Do you know aquaponics?
It is an ancestral system that allows you to grow plants while raising fish.
In short, it is an ecosystem that uses fish droppings to feed plants.
In turn, the plants purify the water that returns to the fish tank.
Installing an aquaponics system at home is a great idea to save money on your food budget.
It is an effective method for growing vegetables without fertilizers or pesticides.
Its operation is easy. Here is the diagram that explains exactly how it works . Watch:
1. The waste water from the aquarium is pumped out and then collected in the upper tank.
2. A valve similar to that of a toilet flush regularly discharges waste water to gravel-filled grow trays.
3. In these containers, the plants use the nutrients contained in the water.
4. A stream of clean, oxygenated water flows from the culture containers to the aquarium.
5. Water and fish droppings are pumped from the aquarium to the upper tank.
There you go, the cycle begins again!
The fish tank and the plant tank are connected to each other.
The water circulates between the different tanks in a closed circuit.
And it recycles itself.
Practical, economical and efficient, right?
That's really ingenious!
This technique makes it possible to naturally combine aquaculture and plant production.
This culture is very old.
It was used in particular in China and Latin America.
Nowadays, it is quite widespread in Canada, Japan, Australia or the USA.
But it is just beginning to develop in France.
Aquaponics has many benefits.
- The first advantage is that you can do aquaponics in a small space.
The container can even be installed indoors if necessary in a greenhouse... or in an apartment!
This is a concept that is developing a lot in urban agriculture.
Because this mode of cultivation does not take up much space.
- The other advantage is that this system makes it possible to raise fish without having to renew the water dirty with their droppings.
It still saves a lot of water!
The water is indeed purified by the plants.
It can be reused for fish without harming them.
As a result, it is a breeding and cultivation system that consumes very little water.
- The third advantage is that the profitability of this system is very interesting.
Yield is important both in terms of fish and vegetables, which grow quickly and in large quantities.
Thanks to aquaponics, you can produce your seasonal vegetables at home... while eating good fish for cheap.
You grow vegetables without chemicals and you save real money.
It's true that eating organic vegetables can be expensive...
Even if there are tips for eating cheap organic food, aquaponics is an excellent alternative.
You grow your organic homemade vegetables without breaking the bank!
Leafy vegetables are the most suitable for growing in aquaponics.
They are also the easiest to grow with this technique.
So you can bet on salads, chard, leeks, watercress...
But if you have a green thumb, there's nothing stopping you from growing squash, tomatoes, cucumbers or eggplants.
Freshwater fish are ideal.
You can choose to breed koi carp, perch, trout, zander or even crayfish.
Do you want to get started in homemade aquaponics?
We advise you to approach experts for the installation of your system.
It is also possible to do aquaponics yourself.
You can also watch tutorials to make your DIY aquaponics system.
Many books allow you to learn a lot about aquaponics. We recommend this reference guide.
