Microponics is the name that I've chosen for my Integrated Backyard Food Production concept. It's derived from the words micro-farming, micro-livestock and aquaponics.....and it's much less of a mouthful than integrated backyard food production.

The cornerstone of a microponics unit is a recirculating aquaponics system - simply because the one thing that most organisms have in common with each other is their need for water.....and because an aquaponics system is an eco-system (which is good).

Microponics differs from aquaponics in two respects:
  1. Where aquaponics is the combination of recirculating aquaculture and hydroponics, microponics advocates the use of water from an aquaponics system with virtually any plant growing system.....including square foot gardens, sheet mulch gardens and the raised beds popularised by ABC Gardening's Peter Cundall. In fact, the irrigation of plants of any kind with water from an aquaponics system leverages the efficiency of the gardening system.....particularly if the replacement water comes from a rainwater tank.
  2. Microponics is the integration of fish, plants and micro-livestock. If we accept that aquaponics is a simple eco-system (and it is) and that bio-diversity is a good thing (and it is), then microponics makes for a stronger eco-system......and it puts even greater quantities of clean fresh food on the table.
Microponics is not at odds with aquaponics. Microponics is aquaponics....and more.

You can read more about microponics.....and other things.....on my blog at www.microponics.net.au.