Ms. Tripp Teaches With Tanks of Tilapia

Students in Ms. Tripp’s environmental science class have been anticipating the arrival of the Aquaponics unit. The tanks are all set up, with the final shipment of tilapia arriving the first week of December. The Aquaponics unit ensures that students can have hands-on experience utilizing the sustainable farming practices they have been studying since the first quarter. 

Aquaponics is the combination of Aquaculture and Hydroponics, with aquaculture referring to the farming of captive fish, and hydroponics referring to the process of growing plants without soil in a nutrient solution. The combination of the two results in a symbiotic relationship between the fish and the plants grown in a system. The plants provide oxygen and naturally filter the water for the fish, and the fish waste acts as a natural fertilizer for the plants. 

Ms. Tripp uses a 100 gallon tank and sets it up with the proper filtration required to manage it. Students who know how hard it is to maintain an aquarium will appreciate the fact this aquarium requires little upkeep. Ms. Tripp insists the students will help clean the filters and replace water loss, but will not be scrubbing any tanks. When asked about Aquaponics as a lesson in the course, she said, “Students build the tank, so that they understand how to engineer -it, and they maintain the system by weighing and feeding the fish, and testing the water.” 

While originally designed for large-scale production, Aquaponics systems can be adapted to feed a community, family, or single person. Ms. Tripp believes that accessibility is a major benefit of the Aquaponics system. It has the potential to eliminate food deserts and mitigate food scarcity because of its adaptability. When asked her opinion on Aquaponics as a farming method, she said,  “When you don't have enough farmland, because you're housing people or building cities, you need another type of system that still provides quality nutrition.” 

Ms. Tripp promises Aquaponics is easy to learn; it's designed to be used by individuals and families alike and requires minimal training and education. According to Ms. Tripp, “Everybody should know how to do this.” With the increasing awareness of the environmental impacts of the meat industry, more people are looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint. Aquaponics is a great way to provide healthy food for your family, while reducing the strain on our environment. 

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