Independent Ag Studies Spotlight: Aquaponics

Story and photos submitted by Devin Adams ’22.

This year I have chosen to study and manage the aquaponics system while producing food for the school lunch program. I chose this topic because I found it cool that we could use wildlife and a system to provide healthy alternatives to the kids in the school lunch program while also gaining money for the agriculture program. While studying this topic I have learned different suggestions and techniques to using this system and starting root systems in the aquaponics system. 

In the future I am looking forward to learning how to take care of the aquaponics system once it’s time to empty the tanks and get the system ready for summer break. I would also like to learn why we use fish and if we could use handmade nutrients instead of having to pay more money to feed the fish and keep them alive while they make natural nutrients for the plants, I would like to learn this because I want to know how the fish impact the system and if we could do the same thing for less money, Ultimately saving the agriculture program money and helping feed the school on a lower budget.