Aquaponics is a collaboration between plants and fish and the word comes from the two words aquaculture (fish farming in a closed environment) and hydroponics (farming plants in a natural environment).
Aquaponics is a combination of aquaculture, which grows fish and other marine animals such as Australian blue crayfish, and hydroponics, which grows plants without soil. These beneficial bacteria congregate in the spaces between plant roots and convert fish waste and solids into something that plants can use to grow.
What is aquaponics? The basic principle of aquaponics is that the waste produced by your fish feeds the plants and trees that clean the water for the fish, creating a continuous process. This system is completely dependent on the nitrogen cycle supported by the bio-filter. When fish produce waste (ammonia), the bacteria in the biofilter break it down into nitrates.
Literally speaking, Aquaponics puts the fish to work. It turns out that these fish activities (eating and producing waste) are perfect fertilizers for plant growth. But man, fish can grow a lot when they get to business!
Aquaponics uses the best growing techniques, using waste from one element for the benefit of another, mimicking the natural ecosystem. It’s a game changer.