7 Myths About Aquaponics: An introduction to growing plants and fish together (Coo Farm Press Pocket Guides)

If you have ever wanted to know more about aquaponics - a method of growing plants alongside fish - this little book is for you. An aquaponics system is a fabulous, self-contained, water-saving method of gardening on as small or as large a scale as you want. It can be a fair weather hobby or a year-round one if you add some sort of protection (e.g. a greenhouse or polytunnel), heat, and light to the system – or have a small system in your house. The fish water continually floods and drains through the plants, feeding and nourishing them, and the plants then act like a reed-bed, filtering the water before it goes back to the fish. The plants grow more quickly than plants in soil, and are less susceptible to disease and pests. The fish can also be eaten, providing a valuable source of clean protein without contributing to the devastating effects of over-fishing which are so damaging to our oceans and wild fish stocks. You don't have to eat the fish, though - lots of vegetarians grow food aquaponically. The growth in the self-sufficiency movement is unprecedented. More and more people are taking back control of their health from the government and pharmaceutical industries. Now it is possible to grow an abundance of healthy, organic produce even if you don't have a garden. It is also possible if you don't have a huge bank balance! The book includes links to DIY plans and sets out the components you need for a basic system. The author of the book does not claim to be an aquaponics expert, she is just passionate about growing aquaponically as it has helped her health and grocery bills. She aims to dispel some of the myths about aquaponics, while showing how easy and inexpensive it can be to take up, and that you don’t need to be good at electrics or plumbing in order to understand how a system works.