Aquaponics refers to a food production system that couples aquaculture(raising aquatic animals such as fish, snails, crayfish, or prawns in tank) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) whereby the nutrient rich aquaculture water is fed to hydroponic grown plant, involving nitrifying bacteria for converting ammonia into nitrates. Here Rose Lidell, Food.news, explores aquaponics for homesteaders and the benefits of this water-based food production system:

“Aquaponics is an eco-friendly and self-sufficient way of growing your own vegetables and raising fish that can also be used for human consumption.

Through this unique food production system, you can harvest vegetables that are grown without any harmful pesticides, unlike most produce sold in stores.

Aquaponics, a gardening system based on aquaculture and hydroponics

Compared to traditional gardening methods that require soil, aquaponics only requires fish and clean water. Additionally, food grown in an aquaponics system is produced in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner.

You can start aquaponics as a hobby to grow food on your homestead or you can invest in it as a primary or supplementary source of income.

But how exactly does aquaponics work?

Aquaponics is a food production process that combines aquaculture with hydroponics and it is based on the interdependence between fish and plants. Aquaculture is the raising of fish while hydroponics refers to the practice of growing plants without soil. Aquaponics blends the basic elements of both these practices into an integrated, symbiotic system.

Aquaponics systems are closed-looped and recirculating. Both it and hydroponics differ from traditional gardening because of how the plants are fed.

Hydroponics uses synthetic (chemical) fertilizers as its nutrient source and aquaponics uses fish waste to provide an organic food source for your plants. This unique aspect makes aquaponics an appealing option for conventional organic gardeners who have never tried soilless growing methods.

Through the symbiotic plant/fish relationship of aquaponics, plants act as a natural bio-filter to keep the water clean for the fish. Meanwhile, the fish produce fertilizer for the plants.”

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