What is Aquaponics? Aquaponics is a system that combines the use of aquaculture (raising fish) and hydroponics (growing plants in water) in a symbiotic relationship with each other in one system. The naturally occurring microbes (nitrifying bacteria) in the water helps breakdown the excretion from the fish waste and converts it into nitrites and then into nitrates providing an organic food source for plants to grow and as the plants absorbs the nutrients from the water it acts as a natural filter and gives clean water for the fish live in. Worms residing in the grow media also does a great job at breaking down the solids into vermicompost which makes great plant food. The aquaponics system capitalizes on the benefits of both while eliminating the drawbacks of each system on their own.
