It all started with a fish tank

The urban farm grew from an initial aquaponics system that included one fish tank and a couple of garden beds.

WHAT IS AQUAPONICS AND HOW DOES IT WORK?

Aquaponics is a combination of Aquaculture and Hydroponics. Aquaponics uses the water from the fish tank to circulate through a grow bed where the plants are grown. Absolutely no soil is used nor necessary for aquaponics. Nitrifying bacteria convert fish wastes into plant-available nutrients. The plants use these nutrients as their main nutrient supply. The fish benefit from this process also, as the water is filtered by the plants, giving the fish clean water to live in. 

Our urban farm now has two large fish tanks - one containing goldfish and one containing perch.  The water cycles continuously around 8 raised gravel beds that support the growing of various herbs and vegetables.

GOLDFISH

PERCH