Aquaponics is organic by necessity -- the plants and fish serve to create and absorb nutrients like they would in a natural ecosystem, eliminating the need for fertilizers or additives. Since this system is replicating natural conditions, typically any chemical additions would only interrupt the balance of the established system, and is usually avoided. In traditional commercial farms, volume and efficiency are the bottom line, even when dealing with depleted soil. To keep up with mass-production, farmers are often forced to turn to chemical fertilizers, which typically provide the minimal nutrients for growing, but don’t replace all the micronutrients that should be present in your grocery store head of lettuce.
In contrast, aquaponic vegetables are grown in a chemical-free environment with no pests (and no pesticides), no chemical additives, and no fertilizers. The fish of an aquaponic system are fed a high quality, nutritious food (necessary for happy, healthy plants). The fish consume the food then release waste. Beneficial bacteria and other microbes work on digesting the waste (like your garden’s compost pile) and converting it to nitrates, which is an ideal form of natural fertilizer for the plants. With all the nutrients available in the water, the plants are able to grow and produce food that is full of the vitamins and minerals that it would have naturally.
