For those who have been thinking about starting their own indoor garden, but do not want to uses oil because of the issues that may be involved, there is an other way to grow plants. You can use a hydroponic solution that provides the plants you want to grow with all the nutrients they need without using any soil.

An interesting new system is being marketed to the public called Aquaponics, which takes the principle of hydroponics one step further, by adding naturally produced nutrients from the waste product of goldfish. However, what exactly is hydroponics and how does Aquaponics add to the process?

What is Hydroponics?

Essentially, hydroponics uses nutrients in water to feed the plant instead of planting them in soil. Because the roots are exposed directly to nutrients by using water as the conductor, they tend to be healthier if the environment is conducive to their needs.

Because this method does not use soil, it is a very popular method to grow plants indoors. In addition to avoiding some of the issues that soil brings, such as the mess and potential pests, hydroponics allows the plants to grow at a much faster rate. This is because soils heavy and difficult for the roots to push through in order to absorb more nutrients. The lack of soil actually allows the roots to expand freely and the plant to grow to its maximum potential.

You can purchase all the equipment needed at a hydroponic store to start your own indoor garden. However, Aquaponics is relatively new and a product has recently been funded on Kick starter, which promises to add an important element to the overall process.

How Aquaponics Works

Essentially, this is a hydroponic system that uses the waste products of goldfish as fertilizer for the plants that are being grown. This type of hydroponic system is being used to grow plants such as lettuce,basil,kale, tomatoes, and more.

The Aquaponics system uses a pump located at the bottom of a fish tank, which takes the waste product and transforms it into nutrients for the plants located in another tank. This simple system not only provides much-needed nutrients for the plants, it also cleans the fish tank as well. This means that you will not have to clean out the carbon filter of the fish tank, which is admittedly one of the most annoying things about owning an aquarium.

The Aquaponics kit comes complete with everything needed except the goldfish, which you will need to purchase separately. The result is a remarkably intuitive system that actually solves one issue, while creating the opportunity to grow your own plants inside your home. Plus, you can choose to grow plants or flowers if you so desire. See Wikipedia to learn more about aquaponics.

This new take on the hydroponic system is one that offers plenty of opportunities for those who want to grow their own garden and need a constant supply of nutrients. It is important to remember that what you feed your fish is also going to feed the plants, so purchasing fish food that is all-natural is a must.