Just because you live in an urban setting without adequate yard space, or in a cold or inhospitable climate, doesn't mean that you can't maintain a delicious selection of fresh fruits and vegetables year round. By setting up a proper aquaponic growing system, you can almost guarantee a healthy payoff. The costs and difficulty associated with aquaponics, hydroponics, and other soil-less gardening techniques have plummeted over the past several years, and today, you can set up an entire garden for a small fraction of what it cost in the past.

What Is Aquaponics?

Aquaponics is a technique for growing plants in a controlled environment using recirculating water in place of soil. It is similar to a hydroponic growing system — both are soil-less gardening methods that use recirculated water to grow crops. In hydroponics, nutrients to sustain plant growth are added to the water. In aquaponics, these nutrients come from animals living in the water.

Fish (or similar aquatic animals) live in one portion of the system. Their waste flows to the plants which use it as fertilizer. This detoxifies the water so it can be safely re-circulated back to the fish. If properly maintained, this symbiotic loop can continue almost indefinitely.

Why Choose Aquaponics?

The basic principle behind the technique is not new by any stretch. In fact, in its most basic form, it dates back to ancient times and beginnings of human agriculture. It even has some advantages over traditional farming methods — not only does it allow the grower significantly greater control over the nutrient supplied to the crop, but it also cuts costs as no nutrients lost to ground absorption. The lack of soil also makes it significantly easier to harvest and control pest infestations.

Early adopters of the technology were forced to spend long hours designing and building custom aquaponic rigs, but now you can purchase many types of high-quality growing products that are more or less ready to go right out of the box. The best part is, not only does aquaponic gardening make it possible to grow your favorite produce any time of the year, it makes it easier to grow bigger, healthier, and more nutritious foods as well.

How Do You Make An Aquaponic System?

Of course, when using soil-less gardening techniques such as aquaponics, certain foods are easier to grow than others. Tomatoes and leafy green vegetables grow especially well in aquaponic systems. Tilapia, perch, and cod are popular choices for fish. Crustaceans such as small crabs and crawfish are also well suited for such systems.

While there may be some initial costs involved with building an aquaponic garden, this expense is quickly offset by the food it produces. Knowing the exact origin of the food you and your family consumes provides peace of mind that's priceless.

†Results may vary. Information and statements made are for education purposes and are not intended to replace the advice of your doctor. If you have a severe medical condition or health concern, see your physician.