What is Aquaponics?

"Aquaponics is the combination of raising crops in water instead of soil while also raising fish. The basic cycle of aquaponics is fish are in the water to make waste. The waste is broken down by the microbes in the water to form a type of nitrogen known as nitrate to fertilize the plants.

From there, the waste which didn’t get broken down works as plant food. The plants clean the water for the fish to live in a healthy environment in return."
https://morningchores.com/aquaponics/

"A combination of fish and plant production using aquaculture and hydroponics systems, aquaponics is moving from the realm of experimental to commercial"
https://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/aquaponics

"Many definitions of aquaponics recognize the ‘ponics’ part of this word for hydroponics which is growing plants in water with a soil-less media. Hydroponics is its own growing method with pros and cons (discussed later).

Literally speaking, Aquaponics is putting fish to work. It just so happens that the work those fish do (eating and producing waste), is the perfect fertilizer for growing plants. And man, fish can grow a lot of plants when they get to work!"
https://www.theaquaponicsource.com/what-is-aquaponics/

"The plants extract the water and nutrients they need to grow, cleaning the water for the fish. There are bacteria that live on the surface of the growbed media. These bacteria convert ammonia wastes from the fish into nitrates that can be used by the plants."
http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/guide-to-aquaponics/what-is-aquaponics/