Traditional gardening and agriculture, even in the controlled environments of hoop houses and greenhouses, result in a lot of physical labor. Whether it's pulling up weeds, applying plastic mulch sheets, or preparing the soil for planting, working in the ground has always posed plenty of disadvantages to the hard-working farmer. Turning to growing high-value crops in water and soil-free media, the practice known as hydroponics, was a ground-breaking invention. It lifted the roots of farming out of the dirt and into a new system of production.

Still, there are always ways to improve systems and optimize them further. When you introduce fish into the system of hydroponics, you create aquaponics. Aquaponics is often still thought of as a hobby or backyard project, but it has great commercial potential for both crop and fish production. Adding the right fish to a water-based system creates a natural source of the nutrients that plants need to grow quickly. With a little daily management and maintenance, a large commercial system could produce enough of a profit to create a strong family or local business. Once the system is perfected, opportunities abound for franchising and expanding locations.