Aquaponics -- How to Put Your Organic Garden on Overdrive

Aqauponics hit the big time recently when "Farm in a Box" by Earth Solutions was featured by Good Morning America, the Wall Street Journal, and the LA Times.

What's Included?
These home aquaponics systems are produced by Earth Solutions and come complete with hoses, pump, timer, grow beds, fish tank, frame, and instructions. You need to add gravel, water, and the plants and fish.

Featured Model
The system that was featured in the news was the smallest model, called the Little Tokyo. You can find it online both at Earth Solutions and at Home Depot. (It's $10 cheaper from Earth Solutions.)

Other Models (see Details Below)
There are several other models from Earth Solutions as well, and most of them are also great for indoors or patio use. I especially like the Dallas model because it's big enough to raise edible fish while still small enough for a patio. Earth Solutions has done a great job in making these systems compact and decorative.

Ways to Save
There are several ways to save money on these systems.

(1) You can buy the Little Tokyo (featured model) from Earth Solutions for $10 less than from Home Depot.

(2) You can also get a 5% discount from Earth Solutions on any model you buy. Earth Solutions will email you a discount code for 5% off any one purchase if you sign up for their newsletter. Look for the sign up box at the top of each page on their website.

(3) Earth Solutions recently began selling aquaponics supplies in addition to their kits. If you're the DIY type, check out their supplies for aquaponics. You may be able to save a bundle by doing it yourself and buying only the parts that you need.

Specs of the Different Models

Here's a brief rundown of the specs on each model. (Pics are farther down this page.)

Little Tokyo -- $239
10-gallon fish tank, 12x20" grow bed
Edible fish? -- No.

Charleston -- $499
20-gallon fish tank, 12x32" grow bed
Edible fish? -- No.

San Antonio -- $679
35-gallon fish tank, 14x42" grow bed
Edible fish? -- Yes.

Dallas -- $799 -- Best Patio Model
35-gallon fish tank, 24x42" grow bed
Edible fish? -- Yes.

Phoenix -- $2995 -- Serious Outdoor Model
200-gallon fish tank, 35 sq. ft. planting area
Edible fish? -- Yes!

Farm in a Barrel -- $83 -- Do It Yourself
Needs 55-gallon plastic barrel that you procure yourself.
Instructions cost $35.
Tubing, valves, and timer cost $48.

Of course, these are not the only home aquaponics kits available today, but they are some of the best I've seen so far for saving space and for indoor use. They're also downright cute (see photos below). I'll post reviews of other systems as time goes by. Check back often for more info.

As we search for ways to go green these days, perhaps we should look more closely at how we grow our food. Organic fruits, vegetables, and meat are all the rage right now, but I believe we can go one step further, perhaps one major leap further.

One of the best ways to conserve our resources and space is through aquaponics. If you haven't heard of it yet, you're not alone. It's still in its infancy as far as the public is concerned. But actually, aquaponics has been around for ages. You could say it's as old as dirt.

In a nutshell, aquaponics is the combination of hydroponics (growing plants in water) and aquaculture (growing fish in a tank), a symbiotic relationship whereby the fish fertilize the plants and the plants filter the fishes' water. This system is a perfect picture of the balance of nature, much like the oxygen and carbon dioxide cycle between ourselves and plants.

But besides this eloquent picture of natural balance, just what does aquaponics offer us? Why should we consider growing our food this way?

First of all, it conserves our water. The water in an aquaponic system is cycled from fish to plants and back to the fish once again. Very little, if any, is wasted. What better way to help our planet than to conserve one of its most precious resources.

Secondly, it conserves space. More plants can be grown in less space with aquaponics than with traditional garden techniques. Some folks propose that 10 times the number of plants can be grown with aquaponics in the same space. That means more food per acre, which translates into feeding more people worldwide with less space.

And finally, plants absolutely thrive in this system. The waste from the fish gives the plants almost everything they need, and the water supplies those nutrients directly to the roots of the plants. As a result, the plants grow faster in an aquaponics system than they do in a traditional garden. Some folks say their plants are growing 50-100% faster - that's up to twice as fast!

Basically, an aquaponics system will not just make you more ecologically responsible, but it will put your garden on organic overdrive. Plus, you'll have fish to eat in addition to your abundant harvest. So you might want to begin checking out aquaponics systems in your area. It's the wave of the future.