Aquaponic Gardening is a Must Try!

Imagine catching fresh fish for dinner – in your own garden!

This is a guest post by Go Green

Have you ever thought about growing your own herbs and/or fruit and/or vegetables, while at the same time raising fish – all in a sustainable, chemical-free and natural environment? That’s what the exciting world of aquaponic gardening is all about.

Here’s what you need to know about it.

How To Grow Plants AND Fish Together

Aquaponic gardening is a combination of both fish farming and hydroponic gardening – a very efficient way of growing plants in water instead of soil. They support each other in a natural bio-system – you grow both vegetables and fish at the same time while being sustainable.

The plants provide a cleaning mechanism for the water, while the fish provide nutrients for the plants.

The system is a closed loop and doesn’t require the use of artificial products to sustain it. It’s also a chemical-free, natural process.

Enjoy Healthy Living with Aquaponic Gardening

Due to its organic nature, aquaponic gardening gives you a chemical-free food supply!

The plants are fed water from the fish pond directly to their roots. You do this either with a drainage system connecting the two, or by suspending your plants directly on top of the fish pond, allowing the plant roots to access the water below.

It’s an easy way of growing both plants and fish at the same time.

One of the big advantages is that you don’t have to worry whether the plants have sufficient nutrients to grow, or if the fish have clean water.

Furthermore, you won’t ever have to use fertilizers on the plants. It’s a good source of organic, natural food for you and your family.

This, in turn, can be a good practice of healthy living – you are not consuming plants tainted with chemicals, and your fish are not exposed to harmful chemical nutrients.

Aquaponic Gardening Is Cost Effective

Being self-sustaining, aquaponics eliminates the need for a continual flow of money to maintain the system. You don’t need to keep adding materials once the system is fully running. You also don’t have to depend on marketplace prices and supply for your fish and vegetables. Not to mention, you get to save on expensive food at the same time.

Generally, aquaponics also utilizes space more efficiently than normal soil planting practices. The plant roots being constantly submerged in water provides a constant source of nutrients–it also removes the possibility of plant overcrowding.

Since the plants have constant access to nutrients, this enables them to grow at a faster rate, which can cut the soil growth time of the plants. This makes the system more efficient – you get more produce in less time, compared to traditional gardening methods.

As a result, you can save a good amount of pocket change.

Aquaponics could also prove to be a money-maker if you went large-scale because you might consider selling the surplus.

Aquaponic Gardening is Easy Work

There is no need to engage in backbreaking labor.

• You don’t need to keep watering (you set up a simple drainage system).
• You don’t need to remove weeds (weeds will not sprout without soil).
• This also eradicates the presence of soil pests, which could harm your plants.
• You can use aquaponics even in places where fertile soil is difficult to acquire (because no soil is used).
• You back will thank you for eliminating heavy gardening work!

Instead, you get healthy plant growth.

It’s also easy to set up provided you have the right equipment for the project.

Aquaponic Gardening is Environmentally Friendly

Aquaponic is a sustainable practice, thus production can be maintained without the depletion of natural resources. In a world of ever-growing climate change and sensitization, this is an important element as we look to preserve our world for the future generation.

Due to the lack of pests and weeds, chemicals, pesticides and herbicides are not required for any type of maintenance. Fertilizer is also not required as plant nutrients are supplied by the swimming fish. This reduces the chances of harming our environment with the dangerous chemicals often used in traditional and commercial farming.

The system also conserves water as it directly supplements the roots of the plants, which reduces wastage that usually occurs when supplied to the soil. Evaporation and water required to soak the soil are thus eliminated. Water consumption is usually below 2 percent, which is a sustainable and efficient method for water usage.

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Aquaponic Gardening is Clean

Due to lack of soil use for growing your plants, you are not exposed to soil stains which can be a headache at laundry time.

Plus it is nice to engage in aquaponics without having to worry about bacteria present in the soil.

You might even try aquaponics as a family learning and bonding experience.

Where Can I Use Aquaponic Gardening?

It’s very flexible. You can set up indoors – as small as a kitchen countertop system if you like. Or use some space in a garage or basement. Or a  balcony. Or you can set up a system in your garden – in a greenhouse is ideal depending upon your climate.

If implemented indoors, aquaponic gardening could actually filter the air. The plants would provide clean oxygen.

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Summary

As you can see, aquaponic gardening is a must try. It’s an environmentally friendly, sustainable farming method that makes it a win-win for everyone involved. It also provides organic and natural food which is always a good thing.

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Have you tried aquaponic gardening? What do you think about it – is it something you’d like to try (if you haven’t already)? Let me know in the comments below.

Warm regards,

P.S.  Don’t forget to download your free green living handbook “Live Well, Live Green” here.

Related:

• Everything you need to know about the wonderful organic, safe pesticide Neem.
• Get rid of all the toxic products in your life (you’ll be shocked at where they hide!). It’s easy – see how here!