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What one must know about hydroponics, aquaponics, and aeroponics
Soilless farming and indoor gardening have become prevalent. And why not? We live in world of concrete. If we want to grow some greenery indoors, why should we leave the chance? Hydroponics, aquaponics, and aeroponics are such techniques.
Let us discover the differences between the three of them. ‘Hydro’ and ‘aqua’ both mean water.
Hydroponics meaning
Hydroponics means you grow plants whose roots are soaked in water. The plants absorb mineral nutrients from the water. You may mix nutrients from chemical fertilizers, duck manure, or fish excrement.
Aquaponics meaning
Aquaponics means they use waster products of fish or other aquatic animals to provide nutrients into the water.
Aquaponics is a type of hydroponics.
Aquaponics uses the concepts of a natural aquatic ecosystem. The fish waste provides nutrients to the wild aquatic plants. Aquaponics is a method to do it in an artificial manner.
There is a fish tank. A biofilter converts the waste ammonia and urea into fertilizer. Then it sends the fertilizer into the tank where plants grow by hydroponics.
Water again goes from the plant tank to the fish tank. So, there is no loss of water.
Best fish for aquaponics
Tilapia, catfish, trout, and perch are the best fishes for aquaponics.
Aeroponics meaning
Aeroponics also uses water to transfer nutrients to the plant roots. But, in hydroponics or aquaponics, the plant roots stay dipped in water. In aeroponics, plant roots are suspended in the air.
How do plants get nutrients in aeroponics?
Nutrient-rich mist supplies water to the suspended roots. So, hydroponics is less expensive compared to aquaponics and needs less maintenance.
Grow lights
You can grow plants by hydroponics outdoors or beside windows in natural light. But, you have to keep plants grown by aeroponics in enclosures indoors. You have to keep it supplied with nutrient-rich mist all the time. So, you have to invest in grow lights for aeroponics.
Each plant has its own requirements for light. You calculate them and provide specific LED lights as grow lights to plants.
Water conservation
As hydroponics uses water as its growing medium while aeroponics uses no growing medium. So, hydroponics uses more water than aeroponics.
Since you can grow plants in aeroponics only with the help of enclosures, the plant roots cannot get exposed to foreign materials. But, the plant roots stay in moisture all the time so humidity can make bacteria grow. So, the farmer has to remove bacteria.
Power: Aeroponics means you need a constant power supply.
pH: You have to maintain a constant pH as the humidity may build up and it may change.
Oxygen
In aeroponics, the plant roots remain suspended in the air. So, they can easily take in oxygen. In hydroponics, the plant roots remain submerged in water. So, they do not get as much oxygen as they do in hydroponics.
Efficiency
Hydroponics, aquaponics, and aeroponics can give you ten times the yield that that soil can give. Also, you can grow plants in half the time.
Soilless farming means you don’t have to worry about what kind of soil grows what kind of plant.
Chemical fertilizers and pesticides
Some forms of hydroponics can use chemical fertilizers. But, aquaponics and aeroponics do not need any chemical fertilizers.
Hydroponics, aquaponics, and aeroponics are all methods that are soilless. So, they do not need pesticides or weedicides.
Can all plants be grown Aeroponically?
You can grow almost any plant by hydroponics. But, people generally grow olives and citrus by aquaponics.
Root system
When you grow plants in soil, the roots have to expand into the soil for long distances to absorb water. But, in hydroponics, aquaponics, and aeroponics, you supply nutrients to the roots with the help of water or mist. So, there is no extensive root system in these forms of farming.
Conclusion
Hydroponics is the best for beginners. Aquaponics and aeroponics are forms of hydroponics but they need some technical knowledge. So, use a beginner-friendly growing material for hydroponics.
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