While there are many varieties of aquaponic systems, aquaponics is simply a setup that creates a symbiotic relationship between plants and fish. Plants and fish both need water, but they each need different things from the water. The fish create waste in the water (like all living things that eat and breathe), and the plants can use those waste products or their growth and filter the water for the fish at the same time.
Simply put, the fish feed the plants and the plants clean the water for the fish.
The advantages are that I get fish(although fish take 12-18 months to grow to size) and vegetables to eat, unlike a traditional garden, and once an aquaponic system is up and running, it is much more efficient than traditional gardening because the plants are constantly being fed a lot of nutrients.
I hope this blog will serve as a journal of my journey into the world of aquaponics. I am several weeks in and I have made all kinds of mistakes. There are many things that the books don't mention, and maybe I can help you with what I've learned, and maybe someone else out there, who knows more, can help us.
