Almost any plant can thrive in a healthy aquaponics system, but certain conditions can make some choices more ideal for you. Which plants you choose will be determined by the sunlight you have access to, or grow lights that you intend to install, and where you plan to install the system. An indoor system can be kept in mostly ideal temperatures throughout the year, while an outdoor design will need to take the weather and outside conditions into account. Some crops do alright in cold conditions, like beets, horseradish, carrots, and onions. Others prefer warmer temperatures, such as chives, garlic, parsnip, and shallots. How much space do you have access to? A counter-top grow bed may not be the best place for growing corn, but could be a great place to grow basil or other herbs.
What kind of grow bed do you intend to use? These can be media-based, Deep Water Culture, or Nutrient Film Technique aquaponics designs. Media grow beds use gravel, lava rocks, or another kind of inert material to provide a base for the plant's roots. This is suitable for a wide array of plants, however these need to be cleaned, and aren't ideal for larger, commercial ventures. Deep Water Culture aquaponics allows the plants to float upon rafts over canals of circulating water. The roots hang down into the nutrient-rich water, and beneficial bacteria is able to grow in the filters, raft tank, and throughout the system. This has a larger yield than traditional media-beds, but isn't great for root-vegetables, or heavy/tall crops. Nutrient Film Technique aquaponics supplies water to the crops through PVC pipes, and is ideal for plants with small root systems, like chard, lettuce, basil, or smaller fruiting plants like peppers or strawberries.
