Aquaponics

ETE enjoyed having Campbell Peck as an intern this summer. For his summer project, he designed and built an aquaponics system in our in-house nursery. Aquaponics is the combination of aquaculture and hydroponics in a symbiotic environment.

In this system, the 300 gallon tank contains 50 tilapia. Their waste is filtered and the remaining nutrients are used to grow plants. The filtered water cycles back into the fish tank. Growing plants using aquaponics requires substantially less water than conventional methods due to the cyclical nature of the system, and using little to no soil reduces the amount of pests, diseases, and weeds that are often an issue when using soil as a substrate. In addition, the fertilizer is all-natural and creates no excess runoff! This sustainable system of growing plants and fish is a great way to reduce your environmental footprint in more ways than one. What a great way to #KeepItGreen.

Campbell has been a great help for us, assisting in all types of field work from consulting services to plantings and exotic removals, and we wish him luck as he finishes up his last semester of school!

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