aquaponic organic

An aquaponics system is a sustainable and environmentally friendly method of growing fish, fruits and vegetables. The concept dates back thousands of years ago and it replicates an existing ecosystem.

In modern times, it makes even more sense to build an aquaponics system and people are beginning to realize this. Here are 5 of the top reasons to build an aquaponics system.

1) Grows Faster

In comparison with other methods of gardening, aquaponic gardening generally sees faster rates of growth. Plants have the ability to grow twice as fast when compared to traditional soil-based gardening, and you can yield anywhere from 5 to 20 times as much food in less time.

Putting things into a bit more perspective, lettuce grown in 10 square feet of space in an aquaponics system can have the same results in one month as lettuce grown in 100 square feet of space in a two month period.

One of the main reasons for these impressive results is the fact that aquaponic plants have access to the necessary nutrients 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

2) Low Operation Costs

When you purchase a pre-made aquaponics system, it can often run into the thousand dollar mark for just a basic media-based aquaponics system. However, if you were to build your own system, you can save yourself hundreds of dollars. It's also very straightforward and simple.

Once that's done, the costs of maintaining your aquaponics system is very low. The main things you need are stock fish, fish food and plant seeds. If you plan on having your system placed indoors, then you need to account of lighting electricity also.

3) Easy To Operate

The most difficult part of an aquaponics system is building it in the first place (if you don't purchase a pre-made model). When it comes to maintaining the efficiency of your system, 95 per cent of it is auto-mated. You won't have to experience the kind of backbreaking work that's required in traditional soil-based gardening.

There is no weeding required since grow beds are placed around waist height in grow media so plant roots cannot spread beyond its boundaries. Also, aquaponics media replaces soil so you won't need to do any soil cultivation or fertilization.

The main things you need to keep an eye on is the health of your fishes and plants. You do this by testing pH and ammonia levels in the water, and also the water's temperature. These tests are conducted at least once a week and take less than a few minutes.

4) Offers An Alternative Source Of Income

When you've gained the experience of having a simple and basic aquaponics system, you may want to upscale your system to make some extra money on the side. Using aquaponics for commercial purposes is a different subject than using it for personal reasons.

However, supplying surplus fish, fruits and vegetables to end consumers or wholesalers is very realistic and many people have done it successfully.

5) Much Healthier And Tastier

It's a fact that many of the fruits and vegetables in our food supply chain are riddled with different chemicals which can be harmful to the long-term health of human beings.

Outbreaks of various diseases such as salmonella can be attributed to a compromise of food safety somewhere in the supply chain. This makes it hard to trust what we're really eating.

Food grown with aquaponics is all organic and natural, and you will have peace of mind knowing exactly what your fish has eaten and how your plants are grown. Not only is this direct food source a healthier option, but it's also a much better tasting one.