Aquaponics for the Home

On this lens, you will find basic information about aquaponics, links to other aquaponics websites, information for getting started with your system, and products that I have found useful in setting up my own.

Aquaponics is the practice of growing aquatic animals (aquaculture) in conjunction with hydroponics.

In aquaponics, fish are grown in tanks. To keep the water that the fish live in clean, the water is circulated through the hydroponic beds, where the plants live and absorb helpful nutrients, cleaning the water. After the water has been filtered through the hydroponics, it empties back into the fish tank.

By using the wastes from the fish as fertilizers, the plants are able to grow faster and healthier, and in turn the plants clean the water so that the fish can grow stress-free, meaning they will grow bigger faster. These are the production advantages of aquaponics.

But the advantages of aquaponics go much further. By operating your own aquaponic system, you can grow healthy foods quickly and up to your own standards, whether they are concerned with the quality of the food, the quality of our planet, or the personal feeling of accomplishment in knowing that you are able to rely on yourself.