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Welcome to the Sandponics (iAVs) Wiki
Welcome to the Sandponics Wiki
The term “Sandponics” has recently been used on social media to describe systems where fish water is filtered through sand beds to grow vegetables.
This system is not Sandponics (the original hydroponic technique from Japan).
What people are actually showing in these videos is iAVs — the Integrated Aqua-Vegeculture System.
iAVs was developed in the 1980s by Dr. Mark R. McMurtry and Dr. Merle Jensen at North Carolina State University. It uses medium–coarse inert sand as a biologically active substrate for filtration, nutrient cycling, and plant growth.
This wiki explains the components, operation, and history of iAVs, along with practical information for building and running sand-based systems.
If you want to learn how the system works and why it is effective, you’re in the right place.
* Last updated June 9th 2025