If you are planning on trying your hand at aquaponics it is almost a certainty that you will have to invest in Indoor aquaponics lighting unless you can locate the system next to a large window with plenty of sunlight.
Aquaponics is in reality no different than hydroponics with respect to the light necessary for plants to grow. The added fish element and the nutrients it provides are just about the only real difference. In fact, a hydroponics system can quite painlessly be switched to an aquaponics system. Where both systems cannot compromise for the plants is indoor aquaponics lighting. This is especially necessary for countries that have protracted winter seasons where sunlight is not abundant.
Old or modern indoor aquaponics lighting
In the past, lighting for such instances where daylight was severely restricted, lighting was of the incandescent type. These were very energy hungry and actually added to the cost of production. Today, with the advancement of LED technology (Light Emitting Diode), the initial costs of purchase may be a little high, but the added benefits of lean energy lighting is a huge plus. Not only have that, but companies that produce these LED lights, managed to achieve a much longer life span for their products. It is not uncommon to see such items have a 50,000-hour rating as opposed to the far shorter life of the incandescent lights.
The benefits of indoor aquaponics lighting
If there is one benefit that has been lost by the switch from incandescent to LED lighting, it is that LED lights burn much cooler in comparison. This may seem a good thing, but in reality, during these long winter months, heating can also be an issue, and there is not enough of this produced by LED technology. This means that if you have a smaller indoor aquaponics system, you may have to up the heat in your home just a bit to make things comfortable for your fish. This can also be done with aquarium heaters, but the extra energy these use can be substantial.
Heat does help plants, but it is not as important as that necessary for fish. It is important to have a species that is hardy and can take the kind of temperatures that are common to your area.
Once more balance becomes what you will have to achieve.
