Hydroponic nutrients, in liquid or powder form, generally don't kill fish. Potassium, phosphorus, iron, calcium and magnesium are beneficial for both of us. Potassium, phosphorus, iron, calcium and magnesium are beneficial to both plant and aquatic life. Ammonia and urea are hydroponic nutrients that, in excess, can kill both fish and plants.
Hydroponic nutrients generally don't kill fish in your aquaponic system. In fact, nutrients such as potassium, phosphorus and calcium are incredibly vital for the maintenance and growth of plants and fish. However, you should follow the instructions for properly diluting nutrient concentrates before adding them to the aquaponic system. No, they won't kill your fish, or they will.
It really depends on how much of what you add. In aquaponic systems, pesticides or herbicides are not used because using them would kill fish. Fish residues are used as fertilizer for plants. Solid waste that comes from fish waste is often collected and used as compost.
Similarly, commercially available premixed hydroponic nutrient solutions, dry or liquid, can be used and will not kill any aquatic life. Both hydroponic and aquaponic farms are getting a lot of media attention, which is helping to build their success. In a hydroponic system, the water supply is repeatedly cycled to deliver nutrients to plants, so there is much less water loss. Institutions such as Hortus Analytical provide analysis services to agricultural companies, analyzing the soil and nutrient content of a hydroponic reservoir.
To properly apply these nutrients to a system, add an appropriate amount of potassium powder (depending on the size and type of the system) to the culture medium and run water over the nutrient powder to dissolve it. Hydroponics pays off financially, as studies on mid-scale systems show a payback time of 2 to 4 years. Although this is a symbiotic configuration, aquaponics is not perfect, since not all of the nutrients available in fish waste are sufficient to maintain optimal plant growth, so specific nutrients will need to be added manually. Dissolved nutrients will be absorbed by the plant and the reservoir will capture runoff.
When purchasing hydroponic nutrients, always ensure that the solution is designed for use in a hydroponic system. Many plants have different NPK requirements at each stage of growth, and some require more or less of each nutrient.
Hydroponic systems
cultivate plants in a nutrient-rich liquid, without what is traditionally considered soil (“soil”). Rock wool is the preferred culture medium in hydroponics due to its good water retention, aeration, porosity and malleable nature.Hydroponic plants have different temperature requirements than plants grown in soil, and if you don't maintain the optimal climate, you may encounter wilted plants or spoiled fruits.
