Difference Between Aquaponic and Hydroponic Systems

So the question on your mind is what is the Difference between aquaponic and hydroponic systems?

Both use very similar methods of growing.  

What is similar Between Aquaponics and Hydroponics

Let’s start with what is the same between the two.  Both Aquaponics and Hydroponics are soil-less and use water as their growing medium.  The roots of the plants grow in water and pull in all their nutrients from the water solution they are in. 

Both styles get all their nutrients artificially (from humans) where as if a plant is planted in soil it gets the nutrients from the soil.  You can provide the plant exactly what it needs and avoid having it absorb anything that is not needed.

There is less waste in both methods then there is in typical soil grown methods

You can grow more in less space.

You can get as high if not higher crop yields

There is less risk of pests and pest damage in the controlled environments.  Getting rid of the risk of needing to use pesticides and making sure it is never in your food supply.

Ok that was easy now let’s look at the differences.

What is the Difference Between Hydroponics and Aquaponics

Difference number one and the biggest between the two is that with Aquaponics a total different element is added and that element is living fish.  The fish live in the water that the plants use to grow in and the fish waste is used by the plants as nutrients.

The environment is very self sufficient.  

In a normal environment fish bowls need to be manually cleaned because of their waste.  If the water does not get cleaned eventually the water becomes toxic and the fish would end up dead.

If plants were grown in water with no intervention they can sprout because they get their initial nutrients from their seed pod.  But after that they need nutrients to grow and thrive, otherwise they will end up dead

So with Aquaponics the fish give off waste when they go to the bathroom and the plant roots will absorb the nutrients from the waste and filters and cleans the water for the fish.

The plants need the fish and the fish need the plants so it is a perfect setup.  Both the fish and the plants thrive in this environment and you can end up with fresh fish and vegetables all grown in your own environment. 

Hydroponics on the other hand does not have the fish element involved and relies on human intervention to provide all the necessary nutrition that is needed.  This is not a difficult process but does add time into the equation and removes the all natural effect that aquaponics uses.

Difference two:  Hydroponics is quicker and cheaper to start up than aquaponics since there is not additional fish or equipment needed.  It can take some more time and up front money to build the foundation of an aquaponic system although it should pay for itself in the end.

Difference three:  Nutrients with aquaponics is cheaper since the fish provide all the necessary nutrients needed to grow amazing crops.  With hydroponics you have to purchase all your chemical nutrients which can add up over time.

Difference four:  Aquaponics can produce higher yield than Hydroponics with the natural nutrients provided by the fish.

Difference five:  Aquaponics is easier to maintain.  With Hydroponics you need to clean out and replace water over time whereas in aquaponics you do not need to.

Difference six: Water temperature has to be regulated more with hydroponics.  You have to keep the temperature down to prevent bacteria growth.  With Aquaponics its ok and encouraged to get the temperature warm to encourage the waste bacteria growth.

As you might have inferred from the differences above that Aquaponics can be the better choice and provides many more benefits than Hydroponics.

However, all that being said with hydroponics the differences all tend to favor aquaponics but they are are not so major that you would want to completely disregard hydroponics.  

Hydroponics is still a great and fun way to grow.  And there are many easy ways to get started and test very quickly. 

Many still prefer Hydroponics over aquaponics because it can be easier control.

With Aquaponics there are some small end systems you can buy that are affordable as a starter but it can be a litte harder to get started due to equipment

Additional Related Questions Regarding Hydroponics and Aquaponics

• What vegetables work best

  • Leafy green lettuce plants such as spinach, kale, swiss chard, arugula etc
  • Herbs such as basil, cilantro, parsley, chives, mint, oregano
  • The following will work but will require a little more work because of the weight of the vegetable/fruit and the need for more nutrience
  • Tomatoes
  • Strawberries
  • Cucumbers
  • Broccoli / Calliflower
  • Peas
  • Cabbage 
  • Squash

Can you Eat the Fish that are raised in the aquaponics tank?

• The short answer is yes.  The longer answer is it depends on the fish you have in your tank.  Assuming you use edible fish – then a deffinite yes. And this brings me to the next question.  

What Fish work best in Aquaponics?

• Talapia – low maintenance fish that grow fast and are edible
• Rainbow trout – which is a very great tasting fish however it is best if you are in a colder climate
• Blue Gil
• Catfish – may require a larger tank to raise catfish
• Goldfish / Koi – work well for aquaponics (shouldn’t eat these 🙂 )

Aquaponics vs Hydroponics Recap

1. Aquaponics and Hydroponics are the same in that they get all their nutrients from water and not soil
2. Hydroponics gets all its nutrients from adding nutrients to the water.
3. Aquaponics uses Fish in the water that provide nutrients to the plants through their waste. It is a full cycle system.
4.  It’s easier to start with Hydroponics as there are less components to buy to get started.
5. Aquaponics is more expensive to get started but pays for itself over time as you don’t need to buy nutrients.

Please comment below and let me know of any other differences you know of from your experiences.