Aquaponics as Retirement Hobby?

When retirement comes, many people seek activities which do not require too much effort. Aquaponic gardening will keep you occupied for a while, yet without getting over your entire day.
In addition to that it will spare them of going to the market to buy veggies, it will help you save some money and at the same time will not require them too much effort. If you place the system at your waist level you will not need to bend or stretch, which will make this activity far more pleasant.


What is a Aquaponic System?

Aquaponics is the conjunction of two other type of product raising methods…

- Aquaculture, the raising of fish in water, and

- Hydroponics, the raising of plants in water.

These two type of product raising were combined since both products are raised in water, with one producing waste and depositing it in the water (the fish), and the other needs nutrients which it extracts from the water (the plants).

The Aquaponic principle:

1. Fish are raised in the water, you feed them what their species needs to eat. As the fish eat and grow they produce waste and use up the oxygen in the water.
2. A bacteria culture that exists in a balanced aquatic system breaks down the fish waste into basic nutrient elements and minerals, turning the water into a nutrient rich environment for plants
3. The nutrient water in pulled into a submersible pump, which would ideally be plugged into a small solar cell and battery for constant power. (another great idea for a hobby - solar power systems!)
4. The nutrient water is then gravity fed down into irrigation line that runs along the surface of the grow-beds
5. The nutrient water then flows down through the grow-beds which has plants planted in a growing medium for example light weight silica rock. 
6. As the nutrient water passes through the grow-bed, the plants pick up the nutrients they need, which effectively filters the nutrients out of the water.
7. The water is gravity drained back into the fish water from a height that allows the water to churn when it hits the pond surface thus refreshing the pond and providing the fish with oxygenated water

Sounds not so complicated - right? The basic thing you will need to know about this system is that it combines the principles of aquaculture with those of hydroponic gardening, thus resulting a new and highly effective way of growing plants and fish at the same time. With a tank of no more than 20 square feet and some netted pots you will be able to grow enough plants to supply your entire family and sometimes even gift some to your neighbors.

Gardening with Fish?
Because this system heavily relies on fishes (they are the ones providing the food for the plants), you will need to take good care of them in order for the system to give proper results. This means that you will need to make sure that the water has the appropriate temperature, PH level, light as well as the necessary amount of oxygen to accommodate the fish in god conditions. Basically, monitoring the water and feeding the fish is all that you will have to do in order to grow plants in the aquaponic garden. It is quite simple and the results are spectacular.

Gardening without efforts
The great thing about this type of gardening is that you will not need to bend to take care of the plants. Placing the fish tank and the netting pots at the waist level will make all activities you need to do in order to take care of the plants and fish easy as a children’s game. You can say goodbye to digging, bending and stretching to reach as larger surface, and crawling on your knees to take the weeds out of the ground. You will have everything you need at your arms’ reach.
The aquaponic system is suitable for any age as well as for people with any type of activity. It requires little time and it gives great results. As long as you take good care of your fish, your plants will grow bigger and bigger, will develop normally and at the end you will harvest the best veggies you have ever tasted!

Want to know more about your new backyard Aquaponic System?
Setting up an aquaponic system, although quite an easy task, requires some basic knowledge of aquaponics. If you have decided to install such a system in your house, then you probably know what this is and how it could help you. However, there may still be things which can interest or help you. 

Click Here for more information! 

on Aquponics Systems including simple to follow Step by step video tutorials and instructions.

Don't wait until your neighbor is putting one together and you're playing catch up!