8. Management and troubleshooting
The previous chapters focused on the importance of bacteria to ensure good growth of both plants and fish, on the key factors when building the different aquaponic units, and how to properly care for both fish and plants in a single aquaponic unit. This chapter summarizes the main principles and "rules of thumb" to provide a reference on the optimal fish-to-plant ratio, feeding regime and biofilter sizing.
The second section of this chapter lists all the important management phases from starting a unit to production management over an entire growing season. There is also an in-depth discussion regarding the management of fish and plants during the first three months of production. Finally, this chapter sets out practical daily, weekly and monthly checklists for managing a unit over a growing season, and what to do if problems arise.