What Brings You to AquaPonics?

[Chi Ma]

I have 2 hobbies. Gardening and Aquariums. Aquaponics brings these to hobbies together.

[TCLynx]

I just wanted to grow food at home!

[Mike Creuzer]

I've had aquariums for years, which progressed into live planted tanks, which progressed to wanting a garden but living in an apartment. I stumbled across aquaponics, and thought, "I can do that".

 

My first aquaponics setup is a 75 gallon aquarium with a flood and drain growbed on the top.

 

It started as a way to garden in my apartment, as the container irrigation sprayer experiment didn't work out so hot. Now that I have moved, and have a yard and basement of my own, it's going to become my preferred way to garden. It's got enough tech to it to keep that part of me happy, while providing some yummy enouragement to continue.

[Margaret]

Great picture! Where did you get the growbed on top of the aquarium? If it is self built could you share the plans... I have two daughters in apartments that have aquariums!

[Margaret]

I have always used the water from cleaning aquarium on my plants because I was to cheap to buy fish emulsion and read (several decades ago) that you could do this and avoid putting the fish water down the drain. (maybe in Mother Earth News)

So being the old hippie I am this just seems to bring my love of plants and fish into one dandy carbon treatment facility... that has strawberries and tomatoes!

[B. Pearcy]

I want to grow more of my own food and I have limited space for a garden.

[Margaret]

Starting small seems to be the way to success with aquaponics. Also research the local laws and such... I have just found out that white tillapia (?) are illegal now in Colorado. Back to the drawing board... gold fish are going to have to be my practice fish I think.

[John Cubit]

I own a small hot sauce company, craft sauces, small batch processing featuring hot peppers from around the world.  We are located in the Northeastern US so the availability of peppers is limited to a 4 month growing season or ordering dried peppers from California at a premium cost.  We prefer fresh products and usually grow our own peppers, tomatoes and onions and other herbs and spices used in our products.  While I have a background in aquaculture, fisheries management and other environmental management I could never figure a way to bring all my loves together.  Out of need I decided to dive into aquaponics to grow our own raw material, no more relying on some grower in California that can't tell the difference between a Scotchie or habanero, dragon chili from a Portuguese chili and no more bloated prices.

[Sean-Michael Gettys]

I live in Laveen, AZ and have had a harder time growing food here than we ever did in CA. Plus want to be living more sustainably. So we looked around and aquaponics seems like our best bet