Aqua ponics is a new methods of farming that blends aqua which is water, ponics is from Greek word: ponein meaning to labor, toil, also from ponos meaning labor. The term aquaponics is a portmanteau of the terms aquaculture and hydroponic. So aquaponic means water labor and is the cultivation of food from a indoor system with the target of producing fresh vegetables and fish for food production.
So why is aquaponics not a reasonable option for food production in our community:
-Not natural, the breeds and varieties used in aqua ponics are not wild or native
-Less nutrition compared to wild foods
-Needs a high input on a daily basic to maintain production including fertilizer, repairs, food etc
-Energy, this system needs a input of energy to operate filters, heating and pumps etc.
-Can be expensive to setup as the system requires pumps, tubing, and tanks/beds.
-A building or greenhouse is needed to house this system especially in England where the weather is cold
-You cant grow root crops limiting diet and the nutrients
From my research we will need to develop more nature sustainable systems which require lower amounts of maintaince and input. I think that permaculture is the best option so far as it offers a large amount of advantages and optimization.
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Kevin trudeau
Dr coldwell
Permaculture is certainly a more complete system than auqaponics. However, aquaponics uses some good Permaculture principles: the waste outputs (nitrates from the fish) are inputs to another system, space stacking can be used well, reused materials are frequently employed, and multiple outputs come from the one system.
If the system is designed well, there is no reason native and wild derived species can’t be used. This is probably more down to scale than anything else.
Theoretically, inputs of fertiliser shouldn’t be needed: this is one input that should be coming from the system. If the right variety of fish is chosen, insect pests of the vegetable crops can become one potential food species for the fish.
The most unpermacultural part is the need for pumping to maintain a water flow through the system. One of the defining aspects of a GOOD permaculture system should be that it can continue despite the loss of one or more inputs (such as energy to run the pump.)
I don’t think aquaponics is the answer for everyone, in every situation, just like I don’t believe every Permaculture system needs to have chickens. I do think there is potential for aquaponics to form a small part within a well designed system, in some situations. Permaculture design principles are not prescriptive, and allow for a lot of lateral thinking.