If you are a grower or a gardener, you know that there are two soilless systems, unlike traditional growing methods, that let you grow plants. There are aquaponics and hydroponics. Both of them provide you with growing plants, but by using different methods and environments.
So, what you should know as a grower is what is the difference between them and which one is best for you to use in your certain situation.
If you want to know more about aquaponics and hydroponics, this article is written for you.
Contents
Aquaponics systems: what is it?
So, before we start to find out the difference between aquaponics systems and hydroponics, we need to figure out what one another is. So, let’s start with the aquaponics system.
Aquaponics system is generally a growing method. This growing method has two parts: growing plants and growing fish. They are in the same environment, and you should remember this, for sure. Aquaponics has many significant benefits.
Two-part system components
Why does the aquaponics system involve fish? It is so because all the waste that fish leave is going to turn into nitrates, thanks to the bacteria that surround the waste. In a detail, bacteria get the ammonia from the fish waste and turn it into useful organic nutrients.
These nitrates are used as a kind of food for all the plants that you are growing. The root system is intaking the nutrients and plants are growing with all they need.
These nutrients help plants to grow healthily. Plants grown are healthy eventually.
The nitrogen circle is not done. The remaining water with nitrates goes back to the fish but without any harmful contaminants. Now the nitrogen circle is full, and you can see that aquaponics provide both fish and plants with useful organic nutrients, helping them to stay healthy. Plants and fish create some kind of symbiotic relationship.
At least, what else you need to do in this system is fish feed.
With all of this information, you can judge the effectiveness of this growing method yourself.
Hydroponics: what is it?
Now it is time to get to know the hydroponics system. This growing method is popular as a growing in a soilless environment as well.
Hydroponics is a method where you grow your plants using only water and some chemical nutrients, nutrient solution, and no more, no soil. It is much easier to grow plants using hydroponics; this method is usually very effective. It easily helps you to grow a lot of plants without soil and fish.
The plants are located right above the reservoir with water where nutrients are, and they absorb the water with their roots.
Your plants are provided with all the minerals and resources they need to grow fast and healthy by using only those two components. You do not spend many resources using this growing method, and you get a very good harvest from high-quality plants in the end.
This is why hydroponics is widespread.
Aquaponics and hydroponic: do they have something in common?
You can see by yourself that there are similarities between these two methods. Let’s find them out in detail.
No negative environmental impacts
So, first of all, both aquaponics and hydroponics are designed in a way to give less negative environmental impact and no damage to nature. You could notice it yourself, they both use water and no soil. Nothing of that can go out. Everything is inside. Therefore, no pest issues.
By the way, the water that both growing method use, waste much less, than in traditional agriculture and gardening.
Fast-growing plants without soil
Another similarity between aquaponic and hydroponics is the fact that if you use both of the methods, your plants grow much faster, than in traditional gardening.
Because both of the methods use nutrients, chemical or organic, which are very useful for the growing of plants, and extra oxygen that roots can absorb, while root growth.
Statistically, they grow faster by 50%.
Indoors systems
Both aquaponics and hydroponics can be used indoors, not outdoors, and with artificial lighting, if needed. This lets the plans be protected from all climate change and grow in an environment that is at no risk for their development.
Aquaponics and hydroponics: what are the differences?
If you want to be a grower and want to choose between aquaponics and hydroponics, you just need to know all the differences between these two systems. Both hydroponics and aquaponics are very effective at plant growth. The two systems are both soilless methods and use nutrients, but there are still other things to figure out.
So, let’s take a look.
The nutrient solution, water quality, and the fish waste
So, we both know that nutrients are used in the two systems.
Aquaponics systems use natural essential nutrients that are created by turning the fish waste into useful nutrients and getting them back by a circle. That is a natural circle, that keeps the correct amount of nutrients in the water.
This amount brings no damage to the plants and the fish, the water quality keeps been safe for them.
On the other hand, we have hydroponics systems that use not natural, but chemical nutrients, and nutrient solution, that damages water quality. The problem with them is that there must be a big amount of nutrients in the water, to provide the plants with minerals.
For a while, water is safe for plants, but then there are too many chemicals. The water is toxic, and the grower has to change the water quality.
In the second case, we see no perfect balance of nutrients in the water and no good water quality.
If you choose aquaponics, you will not have to replace water, but if you choose hydroponics, you will.
Another thing in this matter is that the nutrient levels in each system are different, and therefore it can serve different plants.
The level of nutrients in aquaponics is low, so this means that you definitely can not grow plants there that strictly require a high level of nutrients.
But you can grow them with the hydroponic system because the level of nutrients in this system is relatively high.
You absolutely need to choose the plants you want to grow and the appropriate nutrient levels for them.
Growing plants
If you take a look at hydroponics and aquaponics, you will see, that, technically, only one of the system provide your plants with natural organic growth.
Why? Because aquaponics uses no chemicals, only organic material that is made naturally. Therefore, your plants grow in an absolutely healthy way.
Which, we can not say about hydroponics.
Time to start a system
Another difference is the time that each system requires to start functioning.
Aquaponics requires a relatively big amount of time. You definitely need to wait until there appear special bacteria that turns all the fish waste into nutrients. And you need time for raising fish. In most cases, people had to wait for it for at least three months.
Hydroponic systems are different in this matter. What you need, is to fill the water with nutrients, and wait for a couple of days, because there must appear a stable system, so that, your plants could live. And after this time you can finally plant your plants and watch them grow.
If you are a grower that needs a fast start on the system, then aquaponics probably does not be the best option for you.
A sustainable system
If you choose a system relying on its sustainability, then you definitely should choose aquaponics. Aquaponics is an ecosystem, with is provided with natural organic resources without any risk to damage either plants, fish, other aquatic animals, or ecology.
Hydroponics system can not be considered sustainable, because it uses chemical nutrients, and nutrient solutions, that needed to be put there again from time to time. By the way, you must watch for the level of nutrients there, if there is too much of them, the water will be poisoned, and so will the plants.
How much space do they need?
Another difference that you need to consider is the space that each system requires.
Aquaponics, as the system with plants and fish, surely, needs more space. You need a place for your plants, and you need a relatively big water reservoir as a fish tank.
The hydroponics system needs less space because all that you need is a place for plants and water under the plants. You can save much more space if you use exactly this system.
Different temperature
What else you need to consider is the difference in temperature in both systems. Aquaponics can have a relatively high temperature, to be accurate, it is between 82-86℉.
Your plants and fish are absolutely safe in these conditions and there is no fungus because of the fish and microbes in the water.
But unfortunately, hydroponics has no such protection against fungus, therefore, you need to keep the temperature lower than in aquaponics, because the fungus can grow and kill your plants and safe conditions. The temperature must be below 70℉.
You should choose the conditions which are best for your plants, otherwise, there is no harvest at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is better hydroponics or aquaponics?
Is aquaponics system the same as hydroponics?
Aquaponics vs Hydroponics: which one is best for you?
But the aquaponic system is efficient as well, provides you with proper plant growth, and is absolutely eco-friendly. The decision is for you to take, choose the one that suits your interests the most.
In conclusion: choose the system that is best for you
In this article, you have learned a lot about hydroponics and aquaponics, two popular systems. Aquaponics, hydroponics are soilless systems and can provide you with fast and healthy growing plants without spending much time and effort.
You need to choose what plants you want to grow, how much space you have, and how much time you have, and then you should choose the growing method that suits you and your plans best.
Learn More: Aquaponics vs Hydroponics: What’s The Difference?
