Aquaponic systems provide a great nutrient solution for growing an abundance of plants and most nutrients in aquaponics are provided through the fish feed. However, other nutrients such as iron, are not available and usually need to be supplemented.  Depending on many factors such as sunlight, air exchange, the quantity of plants, plant species, pests and any factors related to the health and quantity of your fish, your system will likely require additional nutrient supplementation.

  • While fish can provide most of the essential nutrients plants need, aquaponic systems are commonly deficient in Calcium, Potassium and Iron and require supplementation. When supplementing Calcium and Potassium it’s important to alternate these usually with a few days in between. When added together Ca and K can create a nutrient lockout condition. Visit out pH and Nutrient Balancing Page for Aquaponic Source branded products to manage these essential nutrients.
  • Iron is not present in most fish diets and therefore supplementing your system with Iron that plants need is a common practice.  Shop for DPTA Iron Chelate here.
  • Plants need various nutrients to grow properly, most importantly N-P-K
  • Plants consume nutrients throughout their entire life cycle
  • If your fish population and feed rates are low then plants will not be getting enough nutrients. Managing fish water quality, health and feeding is essential to getting the most out of your fish feed. We have videos on our resources page as well as a full online course on fish health management.
  • Leafy greens, herbs and vines consume nitrogen-rich aquaponic water
  • To fruit, vine crops need less nitrogen and more of the other nutrients
  • When plants show deficiencies, they need nutrient supplementation to grow properly

Espartan – If you’re aquaponic system can run decoupled (fish and plant systems operate independently and do not continuously exchange water) we often recommend using Espartan which is a full spectrum organic nutrient solution. Espartan is a product formulated from organic matter obtained from selected vegetables. It stimulates the development of the green leaf structures and fruits of plants. Espartan has been proven to be a safe supplements of nutrients in aquaponics for large and small scale farmers for many years. That said, Espartan will darken your water and we generally recommend not adding directly and consistently to a system that is running with fish. If you have a good population of fish then nutrient deficiencies can often be corrected in other ways. Espartan is great, particularly for farmers, who need to get their plant system up and growing before they have a full population of fish to provide the nutrients.