Growing With Aquaponics--An Update From the Field
Aquaponics is now probably the most profitable project for new commercial growing operations that are just getting started--whether small or large. The combination of fish and vegetables is a perfect way to operate hydroponic and aquaculture systems at their maximum capacities. Most noticeably, when these systems are combined to create an aquaponics system, the by-products of both systems are effectively used.
The arts of aquaculture and hydroponics have been around for hundreds of years. Aquaponics has been on the rise for decades. However, it is only recently that large, commercial aquaponics operations have been implemented and in-depth research has been conducted. Two of the primary reasons for this growing interest stem from the fact that these farms have been becoming more profitable and that they face the problem of waste by-products head-on. Both traditional field crop agriculture and aquaculture have faced dramatic problems with, respectively, pesticide and waste buildup. A new system had to take the spotlight.
