A well run aquaponics system is actually an ideally healthy system for fish, except for the point where they’re, well, eaten. In a well-balanced system, the water quality is high, the chemistry is stable within a healthy range, there is plenty of room to move around and the oxygen content is ideal. Fish are provided with high quality food, and they are neither underfed nor overfed. Typically, fish raised in an aquaponics system grow quickly but naturally, with no exposure to toxic chemicals.
A poorly run, or newly established hydroponics system can create an environment that varies from less than ideal to downright dangerous for fish, at least until those circumstances are corrected. Similar to ponds and aquariums in their first days and weeks, new setups require time to settle in, for the temperature to reach equilibrium with the environment (heated or not), and allow the water to cycle. Cycling involves allowing certain microorganisms (beneficial bacteria) to colonize and prepare to handle waste produced by fishy residents. Fish waste is accompanied by ammonia, and it’s the bacteria’s job to process that waste, convert the ammonia to something less dangerous, and keep the water quality high and the fish happy. The bacteria, through several steps, will convert that waste and ammonia into nitrates, which is an ideal natural fertilizer for the plants. There should be enough plants to take up virtually all the available nitrates and produce rapid but healthy growth. If a hydroponics system has particularly cloudy water, large amounts of algae, or the fish appear unhealthy, it’s time to take a close look at the overall balance of the system and ensure that each piece is working well with the next. In general, an aquaponics system in balance has low to no nitrate readings and is a picture of lush vegetation.
