Amanda VerBruggen

UWGB Senior – Environmental Policy & Planning (Planning Emph.)

1998 – 1999 East High FFA President

3rd Place - State Floriculture Judging

Forever BagsForever Bags

DIADDIAD

First version First version introduced in 1992introduced in 1992

Saved 59 million Saved 59 million sheets of papersheets of paper

Has allowed for a Has allowed for a huge leap in huge leap in technological technological advances for tracking, advances for tracking, etc.etc.

Bluetooth & GPSBluetooth & GPS

AmandaAmanda

Kari Kari

SuzanneSuzanne

MandiMandi

FEMA Designated FloodwayFEMA Designated Floodway

SoilsSoils

Constructed WetlandsConstructed Wetlands

AquaponicsAquaponics

Seeking Sustainable Agriculture Solutions

AquaponicsAquaponics

Aquaculture

Aqua (latin) - water Culture - agriculture

Hydroponics

Hydro (greek) – water Ponos (greek) - labor

AquacultureAquaculture

Aquaculture accounted for 47 percent of fish consumed in 2006

Waste, antibiotics, competition/invation, and habitat loss or destruction

Wastewater often high in nitrates

HydroponicsHydroponics

Constant need to monitor/alter pH, non-sustainable nature of many growing media, and high cost of equipment and maintenance

Disposal of tremendous amounts of chemical wastewater

Harsh chemicals:– Ingestion can result in gastrointestinal distress, with abdominal

pain, lethargy, nausea,vomiting, diarrhea, blood chemistry effects,

cardiac effects, and central nervous system effects.

AquaponicsAquaponics

One process can be used to aid in solving the problems of the other

Nitrates that result from fish waste are utilized by the plants, and as long as the plants continue to remove the nitrates from the water to keep the fish healthy, the fish will continue to supply the plants with this food source

Nitrogen CycleNitrogen Cycle

Growing PowerGrowing Power

Perch & Tilapia

Tank is 4-5' deep, and is dug right into the floor of the greenhouse

Grow both in gravel media and pots with coir and compost

My ExperimentMy Experiment8 Goldfish from my backyard pond

Aquaponics BlogAquaponics Blog

www.aquaponicadventures.blogspot.com

Day 4

Day 14

Day 21

Day 25

Trouble!

Day 35

Day 43