I've done home aquaponics in a small greenhouse, and I volunteer at a large trout/aquaponics research facility. At the research facility it can be profitable to raise the fish under very controlled conditions, but it is a fulltime job for several people to keep 30,000 fish in the raceways. When something goes wrong, it can really go wrong in a big hurry, wiping things out before realizing what is unfolding. There are also a number of issues with large scale aquaponics, even including e-coli issues.
My home ponds (0.7 and 0.25 acres) are far easier to manage, and especially for a variety of different kinds of fish. For a regular supply of very fresh fish, fish cages are inexpensive and simple to build. They make great holding pens where you can hold and fatten them until just before dinner.
This year I hope to install a hoop house on the dam of the 0.7 acre pond, with raised beds drip irrigated from the pond using solar operated pumps. Onsite-made compost and worm castings will provide the majority of nutrients.
At least in our case, this is the best solution for us. My main garden had to be taken out this past season due to a construction project. So, last fall I plowed about a 150x150 plot where I sowed winter (cereal) rye. The rye will get plowed under when the ground is dry enough to plow with the tractor, then get tilled, and fenced. This garden will be irrigated regularly from the pond using a trash pump and sprinklers on tripods.
We supply fish, and our 10 chickens provide eggs for three families. We garden-share with three other families, and we pond share with one other family. Major compost making, butchering, canning, saurkraut making, meat processing, etc., is also shared amongst several families.
We aren't food self-sufficient, but we produce quite a bit of our healthy own foods.
