If you want to grow your own food but don’t have a large backyard, you may be looking into hydroponics as it is a great way to grow plants in a small space. Aquaponics, which is a type of hydroponics, is also a great way to grow your own food. But which one is better?
Both hydroponics and aquaponics have some clear advantages over conventional gardening methods. In general, aquaponics is considered to be more sustainable and efficient than hydroponics. However, hydroponic systems may be more appropriate for hobbyists or small commercial operations that are just getting started.
With all the information available online, it can often be difficult to figure out which system is best for you. Before you purchase a bunch of expensive equipment, it is important to understand the difference between hydroponics and aquaponics.
What is Hydroponics?
Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil. Plants are grown in water containing nutrients.
The advantage of growing crops hydroponically rather than with conventional farming techniques is that hydroponics requires less land and consumes less water. In addition, plants tend to grow faster in hydroponic systems.
Another advantage of hydroponics is that high-value crops such as leafy greens and herbs can be grown year-round. Many of the tomatoes we eat come from hydroponic systems.
What is Aquaponics?
Aquaponics is a type of hydroponics that involves raising fish in a hydroponic environment. The fish waste fertilizes the plants in the hydroponic system.
While the fish waste is toxic, it serves as a good fertilizer for the plants. Bacteria in the aquaponic system break down the waste into dissolved nutrients that can be used by the plants. As the plants absorb these nutrients, they purify the water. Then this clean water can be recycled back into the fish tank.
An aquaponics system typically consists of a fish take or trough for the fish and a soil-free environment for the plants. David Landkamer, an aquaculture specialist with the Oregon State University Sea Grant Extension program, recommends that hobbyists purchase an aquaponics kit when they are getting started. This is because kits are best-suited to climate-controlled environments like the inside of your home.
Tilapia is the fish most commonly raised in aquaponics systems. However, Landkamer recommends considering other freshwater fish such as catfish, trout, common carp, koi, sunfish, and goldfish.
In general, larger fish are going to require larger tanks. The shape and material of the tanks used in aquaponics also depend on the species of fish.
It is important to note that some states may require you to purchase a permit from the Department of Fish and Wildlife if you are going to raise certain types of fish.
Like hydroponics, aquaponic systems can be scaled from hobby units to large commercial production.
Differences Between Hydroponics and Aquaponics
The main difference between hydroponics and aquaponics is that aquaponic systems involve fish. This means that aquaponics tends to be a bit more complex than hydroponics.
Hydroponic reservoirs should have a pH between 5.5 and 6.5. In contrast, aquaponic systems should have a pH between 6.8 and 7.0 so the fish can survive.
Hydroponics and aquaponics also require different components. While both systems contain a soil-less growing medium and plants, aquaponics requires larger tanks for the fish and other components for removing solid waste.
Advantages of Hydroponics
- It is simpler than aquaponics. Because hydroponics does not involve raising animals in conjunction with plants, it is easier (though somewhat challenging) to get started in hydroponics.
- Hydroponics has fewer startup costs than aquaponics. Both hydroponic and aquaponic systems require you to purchase a growing medium and plants. However, aquaponic systems require that you purchase fish and other supplies to support the fish.
- You can start growing food more quickly. If you are growing microgreens hydroponically, you could be potentially harvesting your first crop within two weeks. The startup speed for aquaponics is much slower because it takes several weeks to develop a proper environment for the nitrifying bacteria that will eventually break down the fish waste. Then it takes another couple of weeks to develop an environment that will successfully sustain plant life.
Advantages of Aquaponics
- It is organic. Because of the presence of the fish, you cannot use harmful chemicals or fertilizes in an aquaponic system as they may harm the fish. This means that aquaponics is a natural organic production method.
- It is a closed-loop system. This means that there is virtually no waste or runoff.
- You don’t have to add any nutrient solution. Because the fish waste is providing nutrients to the plants, it is not necessary to add nutrients to an aquaponic system.
- Salt is not an issue. While salt buildup is an issue in many hydroponic systems due to the type of fertilizers used, salt is not a significant concern in aquaponic systems. This is because fish waste does not contain a lot of salt.
Conclusion
I have seen many articles that have claimed that aquaponics is better than hydroponics. In my opinion, the “best” system depends on what you want to do and how quickly you want to accomplish that goal. If you want to start producing your own food quickly, hydroponics is probably the way to go. If you have the patience to learn aquaponics (and probably kill some fish), aquaponics can be very rewarding.