A Primer to Aquaponics System
Factors to consider before installing a small-scale aquaponics system
My family continues to discuss options for growing food on a homestead that we dream of owning one day. Last month, I wrote an article about managing water on a small homestead. In that article, I explored aquaponics as one option to grow food if the land has a small pond to utilize as a source of water.
Aquaponics is worth exploring because it's one of many ways to grow food sustainably. By researching and understanding available options, my family can eliminate options that are not suitable for what we want to accomplish. These factors include financial, logistical, infrastructure requirements, and whether or not it ‘feels right to our family.
So what did we discover?
First, let us cover the basics of aquaponics.
What is aquaponics?
Aquaponics is the combination of fish husbandry and plant production into a closed-loop system. If aquaponics were a mathematical formula, it would be:
hydroponics (farming without soil) + aquaculture (farming fish)
Since aquaponics is a scalable system, it can range from a hobby suitable for growing herbs to a large system that can sustain the fruit and vegetable requirement for a whole family. It can…
