Service Overview
The most simple definition of Aquaponics is the combination of aquaculture (raising fish) and hydroponics (the soil-less growing of plants) that grows fish and plants together in one integrated system. The fish waste provides an organic food source for the plants, and the plants naturally filter the water for the fish.
The third participants are microbes (nitrifying bacteria). These bacteria convert ammonia from the fish waste first into nitrites, and then into nitrates. Nitrates are the form of nitrogen that plants can uptake and use to grow. Solid fish waste is turned into vermicompost that also acts as food for the plants.
In combining both hydroponic and aquaculture systems, aquaponics capitalizes on their benefits and eliminates the drawbacks of each.
Advantages
- Waist-high aquaponic gardening eliminates weeds, back strain, and small animal access to your garden.
- Aquaponics relies on the recycling of nutrient-rich water continuously. In aquaponics, there is no toxic run-off from either hydroponics or aquaculture.
- Aquaponics uses only 1/10th of the water of soil-based gardening and even less water than hydroponics or recirculating aquaculture.
- Harmful petrochemicals, pesticides or herbicides are not used. It’s a natural ecosystem
- Gardening chores are cut down dramatically or eliminated. The aquaponics grower is able to focus on the enjoyable tasks of feeding the fish and tending to and harvesting the plants.
- Aquaponic systems can be put anywhere, use them outside, in a greenhouse, in your basement, or in your living room! By using grow-lighting, any space can become a productive garden.
- Aquaponic systems are scaleable! They can fit most sizes and budgets, from small countertop herb systems to backyard gardens, to full-scale farms, aquaponics can do it all!
- You get to harvest both plants and fish from your garden. Truly raise your entire meal in your backyard