Did you ever think it was possible to grow plants, fruit and vegetables using water instead of earth or soil? It sounds outlandish, but it’s true!

Aquaponics is a system that combines aquaculture (raising and breeding fish in tanks) with hydroponics (growing plants in water). How this works is that the fish waste provides nutrients that enable growth in the plants, which then in turn filter the water to make it liveable for the fish. The plants which grow via the nutrients can yield fruits and vegetables to be fed to other animals, as well as seeds to be replanted in more aquaponic setups.

An aquaponic system, like the one featured in our Pond & Wildlife Education Centre, is ideal for the environment as it reduces the amount of water discarded by repurposing the fish’s nutrient-heavy waste water for plant growth.

Check out the diagram below for a handy visual guide on how aquaponics work!