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"Crops Recommended for Aquaponics"

by Rebecca Nelson

The fish and plants you select for your aquaponic system should have similar needs as far as temperature and pH.  There will always be some compromise to the needs of both but, the closer they match, the more success you will have.  As a general rule, warm water fish and leafy crops such as lettuce and herbs will do the best.  In a system heavily stocked with fish, you may have luck with fruiting plants such as tomatoes and peppers.

Fish that do well in aquaponics:

• tilapia
• large mouth bass
• sunfish
• bream
• crappie
• koi
• carp
• pacu
• almost any ornamental fish such as angelfish, guppies, tetras, gouramis, swordfish, mollies

Catfish	Tilapia
Large mouth Bass

Plants that will do well in any aquaponics system:

• any leafy lettuce
• pak choi
• spinach
• arugula
• basil
• mint
• watercress
• chives
• most common house plants

Lettuce grown in aquaponics	Basil seedlings in aquaponics

Plants that have higher nutritional demands and will only do well in a heavily stocked, well established aquaponic system:

• tomatoes
• peppers
• cucumbers
• beans peas
• squash