Aquaponics is the merging of two techniques for sustainable food production: hydroponics and aquaculture. The advantage of merging the two is that the combination builds a more complete representation of the cycle of nutrients found in nature. Waste generated by the fish feeds the plants, while the plants provide oxygen and maintain water quality for the fish. The cycle is not complete, and human intervention is still required, but it does represent a true symbiotic relationship.
Setting up a system to replicate nature can be complex, and so aquaponics is not necessarily easy in the early stages. If the scale is small, anywhere from a single aquarium with some leafy greens to a more extensive basement grow room, the cost of experimentation and potential failure is minimal, so it can appear relatively easy. For a large commercial operation, it’s critical to get everything right from the start, so it takes a considerable amount of equipment and monitoring, along with very direct intervention to correct problems with everything from water chemistry and nutrient loads to ambient temperature and water circulation. Failure to identify and correct emerging problems can lead to fish death, crop damage, and a huge financial hit. This doesn’t qualify as easy. Certainly, though, once a system has been established and has achieved balance, it is likely to happily continue on its course, barring any outside influences. In other words, if you’re inheriting a well-established and robust enterprise, your main job is to avoid upsetting the balance and routine, which does sound easy. But it’s always necessary to be prepared for the unexpected, since once the cycle is knocked out of balance, it can be very difficult to reestablish.
