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The Fishie Way 101

What Is Aquaponics?
Aquaponics is a system that combines aquaculture (raising fish) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) that produces both fish and vegetables, in a dynamic, natural (chemical free), pond-type ecosystem. How does it work?

1) The Tilapia are fed a high-protein, nutritionally complete, specially formulated diet that produces robust growth and strong, healthy fish. Fish respiration and growth products are then circulated to a hydroponic system.
2) These products are broken down by nitrification bacteria into nitrites and then into nitrates. Nitrates are, as the name suggests, nitrogen elements, and nitrogen is a plant fertilizer.
3) Plants absorb the nitrates and other elements, and thus filter the water. This water is then recirculated back to the fish tank as clear, clean water for the fishies!

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What are the Benefits of Aquaponics:

HEALTH - Aquaponics produces 100% chemical free, all natural fish, vegetables, and herbs. There is no cheating on this with aquaponics. QUANTITY & QUALITY - In aquaponics systems, vegetables grow significantly faster, and at three to four times the density, without ever depleting the nutrients. TASTE - Food grown aquaponically tastes better than conventionally or hydroponically grown food. Perhaps it is the simplicity and natural way it works. With no chemicals to alter or mask the vegetable’s true taste, it simply tastes better. It also lasts longer! ENVIRONMENT - Aquaponics is a form of agriculture that has a multitude of advantages environmentally both by design and inherent to the way the system needs to work: Water Conservation: Water required for aquaponics is far less in comparison to conventional farming techniques. With aquaponics we only lose water in three scenarios: Plant growth, Evaporation/Transpiration, and while removing the fish waste from the system. No Pesticides: Not only do we not want to use chemical pesticides, we can't! The fish would die, and that ruins the enire cycle of growth. Rather, we use natural pest management techniques --- ladybugs, an enclosed space, and naturally healthy plants --- to manage and eliminate plant and crop disease. Land Conservation: Unlike typical farms that require prime farm land (and loss of habitat for a large portion of wildlife), an aquaponics system can exist in any location and climate.

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Is Aquaponics a Modern Invention?
Aquaponics has ancient roots with the most famous being one of the Ancient Wonders of the World: The Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Apparently, the ancients were able to grow plants and trees high on top of their stone structures by simply pumping up water from a fish pond…….just like we do!

Most Asian cultures have cultivated and farmed rice in paddy fields in combination with fish, and are cited as examples of early aquaponics systems. The Aztecs cultivated agricultural islands (known as chinampas) in a method considered by some to be the first form of aquaponics for agricultural use.