MORAN Its a freezing drizzly day, where nearly a dozen high school students have installed a 650-gallon aquaponics system inside their greenhouse.
The idea stemmed from an FFA speech given by Katelynn Morgan a year ago for competition. In the process of researching the topic and putting her speech together, Morgan caught the bug for aquaponics the combination of aquaculture (raising fish) and hydroponics (the soil-less growing of plants) that grows fish and plants together in one integrated system. Morgan shared her desire with agriculture instructor Jacque Gabbert at Marmaton Valley High School. With Gabberts encouragement, Morgan shared her findings with her classmates.
Gabbert also requested a grant from Kansas Department of Education that used unspent Perkins grant funds to purchase and maintain the system.
The project involved the ag mechanics class that built the frames for the tanks to sit on in the greenhouse.
The animal science class researched the type of fish to buy, how many and how to take care of the fish in an aquaponics system. The horticulture class put the aquaponics system together and will maintain and care for it.
The best part of being involved in our project with the aquaponics unit is learning hands on about alternative and more environmentally friendly ways to grow crops and fish, said student Hannah Dahl.
The aquaponics system starts with the water being pumped into the float bed where bubbling stones oxygenate the water below the styrofoam sheets with holes filled with rockwool holding the plants in place. The water then goes to the fish tank where the 50 tilapia reside, then into the clarifier where its cleaned before going into the media bed filled with clay pebbles. From there the water is siphoned back to the sump pump tank, completing the system.
It allows us to experiment with different methods of raising plants and helps us to get a better understanding of whats needed to grow and maintain a healthy plant, student Ty Scharff said. Student Julianna Sprague is learning more about how plants can be grown and what it takes to grow them.
The students have learned a great deal about problem solving, gardening, water dechlorination and water oxygenation.
The best part of this project is being a part of group work to problem solve, and in the end seeing the successful finished product, said Karlie Stephens.
I would say the best part is working out all of the kinks the system has, according to Colton Sneed.
Morgan said, I think that aquaponics has taught us all to have patience with the system. The plants will grow, it just takes time. I love growing things, so finding new ways to grow things is amazing.
Lessons learned so far include the fact that the fish smell, not all plants will grow in this type of system, it is good for urban farming, it is labor intensive and its not the end of the world if the fish die.
The students daily chores include feeding the fish. On a weekly basis, they check the levels of the pH, nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, eC and dissolved oxygen.
Student Allison Heim says that the best part about having an aquaponics system is learning how the aquaponics system works and how this can impact the future of agriculture.
The students plan to use the yield from the system to supplement the school lunch salad bar with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, green beans, peppers, basil and cilantro. When the fish reach harvest size, the students intend to donate them to the MVHS chapter of Skills USA for their fish fry at the school.
