Nutritional Value?

[Jeff Hoke]

Considering that vegetables grown using Aquaponics are fed from fish waste, wouldn't that create a nutrient deficient plant as opposed to growing Organically in the ground where the plants are fed a much more diverse diet thus absorbing more nutrients and minerals?

Are there any studies making that comparison?

[claude saunders]

I think this is a great question to ask, which I haven't heard much discussion of. I do notice that some of what I grow has different texture and taste from the soil grown equivalent. I do have a young system, and I also notice that small additions of Potassium, Calcium, and Iron help a lot. What I wonder is: even with careful primary/secondary element deficiency monitoring and supplementing, will my veggies still taste/feel as good as soil-borne? Are there compounds being taken up from soil that effect taste, but not considered a core plant-health element?

Like Jeff said - any studies? From hydroponics there must be...

[TCLynx]

To some extent it will depend on what you are growing and what you are feeding your fish.  A good complete fish feed along with the necessary trace elements to make sure there are no deficiencies and it seems to provide for a good diverse nutrient base for the plants.  Perhaps even more so than some organic soil based methods.

Now many plants will have different flavor/texture because of water or lack of it.  Other things will have different flavors based on nutrients.  In Aquaponics it should be fairly easy to supplement or tweek things within reason if you are careful.