Where is aquaponics leading? We see aquaponics as the gateway to closed-loop systems that optimally utilize water and nutrients, reduce energy and resource requirements, and produce fresh food directly on-site. Innovative concepts such as multi-aquaponics, in which fish, plants, insects, and microorganisms interact in a single cycle, open up new perspectives for customized solutions. They demonstrate how sustainable food production can work in the future – efficiently, resource-conserving, and locally.

Aquaponics has opened up new perspectives on the revolutionary possibilities of the circular economy. It demonstrates how natural resources can be used effectively through synergistic effects. But aquaponics is just the beginning. Other innovative approaches are already being researched under the term "bioponics," which also utilize other nutrient sources in closed cycles. These include nutrients from chicken manure, digestate from biogas plants, and even human waste, which are theoretically usable.

However, a crucial factor for the legal approval of many of these approaches is the sanitization of nutrient sources. Compliance with strict hygiene standards is particularly essential when using excreta. Technological solutions such as ozonation, UV clarification, and plasma treatment already exist and have proven their effectiveness. Research is now needed to efficiently integrate these technologies into bioponics systems, further improve their economic viability, and reduce regulatory hurdles. Only in this way can these approaches find widespread application in practice and realize their full potential.

Innovations in practice

Our work in research projects such as "Close the Loop" and "INCiTiS-FOOD" demonstrates how material flows from neighboring communities can be integrated and new circular systems developed. We have learned that the use of byproducts within these systems creates additional synergies that increase both sustainability and economic efficiency.

While established modules such as aquaponics and hydroponics are already technologically mature, others, such as worm culture or zooplankton production, are still in the development phase. Nevertheless, it is clear that each additional module significantly expands the potential of multi-aquaponics.

Multiaquaponics – additional cultures and new synergies

In addition to fish, vegetables, and lettuce, aquaponics also produces materials such as sewage sludge, process water, and plant residues. These materials can be further recycled within the system:

• Sewage sludge can be liquified using a worm culture (e.g., Dendrobena worms). The worms process the sludge together with plant residues, making additional nutrients available to plants via the so-called "worm tea."
• Earthworms not only serve to recycle nutrients, but can also be used as protein-rich feed for chickens.

This approach shows how the participants in a multi-aquaponics system benefit from each other and create synergies that go far beyond pure nutrient utilization.
The infographic below illustrates how multi-aquaponics connects various modules—from aquaculture and hydroponics to insect and zooplankton production. The material flows between the modules create closed loops that virtually eliminate waste.

Closing cycles is worthwhile

The agriculture of the future relies on systems that create productive biotopes and turn waste into useful products. Multi-aquaponics diversifies production through valuable byproducts such as liquid fertilizer, worm castings, or insect protein, reducing dependence and increasing self-sufficiency. The wide product diversity offers farms new opportunities in direct sales, as they can market fish, vegetables, and fertilizers simultaneously. This creates a sustainable model: resource-efficient, economical, and local.