Planting the seeds in your an aquaponics garden is much easier than putting them in the ground. You just have to put them on a netting pot and… this is it! Then you just have to wait for them to start vegetating and grow. However, there is one little aspect you must know before placing the seeds and that is – the ideal moment when the seeds should be planted.

The whole process by which ammonia is transformed to nitrate, needs about three months or so to complete. Though you have the option to add nitrates to the water before the process of ammonia-nitrate conversion completes, so you can hasten the entire process. Most people do not prefer this because it is not the way that nature works. But whatever method you prefer, keep in mind to always monitor the amount of ammonia, nitrites and nitrate in the water. This serves as quality control, making sure that your water is ideal for both your fish and plants.

The fish are a key component in any aquaponics system. Care should be taken to make sure the fish are healthy, and that starts with selecting the appropriate fish for your situation. There are many types of fish that do well with aquaponic farming. Fish that are commonly used are Tilapia, Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth, Chinese Catfish, Crappie, Koi, Bluegill and trout.

Where you locate your new aquaponics diy system should not be overlooked. This will determine, to a large degree, how well your plants grow and how well your aquatic animals thrive in their aquaculture environment. If your system is to be inside, the room you choose should be warm, not to hot or cold, and allow sunlight to shine over your plants. If there is no room in your home you might consider building a shed in your backyard. A clerestory style shed would be a good choice as it has a row of windows in its roof. This row of windows allows sunlight inside the structure, where it spreads down into the structure. Another choice for would be to construct a greenhouse.

Humans have been growing plants this way for thousands of years, but many people are starting to realize maybe this is not the smartest way to grow plants. Instead of actually growing plants, much of the time and effort is spent working the soil, watering and fighting pests like weeds and gophers.

When water from a fish tank is given to plants, they grow amazingly well from all the organic fertilizer from the fish wastes. And plant also do an amazing job at filtering these wastes out of the water and keeping the water healthy for the fish. In a system where water is recirculated between a fish tank and plant grow beds, the fish feed the plants and the plants clean the water for the fish.

Of course, in order for the water to be kept clean and crops to grow the aquaponics system must be balanced. This is biological system which many say requires three things which are the fish and the plants and also bacteria. Some bacteria is a must as some bacteria is required for life to continue. There is a forth component and that is water. Water is also important in this balanced system because the fish require it and so do the plants.

I whole heartedly you start this sort of diy project if you enjoy growing your own food. It’s an addictive fun and rewarding way to produce your organics!