Aquaponics is the cultivation of fish and plants in a constructed, re-circulating ecosystem utilising natural bacteria cycles to convert fish waste to plant nutrients. This is an environmentally, natural food-growing method that harnesses the best attributes of aquaculture and hydroponics without the need to discard any waste or filtrate or add chemical fertilisers. In a nutshell, aquaponics is an ecosystem of plants, fish, bacteria and worms.
Hydroponics is a method for cultivating plants without soil, using only water and chemical nutrients. the plants’ roots are constantly bathed in highly oxygenated, nutrient-rich water. Hydroponic nutrient solutions are expensive. These solutions are becoming more expensive as some ingredients are becoming over-mined and increasingly difficult to get.
1. Expensive chemical nutrients are replaced by less expensive fish feed.
2. Don’t have to dump out nutrient solutions. Water needs to be discharged periodically, as chemicals and salts build up to levels that become toxic to the plants. The place for disposal needs to be considered carefully. Hence, hydroponic system is inconvenient and problematic. While for aquaponic system, just top up the water as it evaporates and transpires.
3. Maintaining an aquaponics system is relatively easier than hydroponics.
4. Aquaponics is more productive.
5. Aquaponics is completely organic.
