The majority of aquaponics systems fall into three broad categories.

Media filled beds, nutrient film technique and deep water culture make up the majority of aquaponics systems in existence today. Within these categories, there are many variations of techniques. They all share the common trait of raising fish and plants together in a closed environment.

Each system must be custom tailored to site specific conditions such as normal high and low temperatures. The systems will need to be protected from wind, weather and contamination by chemicals and animal wastes. The best location will also be influenced by the amount of sunlight and the compass direction.

A major determinant in the final design will be the budget and scope of the project. Small system built for residential use will share little resemblance to a large commercial system. However, most aquaponics systems are derived from these basic systems.

1. Media Filled Beds: Containers are filled with a granular media like expanded clay or rock. Make certain the media is pH neutral or it could impact the nutrient uptake. The size of the media should provide generous surface area and adequate void space. Water from the fish tank is pumped into the media using a simple piping system which floods the media and nourishes the plants. The water from the media filled beds is then returned back to the fish tank. Recirculation can either be intermittent (ebb and flow) or continuous. The biggest advantages to these systems are the ready availability of materials, low cost of construction and the ease of operation and maintenance.

2. The NFT (nutrient film technique) is another common way to setup an aquaponics system. Water is pumped from the fish tank and then allowed to gravity flow in a thin film through an enclosed gutter where the plants are placed until they are harvested. this is a great way to grow leafy vegetables, but is not as optimal for taller plants due to the lack of support for the roots.

3. Deep water culture uses floating rafts to grow the plants. This is typically used in a large scale commercial setup where water is continuously pumped through the fish water holding system and aerated. The production is optimized at a large scale using this technique.

We usually recommend beginners stick with the ebb and flow method of farming since it is tried and true. The start up cost is pretty low and the user can pick either recycled, kits, store bought parts or a combination of the three sources of materials.

For bigger systems, the deep water culture method is a great fit since the overall costs are reduced a t the larger scale of production. This method is also highly expandable.

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