Hydroponics v’s Aquaponics

What is Hydroponics?

If you think back to English class, you might remember that the prefix “hydro” means water. Therefore, it makes sense that hydroponics is the process of growing plants in a liquid solution, rather than in soil.

Just like “gardening” covers a wide range of practices, techniques, and setups, so does hydroponics. A single mint stalk growing in a vase of nutrient solution is considered hydroponics. So is a vertical system consisting of thousands of feet of PVC pipe.

What is Aquaponics?

People often talk about aquaponics vs hydroponics together, just like we are here. This is because aquaponics is a type of hydroponics.

Aquaponic systems grow plants in a liquid solution, just like all hydroponic systems. The key feature of aquaponics is fish.

Rather than relying solely on applied nutrients for plant nutrition, aquaponic systems utilize fish waste for fertilizer. Producers can keep the fish as pets or harvest them for food.

How Do Hydroponics and Aquaponics Differ?

As mentioned above, the main difference between these two methods is the presence of fish. Aquaponics is a type of hydroponics. However, not all hydroponics systems are considered aquaponics.

What Do I Need to Get Started?

The good news is that some gardening supplies are used in both traditional gardens and hydroponics. If you have basic irrigation supplies, you’re on your way to getting started with this new way of growing.

You also might be able to find some materials for hydroponics around your house. You can reuse plastic containers your plants came in to hold hydroponic plants. If you have a plastic storage tub lying around, you can use it to hold your nutrient solution.

Some materials you might have to buy include a water pump, aeration device, and special hydroponic nutrients.

Types of Hydroponics Setups

There are a lot of different ways you can get started with hydroponics. Some of the most practical ones for home gardeners are explained below.

Deep Water Culture (DWC)

In deep water culture, plants continuously sit in a nutrient solution.

You need the following to get started with this method:

• Container to hold nutrient solution
• Net pots to hold plants
• Growing media
• Aerator
• Plants
• Nutrient solution

To start out, you can use a container as simple as a five-gallon bucket. Just make sure it’s large enough to hold your net pot.

Fill the net pot with a growing media such as coco coir or perlite, and place the plant in the pot. The pot should be submerged in the nutrient solution, with only an inch or so exposed.

A key component of DWC that many people neglect is proper aeration! Plants need oxygen to live just as much as they need water and light. Some common ways to increase oxygen levels in the solution are air stones and aerating pumps.

Before you run off and buy a new piece of equipment, check to see if you have an aeration device lying around from an old fish tank.

Drip

While it may seem strange to use drip irrigation in a hydroponic system, this is a common practice. Not all hydroponic systems involve plants sitting in nutrient solutions. Many rely on irrigation, just like soil-based gardens.

The difference between a soil garden and a hydroponic system is the growing media. Hydroponics systems don’t use soil. Rather, they use inert media forms. Therefore, plants in hydroponic systems rely on the nutrient solution for all their nutritional needs.

In drip systems, plants are grown in containers with drainage holes. Old plastic plant pots work fine. Fill your container with a media of your choice, and then place your plant inside.

At this point, you can set up your drip system. Fill a large reservoir container with your nutrient solution. Next, connect the reservoir to your plants using a pump and drip tape or drip emitters. It’s fine to use the materials you have laying around from your garden.

To make things easier, set your system up on a timer. This will help make sure your plants receive adequate water and nutrients.

Some drip systems direct overflow back to the reservoir, and some systems let the overflow go onto the ground. The choice is yours.

Wick

As you’ve probably guessed, this type of system uses a wick to draw water and nutrients from a reservoir and up to plants. It’s perhaps the simplest system, as it doesn’t require any pumps or aerators. That means no electricity.

The plants in this system are set up much like those in the drip system - they’re placed in media in pots with drainage holes. However, the nutrient solution flows to the plants via a passive wicking system.

A piece of fabric or rope runs from the nutrient solution up to the plants. The nutrient solution runs up this wick, delivering water and nutrients to your plants.

It’s important to note that the wick can’t provide a lot of nutrient solution, so this system works best for smaller plants such as lettuce and herbs.

Incorporating Aquaponics

You can set up an aquaponic system using any of the above systems. The only difference is that you add fish to your nutrient solution reservoir.

While fish waste supplies plants with a lot of necessary nutrients, you’ll still need to monitor the health of your plants. Oftentimes, fish waste doesn’t provide high enough levels of potassium, magnesium, and other essential nutrients. You can fix this problem by spraying your plants with fertilizer, just like you do in your garden.

In some cases, you can add nutrients directly to your fish container. Before you do so, make sure the nutrients won’t negatively impact your fish.

What Fish Should You Choose?

Many different types of fish work in aquaponics systems, but some are easier to manage than others. Some qualities of good fish include the ability to deal with changes in temperature and crowding. And if you want to eat your fish, make sure you choose a species that tastes good!

The best fish for your setup will depend on the temperature of your water and the size of your fish container. Some good choices for most beginners include tilapia, goldfish, and koi.

Choosing a Media

Now that we’ve got the basics covered, let’s dig into some of the details about hydroponics vs aquaponics. As mentioned above, both use inert growing media to support plants. When looking at media, you’ll find you have options.

Coco Coir

Coco coir is shredded coconut fibers. It’s often used in potting soils as an alternative to peat moss, so you might have seen it in gardening centers.

It’s great at retaining moisture, yet it also provides good aeration and drainage.

The coir has a neutral pH, as well as a high cation-exchange capacity (CEC). This high CEC means that the material holds onto certain nutrients and slowly releases them over time. Therefore, it’s smart to use nutrients specifically designed for coco coir.

Rockwool

Rockwool, sometimes called stone wool or mineral wool, is made of rocks that have been melted and spun into strands. These strands are then formed into cubes, balls, and other shapes. Since there are many small spaces between the strands, rockwool provides excellent aeration and drainage.

Before using rockwool, it’s important to thoroughly soak it in water. A good tip is to soak it with slightly a slightly acidic solution since the rockwool itself is basic.

Perlite

If you’ve used a pre-mixed potting soil, you know what perlite is. It’s those little white, round balls added to improve aeration and drainage.

Perlite is made from rock that has been heated. Once heated, it expands. It’s sort of like puffed rocks!

Adding it to coco coir, soil, or rockwool will enhance the aeration and draining properties of the media.

Since perlite has such great drainage capacities, it’s rarely used on its own. However, you can mix it with other media to increase drainage.

Clay Pebblese

Special clay pebbles called hydroton, are made from expanded clay. Each pebble contains many small holes, making them perfect for aeration and drainage.

Hydroton also provides excellent aeration, because little air bubbles form on the surfaces of the pebbles.

Get Started

Whether you choose hydroponics vs aquaponics, you’ll have a new growing project to tackle. Once you have your system up and running, you’ll be able to tailor it to fit your needs. The best part is, you can try out hydroponics, aquaponics, and soil-based gardening! If you find you like one more than the other, you can invest in a bigger and better setup