	An organism that feeds mainly or exclusively on animal tissue
CHIFT PIST	Constant height in fish tank – pump in sump tank
Chloramine	Combination of ammonia and chlorine usually used as a disinfectant and water treatment
Chlorine	Powerful bleaching, disinfecting agent. Often used in drinking water supplies
Clay	Naturally occurring, consisting of fine-grained minerals which hardens when fired or dried
Coir	Natural fibre extracted from coconut husks
Cycled	When a system has established populations of beneficial bacteria
Cycling	The process of establishing bacteria populations in a system
Dechlorinate	To remove chlorine
DWC	Deep water culture: hydroponic method of growing plants suspended in nutrient rich water
Deficiency	A lack or shortage of
Detritus	Waste or rotting matter in the bottom of a fish tank
Dissolved oxygen	A measure of oxygen dissolved, in or carried in, a given media
DWV	Drain waste vent: type of pipe and fittings used for drain waste and vent plumbing
Ebb and flow	The process of flooding and draining a media-filled growbed
Expanded Clay	Clay pellets fired in a kiln which expands into porous “balls”
FCR	Feed conversion ratio: amount of feed fed to an animal, compared to weight it puts on
Fingerling	Young fish that have developed to about the size of a finger
Flood and drain	Flooding and draining fish water in a media filled grow bed
Food grade	Components made to a standard for coming into contact with food stuff
Fry	Young or very small fish
Fungicide	Chemical compounds used to kill or inhibit fungal spores or fungi
Gravel	Rock particles
Growbed	Where the plants grow in an aquaponic system
Growing media	Substrate for bacteria habitat and plant root anchoring
Hydroponics	Growing of plants without soil
Hydroton	Brand of expanded clay/clay balls with high water storage capacity
IBC	Intermediate bulk container to store and transport liquids
Irrigation	Artificial application of water to land or soils
LECA	Light expanded clay aggregate
Lime	Calcium oxide. Extracted by heating limestone, coral, seashells, or chalk. Used for buffering pH
Limestone	Sedimentary used for buffering pH
NFT	Nutrient film technique where plants are suspended in a small enclosed gutter and a thin film of water is passed through the roots to deliver nutrients
Nitrate	Naturally occurring nitrogen available for plant use
Nitrite	Produced as part of the nitrogen cycle, highly toxic to fish
Nitrogen cycle	Process which nitrogen is converted between various chemical forms
Nitrobacter	Bacteria which oxidises nitrite into nitrate
Nitrosomonas	Bacteria which oxidises ammonia into nitrite
PPM	Parts per million
PPT	Parts per thousand
Purge	Removal of impurities by cleansing
PVC	Polyvinyl chloride- plastic polymer
Salt	Mineral mainly composed of sodium chloride
SLO	Solids Lift Overflow – piping method used to remove solids from a tank
Species	Biological classification for a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring
Standpipe	Standpipes set the maximum water level in a grow bed, and excess water that is pumped into the bed goes straight over the top of the standpipe and down the drain
Standpipe surround	Casing for the standpipe which allows water to flow through pre-drilled holes
Stormwater	Water that is derived during rain events
UV stabilised	Substance/object protected from long-term effects of light and ultra violet exposure