Monday, November 11, 2013

What Is Aquaponics



Aquaponics is a combination of two different food cultivation methods.

- Hydroponics: A sustainable method of growing plants in water without soil. Instead, it utilizes mineral nutrient solutions and water.
- Aquaculture: This is essentially aqua farming. It is the practice of cultivating animals that live in water such as fish and mollusks under your control.


In a nutshell, aquaponics combines hydroponics and aquaculture into one symbiotic system consisting of plants and aquatic organisms. There is definitely some science involved in the process, but at its most basic elements, aquaponics farming is simple and the benefits are unmatched.

Just like with a typical barnyard farm, there are several different methods involved with aquaponics and different types of systems that people apply. The flexibility of creating your own farm is part of what makes this method so popular. Systems can range from small backyard setups to vast commercial systems that fill up entire rooms. You can use fresh water or salt water. You can choose different types of fish and plant life as well. The world of aquaponics leaves you with so many options that you can completely customize your system to your preference and have it be completely different from every other aquaponic farm out there. No matter what the size is, they all utilize similar methods and tools.

Another great thing about aquaponics is that it has encouraged different farmers all around the country to form large groups and associations including the Aquaponics Association. There are several internet forums for aquaponic farmers to trade ideas, and get tips. So by getting into aquaponics you’ll be joining a large community of likeminded people who want to eat organic and aim to help the environment at the same time.

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