Climate change poses a severe threat to food production, making it imperative to find sustainable methods that complement natural, regenerative, soil based farming. One such method is aquaponics, which grows fish and vegetables together using a water substrate with no added minerals. The fish poop supplies all that the plants need to grow. It’s been hard for dreamers and doers to find that sweet spot that balances several ecosystems at the same time: the fish in the pond, the food in the hydroponics beds, and both those parts together.
Researchers from a desert country, where food growing is limited due to lack of water, offer a new proof of concept for a new closed loop system called aquaponics that produces more fish and vegetables while using less energy than conventional systems.
Their findings were published in the journal Resources, Conservation & Recycling.
Prof. Amit Gross, at Ben-Gurion University has been working with his students and collaborators for the last decade on aquaponic systems. His system uses brackish, or salty water and combines farming with growing fish farms.
As we mentioned above, aquaponic systems grow fish while using the fish waste to grow vegetables hydroponically. Hydroponics was invented by NASA decades ago and later perfected by stealth cannabis growers in Canada who could run grow-ops between walls in their apartment throughout the winter. Now that cannabis is legal in Canada and the US and hydroponics a great method for controlled growing of high value crops, advances are needed to make it even more sustainable.
That’s where this new research steps in: coupled aquaponics are closed loop systems that recycle much of the fish effluent rather than reusing it outside of the aquaponic system. Where typically the fish solid waste is disposed of, Gross managed to treat it by anaerobic digestion and recover energy and nutrients into the system to form a near zero waste unit. This is the path to resolving the ups and downs and headaches of balancing the nutrient load in the system and what the plants need as they grow.
After more than two years of testing, Gross’s system demonstrated 1.6 times higher plant areal productivity, 2.1 times lower water usage and 16% less energy consumption per kilogram of feed than conventional systems.
His calculations suggest that upscaling to about one ton of fish will allow operation of the system with no need for external energy, less than 1% water exchange, negligible waste production as well as significant carbon sequestration.
Net zero, here we come? The next grow system for the spaceship to Mars and the first Mars colony? Sustainable food that can be grown in Antarctica?
“Feeding the more than 8 billion people on the planet while reducing greenhouse gas emissions will require innovative technologies. Those that combine two functions in one are obviously preferable. Fish are a sustainable high-quality source of protein with a far smaller carbon footprint than most other sources. Combining fish growth with vegetable production and preventing waste is a win-win-win,” says Gross who worked with Ze Zhu and Uri Yogev from Ben-Gurion University and Prof. Karel Keesman from Wageningen University and Research in the Netherlands.
? Hydroponics, Aquaponics, and Cannabis: Growing Greener with Smart Agriculture
As the world looks for sustainable ways to grow food and medicine, modern farming methods like hydroponics, aquaponics, and even cannabis cultivation are leading a quiet revolution—especially in regions facing water scarcity, like the Middle East and North Africa.
Hydroponics uses nutrient-rich water instead of soil, saving up to 90% of water compared to traditional farming. Aquaponics adds fish into the mix, creating a closed-loop system where fish waste feeds the plants, and the plants clean the water. These systems can be set up in homes, urban rooftops, or greenhouses, making them ideal for future food security.
And yes, cannabis—the once-taboo plant—is gaining ground as a medicinal crop. Grown sustainably in hydro or aquaponic systems, cannabis can provide medical benefits without the environmental damage associated with traditional farming.
This green trifecta—hydroponics, aquaponics, cannabis—is not just a trend; it’s a glimpse into the future of ethical, sustainable agriculture.
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