Aquaponics

Aquaponics is a holistic means of raising edible fish and growing vegetables in a closed, re-circulating system. It combines aquaculture and hydroponics growing systems (hence the name) to create systems of all scales, from a small tank growing herbs in your kitchen window, to a system growing edible fish and vegetables in a backyard greenhouse. The nutrient rich fish tank water supplies constant fertilizer for the plants, and the plants’ roots harbour beneficial bacteria, which act as a giant bio-filter to clean the water so that it can be re-circulated back to the fish tank. (more details)

Key Benefits of Aquaponics:

-Fresh vegetables/herbs, year-round with no chemicals or synthetic fertilizers
-Fresh, toxin-free fish
-Systems can be built where traditional gardens can’t (e.g. on pavement, in your basement, in your kitchen window, on land rendered unsuitable for agricultural use)
-Low environmental impact - no waste dumping into local waterways
-Conserves water (uses up to 6x less water than conventional agriculture)
-Educational benefits of watching an eco-system in action

Aquaponics in Your Backyard

Backyard scale Aquaponics is a growing technology, with lots of room for innovation, creativity and experimentation. There are tried and true methods with clear guidelines and there are exciting opportunities to push forward in sustainability and economic benefits by tweaking design components and optimizing systems.

It is my goal to work with each client and match their desires and capacity with the appropriate system.

More Details

THE FISH
Fish are a great source of lean protein, and yet most of our wild fisheries are threatened by overfishing, and even those that are sustainably fished are exposed to high levels of toxins from contaminants in our rivers, streams and ocean. Aquaponics offers the chance to raise your own fish in a system where you control exactly what goes in.

THE VEGETABLES
Fresh vegetables are a key component of any healthy diet, and growing them at home is a great way to ensure they are as fresh as possible, and to know that no harmful chemicals were used in their production. An aquaponics system conserves water and space in terms of vegetable growth. And best of all, aquaponics systems can be built in urban settings, where the ground is not suitable for agriculture.

*A note about fish and vegetables – It only takes a small number of fish to produce enough waste to fertilize a whole lot of plants. Thus, most backyard systems will experience the most production from the vegetable component of the system. The system will produce fish, but probably on a smaller scale than what a family regularly consumes over the course of a year. That said, by scaling up the system and having multiple fish tanks it is totally possible to design a system that fits within a 10’x6’ greenhouse, that provides up to 100lbs of fish per year.

Get in touch.

I would love to hear your thoughts! If you have any questions or requests, please send me an email: fish@backyardbountycollective.com