Daniel Alexuta^1,2, Valentina Emilia Balas^1,2,3 and Marius Mircea Balas², ¹Petroleum-Gas University of Ploiești, Romania, ²Aurel Vlaicu University of Arad, Romania, ³The Academy of Romanian Scientists, Romania

Aquaponics represents the integrated production of fish and hydroponic crops using recirculation of a nutrient solution in such a way that fish excretions are used as fertilizer for plants. There is a great interest in aquaponics in the EU and around the world due to increased interest in sustainable agriculture. Such systems can operate in any area and can be controlled remotely via mobile applications. In this article, we will introduce the different types of aquaponic systems: media-based aquaponic systems, nutrient film techniques, and deep-water culture. We will also present various developments of aquaponic systems in Romania. Additionally, we will provide a review of recent literature in the field of aquaponics, including different statistics. Many studies have been conducted on such aquaponic systems, reviewing the general concept, components, types of parameters, and factors influencing the productivity and efficiency of such systems. We will discuss the water parameters in aquaponics that are important for both plants and fish. Maintaining water quality parameters is crucial to provide sufficient nutrients for growing fish and plants, and monitoring these parameters is essential for the health of the aquaponic system. The contribution of this paper is the provision of detailed and indepth discussion on aquaponics.

Aquaponics, Monitoring, Control, Sustainability, Urban agriculture, Greenhouses