Aquaponics - Understanding Hydroponics Systems

About Aquaponics



Aquaponics BasicsAccording to Wikipedia, aquaponics is “is a food production system that combines conventional aquaculture, (raising aquatic animals such as snails, fish, crayfish or prawns in tanks), with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) in a symbiotic environment.”

Yes, that is a mouthful, but it is perhaps the best summary of the value and efficiency of aquaponics. Actually, although a newly revived interest has brought the practice and concepts of aquaponics to the public eye, this is not some new age creation.

Aztecs have been credited as one of the original human cultures to discover and take advantage of the idea of employing aquaponics as an standard agricultural practice. Referred to as floating islands (or chinampa), a village-wide practice used the aquaponics concept to feed their citizens.

As you can see by the illustration above, in today’s world we have refined this methodology to become both appealing and efficient for an individual to practice in their day to day life.