2 years ago, NASA asked students to think about the possibility of growing plants on the moon. A specific group of students from New Jersey not only came up with a unique way of growing plants, but also came up with a source of protein for lunar astronauts. This was aquaponics - the cultivation of fish and plants.
The system used by the students combined bluegill fish and plants in the same tank. The fish lived at the bottom of the tank, whilst the plants grew on top of the tank.
The seedlings are placed in rock wool, a type of mineral wool normally used in hydroponics. The seedlings are then suspended in a plastic pipe on the top half on the tank. Water is then pumped from the bottom of the tank through the pipe, then back to the tank. The roots of the plants are exposed to the water as it flows, so when the plants absorb the nutrients in the water, they filter it as well.
The plants recieve light from LEDs, under the canopy on top of the tank. These lights are powered by solar panels.
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Effectiveness of solar powered aquaponics in cultivating lettuce and tilapia
RandomNOTE: this is a compilation of things for my project. All of these are paraphrased and gramatically and spelling correct. -Copyright WyvernRising and Group Atomos 2018
