Growing Solutions

Hydroponics involves growing plants in water rather than soil, and aquaculture is the cultivation of fish. Together they work in symbiosis, helping each other out.

The basic setup of aquaponics systems is that plants grow of top of water, where one or more fish live. You feed the fish, and the fish poop in the water, as fish do. The waste builds up over time, which is normally quite toxic to the fish. However in this system, the plants growing on top dangle their roots into the water, and absorb the waste.

The fish poop is high in nutrients like nitrogen, and the plants use it as fertilizer. This means the plants have fertilizer that is pretty much free—no need to add any extra to the water. And at the same time, the plants purify the water for the fish, providing them with a clean home! This makes frequent water changes unnecessary. So you feed your fish, the fish waste becomes fertilizer, your plants grow well, and you get to eat the plants anytime you want. Needless to say: in aquaponics, there’s winning all around.