Why Am I Eating Fish Poop?

(You’re not)

When we first started explaining Aquaponics to enthusiasts, farming experts, governments, and businesses alike, we ran into a common question: why am I eating fish poop? After displaying the all too common graphic depicting the Aquaponics cycle, many left the conversation thinking that we were asking people to eat fish waste. This is not true.

In an Aquaponic system there are three key forms of life: fish, bacteria, and plants. In this system, fish produce waste which is consumed by bacteria. Bacteria then convert this waste into nitrate which plants need to live and grow. Without this waste, the system would require the manual addition of nitrates.  

In an Hydroponic system, where there are no fish, nitrate is provided through synthetically manufactured nutritional supplements. Unlike Aquaponics, which relies solely on naturally occuring inputs, Hydroponics uses artificial nutrients chemically manufactured in laboratories to provide plants with adequate nutrients like nitrates.

In traditional soil based farming, cow and chicken waste are the most common source of nutrients, in the same way fish waste is used in an Aquaponic system. When you are enjoying your favorite salad, which today is most likely made solely of soil based GMO plants, you are not consuming cow or chicken waste.

Ultimately, no matter where your produce is coming from, you are not eating poop!