NU6

Hi Prof. Jorge,

Below is my NU6 idea.

Hydroponics with funnel shaped circular fish tank

My NU6 idea is a continuation of my previous keyhole garden which aims to help provide people fruits and vegetables for their consumption or even as a source of income right in their own backyard. This time, I am sharing hydroponics system which makes use of fish tank whose bottom part is shaped like a funnel. The fish tank can as small as six feet in diameter and made of plastic. It is supported by a metal frame which extends to the plant bed. The plant bed should also be made of plastic to make it lighter. Also, you need a small water pump, sand and pebbles, hydroponic vegetables (like tomatoes, eggplants, broccoli, lettuce etc) and fingerlings.

The shape of the funnel in the bottom part makes the fish tank self cleaning with the movements of the fishes that you put.  As the fishes circle around the tank, the dirt and wastes of the fishes goes down to the funnel which is then pumped out and sent to the plant bed on top of the top. Once the wastes are sent on the plant bed, the plants filter the water together with the sand and pebbles underneath the plants. Then the filtered water goes down thru a tube to the fish tank. This provides the fishes clean water without replacing the dirty water. Also, as the water falls down, it provides aeration for the fishes which is very vital for the fishes. To supplement oxygen, another pipe is installed that directly sends the water back to the tank which provides much needed oxygen for the fishes. With the ample amount of oxygen available, you can stock more fishes per cubic meter than the conventional fish ponds. With this, you can put commercial fishes like tilapia or the cream dory which are now very popular among restaurants. Given this idea, you can grow fishes for commercial purposes or for your family’s consumption. At the same time, you can make use of the wastes of the fishes as fertilizer to grow vegetables. Also, the system is less tedious since it is self cleaning and sustainable. It only requires a small amount of space and can be put up in our own backyard.

<who is the author please?>