Aquaponics is the combination of hydroponics, the cultivation of plants in nutrient rich water and aquaculture, the husbandry of aquatic plants and animals. Aquaponics is feasible through basic biology, fish produce ammonia, ammonia is converted into nitrites through a biofilter, and nitrites turn into nitrates that plants can easily absorb as nutrients. As the plants absorb the nutrients, the water is naturally filtered and cleaned, and when the water is filtered back into the fish tanks, the cycle begins again. Aquaponics uses less water than traditional farming techniques and doesn’t require a lot of land. It is possible for aquaponics to be adapted commercially and has been in the past and may be a greener alternative in the farming industry.
Traditional Farming Vs. Aquaponics
Traditional farming uses harmful chemicals such as weed killers and fertilizers in both the growing and transporting processes, while aquaponics grows produce without the need for chemicals or soil. These chemicals and nutrients run off from traditional farms and into nearby water sources, causing environmental issues such as an overgrowth in algae that can cause massive animal die offs. Soil is unnecessary in aquaponics and requires less space and maintenance than a traditional farm, making it ideal for growers located in more urban areas. Plants grown using aquaponics do not depend on weather conditions and tend to grow faster than traditionally grown plants due to the farmer’s ability to regulate temperatures and the plants having access to nutrients 24/7. Aquaponics uses 90% less water than traditional farming methods while also doubling the harvest, producing both plants and fish. The system leaves no waste and is self-sufficient and cleaning while traditional farms have to be constantly tended to and cleaned, an aquaponic grower just needs to feed the fish and check water levels. Long travel distances for food can lead to excessive carbon use, nutrient depletion, food spoilage, and poor food security. Alternative food growing methods such as aquaponics as well as hydroponics and aeroponics can reduce this distance. The measurement of the distance the food travels from farm to plate is called food miles. Aquaponics can also be done in urban areas while traditional methods cannot, this shortens the distance meals get from farm to table in urban areas, allowing residents to have fresh, organic produce from a nearby source, which keeps prices low and organic produce availability high. You may be thinking, “There’s no companies that actually produce a harvest only using aquaponics.”, well…let us take a look at a Springworks farms in Maine.
Springworks
Lisbon, Maine, located in the United States, is home to Springworks, the first certified organic aquaponic farming operation in New England. After 7 rounds of funding, the company received $41.5 million from organizations such as Blue Highway Capital and Farm Credit East, as of 2025, Springworks’ revenue ranges from $10-$100 million. As of 2021, lettuce grown in California, Mexico, and Arizona spent up to six days in a truck while the drive from Lisbon to the Hannaford processing plant in South Portland, Maine is 34 miles. this saves nearly 3,500 food miles. Hannaford markets consumers can buy from locations in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. This proves that aquaponics has skin in the game and can be successfully used in the farming industry. The real question here is, ‘Why haven’t ALL big farms adopted aquaponics?’
Wrap up
The question can be answered with the old adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”, but the truth is, it is broke. Large commercial farms tend to use harmful chemicals in both the produce growth and transportation processes, using large amounts of land and contaminating water sources with fertilizer and chemical runoff when there is a greener, more bountiful way to approach things right in front of them. Scrapping a large farm and replacing it with an aquaponics set up would prove to be difficult but my message for future farmers would be to start with aquaponics from the get, the harvest would double with both fish AND produce, the farmer is not tied down by weather or space constraints, and the system produces no waste. It is a self-sufficient and self-cleaning setup where the only thing the farmer needs to do once everything is up and running is feed the fish and check the water levels! Produce grown can also be used to supplement fishes pellet/flake diet so the process could come COMPLETELY full circle if the grower wished. Try to keep this mind the next time you want to farm or even garden your own produce. Happy growing and remember: big businesses don’t HAVE to be destructive!
