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The aim of hydroponics4life is to link individuals, schools and organisations with projects in our
developing world. By sharing and developing the techniques and advances in science we can make
a difference where it is most needed.
Climate change and the destructive way we devour our global resources is making it more and more important
for everyday people to come up with the answers
Education in Hydroponics and Aquaponics is the key
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Sudden village has been bypassed in more ways than one in the last few
years. What used to be a thriving close-knit community has, in recent years,
been at risk of completely losing its identity and community spirit.
Our business has not suffered as much as some as the local, community-based businesses as we sell
globally and have customers from far and wide, ranging from advising on aquaponics self-sufficiency in
the south pacific, to helping the United Arab Emirates grow barley for race horse fodder or, more recently,
designing bespoken vertical growing solutions, which has become incredibly popular.
We have taken part in several international growing initiatives including helping to open a girls school in
Cambodia, where they have learned to use the aquaponic gardening knowledge we have been able to
share with them to become much more self sufficient.
It was on this project we discovered that by working with local schools we could develop long term partners
for these initiatives. Helping teachers to make the nitrogen cycle interesting whilst supporting worthwhile
causes in the developing world.
We use the hydroponic bus to demonstrate to schools and the public in general the various methods of
growing hydroponically and the ways that advances in science are helping with modern day cultivation
alongside many edible crops grown in soil in the alleyway each year and shared among the community
which has been remarkably effective in developing community relations in the area.
Rochdale in Bloom
Over the years the local community and businesses have shown huge
support for the hydroponics4life project. This year for the first time our efforts
will also be shown alongside other community groups in the area for
Rochdale in bloom. As a result of the support from others we have been able
to extend the planting scheme throughout Sudden so many thanks to all
involved it has been interesting and motivational.
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Open-Top BusMoving into the second year of growing on the bus we decided it was
time to take the roofOFF. Despite some objection from avid bus
enthusiasts, it was always the intention to fully utilise the bus
by having an open area, a greenhouse area and a classroom.
The aquaponics classroom downstairs now has refreshment facilities
and has been used not only as a classroom for the schools but has
also been an excellent platform to launch our aquaponics and
hydroponic courses.
Get Involved!
We use the hydroponic bus to demonstrate to schools, and the public in
general, the various methods of growing hydroponically and the ways that
advances in science are helping with modern day cultivation, alongside many
edible crops grown in soil in the alleyway each year and shared among thecommunity, which has been remarkably effective in developing community
relations in the area.
A tank is downstairs with the aquaponics propagator, demonstrating how fish
waste can be transformed into plant food in an aim to create a closed-loop
growing system, which helps to show how our planets ecosystem works.
Upstairs we have kept the roof on the front part of the bus and used the
windows to create an upstairs greenhouse, this has been remarkably
successful in propagation as the temperature has been optimum conditions
for young and rooting plants.
Finding a new lease of life for the double decker bus has been great fun but
has enabled us to show how it is possible to grow anywhere. It adds an
element of nostalgia to the experience, one of the most common comments
we get from people is how long it has been since they were on a double
decker bus and how many memories it has rekindled.
f you have and comments or feedback we would be happy to hear them.
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Share the Knowledge! Feed the world.
Ecowall in action
Food in the City
Thank you for coming.
We had a superb day at Manchester Museum.
Thank you eveyone for coming along and
everybody for helping out.
Welcome to Holy Family & Oulder Hill
Manchester Botanical GardensThe Matthew Moss Team went to the Botanical Gardens
with Hydroponics4Life, here a few of the pictures
ecipe4life works by us linking local schools with our projects in the developing world.
By doing this we are able to provide long term partners able to support these
initiatives whilst also helping teachers to make the nitrogen cycle more interesting.
We now work with many local schools who have been so enthusiastic about the project. We are
hoping to make aquaponics tanks and lesson plans available nationally.
Aquaponics the combination of aquaculture
(growing fish) and hydroponic (growing soilless plants)
that mutually benefits both environments.
Aquaponics uses no chemicals, requires 10% of the
water needed for field plant production.
In aquaponics the waste from fish tanks is treated with
natural bacteria that converts the waste, largely
ammonia, first to nitrite and then to nitrate.
The pilot project to link up primary and secondary schools was a great success. Many thanks to theteachers and pupils of Brimrod primary school and special thanks to Mr Down at Mathew Moss for making
the project possible.
The visit to Mathew Moss was an excellent way in introduce and inspire year six pupils, allowing them to
look forwards to the transition to high school.
We would also like to welcome St Edwards to the project The children there showed tremendous interest
in the aquaponics lesson and are shortly due to install a second tank
Hydroponics in Schools
We would like to welcome to Holy Family & Oulder Hill
schools to the hydroponics4life project.
We are hoping to recreate the success of the pilot
project to link up primary and secondary schools, in
which the pupils were successfully able to take cuttings
from various types of mint and transplant them into the
aquaponic propagator, allowing them see which rooted
the fastest and which were more able to cope with stress.
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Well done Matthew Moss
The pilot project with Matthew Moss High has been a great success. They now have three tanks and are
passing on all they have learned to Brimrod Primary School
Educational Resources
Ecology the study of "All togetherness of
everything" or "the interdependence of plants,
animals and their environment".
Ecological accountability and sustainable
living are a vital part of living in the 21st Century,and therefore it is important to include these
ideas into education of the adults of the future.
Exploring Hydroponics from an ecological
starting point enables us to encompass many
areas of the National Curriculum. It helps
children and young people to form an
integrated understanding of how hydroponics
can contribute to the stabilisation of the world
ecosystems.
Primary Resources
Hydroponics4life aspires to integrate knowledge of the
methods and usage of hydroponics and aquaponics
into the curriculum of UK schools. By doing this we
hope to raise awareness of the need for third world
countries to become self sufficient in their own food
production. To do this hydroponics4life has producedthe Recipe4life with an aim to 'share the knowledge
and feed the world'.
By integrating aquaponics into education we can
make a combined effort to share the knowledge and
feed the world. If we can achieve this we will be able
to support projects all over the world and help them
gain the know how to sustain and feed themselves.
For an example curriculum please contact us or visitthe webiste
Secondary Education
In return, we would be asking for a commitment to the Hydroponics4Life project. Our long term aim is to
work to introduce Hydroponics and Aquaponics into as many places as possible in the developing world
and integrate these new techniques with local and traditional farming methods. Alongside using our
expertise to investigate the possibility of developing a Hydroponic or Aquaponic feed that can be produced
from local natural resources and waste products enabling the orphanages, schools and
similar institutions to become more self sufficient.
We hope by teaching the children new growing techniques enabling them to become self sufficient and
sustain themselves and their families for the future and passing on the knowledge to others in their
communities.
If you would like more information or to get involved in any of our projects, please contact us
Gardens for schools project
Schools across the country are now signing up for to build there own aquaponic eco-gardens. In many
cases we have been able to provide free advice and equipment (subject to availability) showing how
aquaponics can change the way we grow food and try to help change the lives of children in the
developing world.
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An ecowall is a revolutionary system and method of growing plants with limited space. Plants grow out of
the wall and upwards, meaning almost anywhere can be turned into one
Excuses about having nowhere to grow are out of the window, with a little imagination and knowledge any
area even a vertical one can be turned into an area for growing. This revolution has not only taken root
with small growers, big business is now investing heavily in vertical growing.
Grow Vertically and save space with the Ecowall
The main advantage is that it can be implented anywhere, from building a tower block to mass produce
vegetables or just to provide a little extra room in your garden.Vertical growing space is available
everywhere and we consider it a waste not to use it to its best potential.
Whether you are applying for planning permission and wish to show how vertical growing can soften an
otherwise hostile environment or you wish your business to stand out in the high street or at a corporate
event, we have the skills to accommodate your vision.
Please contact us with your own bespoke vertical growing idea and we will help
to make your vision a reality.
A Vertical Garden allows human beings to re-create a living system very similar to natural environments.
It is a way to add Nature to places where people once removed it. Thanks to this botanical knowledge andlong lasting experience, it is now possible to display natural looking plant landscapes even though they are
man-made. In any city, all over the world, a naked wall can be turned into a Vertical Garden and thus
become a valuable shelter for biodiversity. Its also a way to add nature to the daily life of city inhabitants.
We are in discussions to work with acclaimed installation artist and botanist Patrick Blanc on his nextLondon installation aimed at improving inner city areas.
You can view some of his other work at http://www.verticalgardenpatrickblanc.com
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Spirulina, a blue-green algae that has many applications related to our recipe4life, including production of
food ingredients, food, fertilizer, bioplastics, dyes and colorants, chemical feedstock and algal fuel, and can
also be used as a means of pollution control.
Algae saves the world
Algaculture Spirulina as a foodSpirulina contains an unusually high amount of
protein, between 55% and 77% by dry weight. It is a
complete protein, containing all essential amino
acids, though with reduced amounts of methionine,
cysteine, and lysine when compared to the proteins
of meat, eggs, and milk. It is, however, superior to
typical plant protein.
Spirulina is a food source and cash crop, this makes
it an excellent choice for the developing world.
You can add spirulina powder to fruits or vegetables
juices or to enhance the nutritional content of dishes.
It adds taste to other foods like pasta and soups.
But make sure you avoid cooking it because it
contains lot of nutrients specially the vitamins which
may get lost during your cooking process.
It can be grown in large open tanks
(or Algal ponds) or within Bioreactor's
(a vessel in which a chemical process is carried
out to promote growth) making it adaptable and
easy to set up.
Hydroponics4Life, has recognsied how this
immensly versatile product can be and how it will
be beneficial to the whole planet.
Spirulina growing in a bio-pond(left) and pressed tablet form
Growing Spirulina
Spirulina is grown on amonia-rich water and can be grown in large open ponds (known as raceway ponds)
in a special container known as a bioreactor. Pond growth tends to take up a lot of space and water and
can be open to bacterial infection resulting in the loss of whole crops.
Bioreactors can be expensive but hydroponics4life is developing containers that are very cheap to build,
easy to run and can be stored almost anywhere out of direct sunlight. They will help produce food for
comsumption and sale in some of the poorest communties in the world.
Spirulina has a high carbohydrate content and is a very good bio-product to be turned into bioethanol and
used to run cars, generators or farming machinery very easily.
Community Farm ProjectIn one of our latest projects we have joined forces with Cronkshaw Fold community farm, who have
dedicated and entire barn to demonstrating hydroponics and aquaponic systems work. Our aim is to
create and balance a miniature ecosystem which will be used to demonstrate aquaponics and how it
could be used in education and the potential to be used on a bigger scale in the developing world.
Since 1991 the farm has become a successful centre for educational visits for nursery schools, primary
schools and high schools with many children participating in educational visits.
Education programmes for reluctant learners have been successfully piloted
Please visit cronkshaw.co.uk for further information or bookings
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Food Security - Hydroponic Barley - Fodder Production
Following recent developments within our research, and with the help of Manchester University, hydroponic
barley production is now a reality.
As a result, Hydroponic barley production for emergency food aid as well as for animal fodder is now an
increasing in popularity and Hydroponics4life Gardens for schools project has also become increasingly
popular in schools around the UK
Pakistan & India Rooftop AquaponicsWe are currently helping to design a solar aquaponics system with our associate Alan Cheshire, who has
just taken over a Salvation Army compound in Faisalabad to turn into an Alternative Power training centre
for local chrildren. We hope to teach all aspects if wind, bio-gas, solar, hydro and cottage garden.
They are using repurposed 25 x 10 x 4 inch PVC pipes and small plastic tanks fed from a big
10,000 Litre tank.
Aquaponics is a massive global industry worth billions, but the people who need it
most are being left behind.
Share the Knowledge! Feed the world.
Cambodia Update
The girls school is located in Kampong Province Speu Ba Set District. We are
coordinating with the country director, Nuon So Thero and the director of the
Girls Be Ambitious program, Tiann Monie. Chhin Sokna is the program officer
for the GBA program and will be the onsite contact. Aside from teaching English
and computer skillsis also the monitor for the attendance of these girls, she
photographs to students, she the daily attendance sheet and e-mails it to Tiann
and Nuon who carefully check it and monitor the progress.
Hydroponics4life Research & Development
If you would like more information or to get involved in any of our projects, please contact us
Our current research aims to provide food security within a fully
comprehensive survival pack. Using cutting-edge hydroponic
techniques we are now able to produce hydroponic barley in
seven days and mushrooms in ten days providing both fibre and
protein. However, there is yet still a long way to go!
We are currently trying to develop methods to ensure that the
same equipment and growing media can be used again andagain. We are also conducting trials to ensure the adaptable to
various climates as well as developing different crisis packs
based on the different regions of the world. Therefore, making
the incorporation of the plant most suited to the environment
possible.
This enables us to combine the knowledge of more individuals. Thus we have been able to make great
progress in research and development and feel we are drawing ever closer to a viable design to work in
various crisis situations.
If you feel you can offer any assistance or useful statistics please do not hesitate to contact us.
All feedback is welcome from any level of expertise. We are always happy to share our
research in the belief that knowledge is power and together we can change the world.