I have played with both hydro and aquaponics. But I happen to have such rich soil, that it is much more feasible to just grow in the ground.
Fish waste is almost entirely nitrogen, so aquaponics is great for growing lettuce. But for tomatoes and other fruiting crops, I think you would need to mix additional fertilizer with the fish water, and then set the tomato plants up as run-to-waste, like a typical container.
Humates and humic acid, which is what makes compost or rich soil have a dark color, also shows promise in helping plants make the most of water resources. Rich soil requires less water, I know that from experience.
And I haven't tried it, but yucca extract is also used on plants to help them survive droughts. Fertilizer companies also offer what is basically synthesized yucca, for use as a spray.
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