If you’re familiar with hydroponic gardening, aquaponic gardening will make perfect sense. But, in case you’re not, let me try to explain. From EtymOnline.com
- hydroponics
- 1937, formed in Eng. from hydro-, comb. form of Gk. hydor “water” (see water (n.1)) + -ponics, from Gk. ponein “to labor, toil,” from ponos “labor” (see span (v.)).
Hydroponics uses a growing medium, such as pea gravel or loose moss, instead of soil. Nutrients are carried by a steady drip or intermittent stream of water to the roots. One of the main drawbacks of hydroponics is the necessity of including water soluble plant nutrients.
Aquaponics solves this problem by using fish. Yes, you read right. Your hydroponically planted vegetation is hooked up to a fish tank, where the nutrients [read: biological waste] from the fish nourishes them. It’s very similar to dumping cow manure on a farm field. The added bonus, of course, is that the plant roots and planting medium act as a filter for the fish’s water. You have to keep an eye on a variety of potentially fish killing factors, including pH and ammonia.
On Saturday, The Husband and I began our experiment. We purchased a large, clear Rubbermaid container, some PVC and tubing and 13 tiny fish (12 Comets and 1 bottom-feeder to prevent dirty walls). On Sunday, we hit up a nursery to get a water-garden pump-not a filter, the plants should do that-, some pea gravel, aquatic plants-to help until the herbs are established-, and a few containers of plants. Since we weren’t following any particular guideline, the assembly took nearly the entire day and I still don’t have all the plants in.
However, most of the herbs seem to be doing OK. Their roots are staying moist and they haven’t dropped all their leaves [yet]. The fish, although a bit crowded right now, are swimming happily and all still alive. I’m sure after I write this, half of them will float to the top.
Once I have the other plants in, I’ll post some pictures of the set-up. If this first round, with clearance nursery plants and tiny tiny fish, goes well, we’ll expand to a second container for strawberries and give 6 of the Comets a bit more space.
With the right set-up, and a fairly large investment, you can use “food fish” like carp in the system to raise some organic, mercury-free fish fry and the vegetables to go with them.
To read more about aquaponics, take a gander at these resources