Algae farming can be successfully integrated with other farming systems to create more sustainable and efficient operations. In aquaponics, for example, algae can be grown alongside fish, with fish waste providing nutrients for the algae while the algae help purify the water. Livestock farms can also benefit by using nutrient-rich wastewater from manure management systems to feed algae, turning waste into valuable biomass for feed or biofertilizer.
Algae can complement greenhouse operations by capturing carbon dioxide from plant respiration and producing oxygen in return. In integrated multi-trophic aquaculture systems, algae can absorb excess nutrients from shellfish or fish farming, improving water quality while producing valuable biomass. These integrated approaches reduce waste, improve nutrient cycling, and offer economic and environmental benefits by turning byproducts into resources.
