Aquaponics is the harmonious combination of aquaculture (growing fish) and hydroponics (soil-free growing of plants). It takes the 'good' from both systems and leaves the 'bad' behind.
Not only does a typical Aquaponics set-up use a fraction of the water (one tenth or even less) of conventional agriculture/gardening/aquaculture, it also provides an easy way to grow clean, organic, fresh fish and produce in a suburban backyard.
Due to the sensitivity of fish to chemicals, all Aquaponics systems are inherently organic, with growth rates easily outperforming soil-based methods.
Several components are required for a successful Aquaponics set-up:
A well constructed fish tank (fibreglass is ideal)
One or more grow beds filled with suitable media (gravel or clay pebbles)
Other equipment - water pump, air pump, pipes, fish pellets, etc
Nutrient-rich water is pumped from the fish tank, through the grow beds, and back into the tank. During this cycle, the plants (lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc) filter the nutrients from the water, allowing clean water to re-enter the fish tank. This cycle repeats itself, reusing the water from the fish tank over and over, resulting in a far more efficient system than regular aquaculture or agriculture.
Ideally, Aquaponics systems are housed in rain-proof greenhouses, with grow beds receiveing full sun. These can be simple 'home-made' structures (with a roof made of clear greenhouse film/plastic), or more elaborate, purpose-built greehhouses.
Once an Aquaponics kit has been installed, there are very few ongoing expenses, and almost all of the 'back-breaking' labour of regular gardening is removed.
By installing an Aquaponics system at your house, you can move one step closer to self sufficiency.
