Aquaponics, an aquaculture system that grows plants with the help of fish, has been in existence for many years, and it recently experienced a surge of popularity as more people seek to grow their own food in a sustainable way. This type of farming system works in a symbiotic manner by using fish to supply nutrients for plants via their waste, which is then purified from the water as the plants grow. Leafy greens, herbs, ornamentals, and dwarf cherry tomatoes are just some of the plants commonly grown in the AquaSprouts Garden. Not only is the food grown via aquaponics free of pesticides and low in cost, but aquaponics itself requires minimal water changes and no filter replacements.
In addition to making an aquarium aquaponic system that’s aesthetic & effective, AquaSprouts wanted to ensure their product is easy to use. No matter what type of home one lives in, all that’s needed to get started with the AquaSprouts Garden is a 29-gallon aquarium, a few plants, & the fish of one’s choice. The freestanding garden fits over a standard aquarium and practically maintains itself. Since the plants integrated into the AquaSprouts Garden do the cleanup and filtering of the water, no extra aquarium filters are needed.
]]>If you plan on spending more time in your backyard this spring and summer, then create a mini getaway with the soothing sounds of cascading water. Check out our favorite backyard water features that provide style and ambiance to your outdoor space or garden for less than $400.
Add a touch of beauty and a splash of life to any outdoor space with this adorable fountain! Water feature, planter and eye-catching decor, the fountain can be used as an aquaponic or hydroponic system or as a simple water garden.
Read the complete article at HGTV
]]>These middle school students used the inorganic material to simulate the eco-system on lunar soil and successfully grew edible plants and food. A self-watering system seemed essential for the task, and they designed a wicking system to achieve this vision. They also worked with out-of-the-box ideas and even created pellets out of the lunar regolith.
“This competition is fun because I get to learn a lot about lunar regolith and growing things in space and all about NASA,” said 7th-grader Katherine Ayers. The students won awards for evaluation of results and innovation.
Months of effort, research, and observation have been invested into this project. AquaSprouts, a company focused on alternative growing techniques utilizing hydroponics and aquaponics, donated supplies, materials, and support to help bring the endeavor into fruition.
“This has been a tremendously exciting challenge for my students, and for me. It will be no simple task to colonize the Moon or Mars, but it’s amazing to think that our research could help contribute to these goals,” said Nicole Ayers, teacher at St. James Day School. “The AquaSprouts Gardens were an integral part of our project, and we are incredibly grateful to have these as part of our science lab for ongoing research.”
The team won two additional Best in Show awards for Experimental Design and Evaluation of Results. They have now won a total of six Plant the Moon and Plant Mars challenge competitions. These contests are hosted by the Institute of Competition Sciences, in collaboration with the University of Central Florida’s CLASS Exolith Laboratory and NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI).
Read the complete article here.
]]>Promising review: "This works great. I have eight neon tetra happily living in the tank and I've got plentiful basil and some wheatgrass growing in the garden. Expect to spend a little time setting up your system. If, like me, you want to put live plants in the aquarium, it's best to purchase an LED light that is submersible as one with a hood does not work. Once you've got the system set up and the tank cycled, it works great." —MA Marshall
Get it from Amazon for $152.96. Read the complete article from BuzzFeed here.
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It's not often that life comes into such extreme focus that you can see it all playing out right in front of your eyes. And it certainly doesn't happen often right on your desktop. Or on a window sill. Or perched on your coffee table.
Yet, that's the joy of the AquaSprouts Garden. Wired called it "the most adorable self-contained ecosystem," which just might be the most on-the-nose phrase ever. Because this custom-modeled, single-piece garden bed that attaches easily to a 10-gallon fish tank is ready to showcase the mysteries and wonders of life for you on a daily basis. And all you have to do is look.
Read the full article at BoingBoing
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TEXARKANA, Texas (KTAL/KMSS) by: Sydney Simone – St. James Day School has won two awards through a NASA competition.
A group of students at the Texarkana school entered NASA’s “Plant the Moon” challenge, a global science experiment to see who can grow the best crops using lunar regolith simulant. Regolith is the layer of unconsolidated rocky material covering bedrock.
“It was just exciting to know, to be able to tell the kids right off the bat your work is authentic,” math and science teacher Nicole Ayers said. “It’s not your teacher grading you, it’s a professor, a researcher in the field with that NASA logo.”
Middle school kids used inorganic material to grow edible food, plants, and create an eco-system on lunar soil, similar to the kind of soil that would be found on the moon.
“I think it feels nice because I get to learn a lot about lunar regolith and growing things in space and all about NASA,” said seventh-grader Katherine Ayers.
In the first year of participating, students brought home awards for evaluation of results and innovation.
“We did really try to think outside of the box with our project. They designed a wicking system to self-water the plants. They made pellets out of the lunar regolith. So we just tried to take non-standardized approaches,” their teacher explained.
The “Plant the Moon” challenge is more than a global science experiment to see who can grow the best crops. It also helps students to gain valuable life skills.
“It’s being a part of a team and working together and learning and enjoying the moment,” sixth-grade student Abigail Thompson.
The students did months of observation and research. The competition required a lot of scientific materials. They even received a donation of aquaponics from AquaSprouts founder and CEO Jack Ikard to use in their project after their teacher reached out in search of some of the materials they needed to complete the project.
“It really upped the level of seriousness for everybody to make sure we were giving our best work,” said Nicole.
The students also created a YouTube video and website to share their experience and research.
“It’s really cool that our school gets to do unique things like “Plant the Moon” and Science Olympiad,” said seventh-grade student Staten Crossland.
Read the complete story at ArkLaTexhomepage.com
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Doubling as a fountain and a flowering pot, the AquaSprouts Fountain is a sleek and eco-friendly addition to your home or patio. Saving about 90 percent more water than with traditional soil gardening, the AquaSprouts Fountain keeps things fresh by circulating water for your plants and creating a soothing ambiance with the sound of running water. If gardening isn’t for you but you love a splash of greenery, let Aquaponics do the work for you with this stylish fountain.
Bring a burst of life into your indoor space with the AquaSprouts Garden. Dubbed by Wired as “the most adorable self-contained ecosystem”, the system uses filtered fish waste to feed the growing plants atop the aquarium. The fish are clean, the plants are green, and you will be satisfied seeing the circle of life flourish before your eyes.
Read the complete article at PopSci.com
]]>If you've developed a green thumb during quarantine, you can keep it going with one of these babies ... and kill two birds with one stone. No fish though ... leave them alone.
In all seriousness, what we're talking about here is a garden for your fish tank (something you'll need first for this to make sense) which we call the AquaSprouts Garden.
This kit showcases how to create a self-sustaining garden and aquarium ecosystem. The fish provide nutrients for the plants ... while the plants are busy purifying the water, proving it's the ultimate win-win situation. And, 'round and around it goes!
Chances are you'll have greenery in no time ... and you can even grow your own fruits and vegetables, if you please.
Read the complete article at TMZ.com
How do you want to live your life? Live life to the fullest of course!
And why not? Don’t we all want to fill our lives to the brim with fun and (mis)adventures? We may not be aware of it, most of us treat life like we’re going to live forever. The bad news is, we’re all dying. Every day is a funeral march that brings us a step closer to the grave. But the good news is, we can drag our feet, take the long circuitous route, so long that it would allow us to live life to the fullest.
The funny thing about it is that what can kill us, can also be the elixir that would let us live forever. Well, at least in the context of what’s forever in this day and age. I’m talking about food. It’s the key to a short life as well as a long one.
If there is an ode to food, I was the waddling and panting version of it.
When I worked a 9 to 5 job as a development worker, I dealt with stress through my insatiable appetite for fast food. I felt invincible and full all the time…but a debilitating and recurring migraine reminded me of my mortality.
I was in a love-hate relationship and like relationships of this kind, it was an unhealthy one. I knew I needed to get out of it. As expected, we know the right thing to do, but we don’t do anything about it because!
The words "organic" and "natural" used to intimidate me, mainly because they meant eating food that tasted like cardboard. Besides, I can’t live without pizza! Well, I can, but it’s not my idea of a happy existence if I keep my distance from that delicious cardiac delight!
The thing about temptation is that sometimes the only way to truly make us resist it is to learn things the hard way. An illness, or worse, a death in the family reminds us that we are mortals. One day we’re going to stop breathing, whether it’s ten years into the future or tomorrow, it’s going to happen. But even if it’s the former, there is the quality of life to consider. Surely, we don’t want to suffer through the years because of an illness brought about by an unhealthy lifestyle.
Whenever an illness reminds me of my mortality, my resolve to changing my lifestyle and not just my diet, becomes stronger. If I want to enjoy life, at over 200 lbs, and a waistline that’s fast exceeding my age, a transition to a natural lifestyle is in order.
Now, you can go cold turkey, go slow, or slow and easy.
If you're like me, you'll go with slow AND easy because a radical change often sends me tumbling down to a condition that’s worse before I started. I have noticed that in most cases of successful and effective weight management and lifestyle switch, it always starts in the kitchen. So rev up in the kitchen then once you conquer it, that’s the time to hit the floor!
Here are the surefooted steps towards a more natural lifestyle.
The first thing to go from my diet was soda. It was a difficult move especially when I’m used to drinking it every day. When your body detoxifies, it goes through a phase that will leave you feeling all sorts of weird...and cranky! But after about a week, you’ll start to feel better. In two weeks’ time, your craving stops.
I drank water...lots of water during this transition. You can always add some flavor to your drink by infusing it with your favorite fruits and herbs. But I advise against drinking infused water throughout the day. Although fruits are natural, they still contain sugar.
I was on my 5th month without soda when I decided to remove one dessert from my meal a day. I always end my meal with a dessert. As someone who has the sweetest tooth, this was the hardest part for me.
Use coconut sugar, honey or stevia in place of your regular sugar. Better yet, eat fruits which have naturally-occurring sugar. Just how many servings do you need to consume everyday? The American Diabetes Association offers portion tips for fruit servings based on your body mass index.
While others seem to have no problem with this ritual process, it’s like burying a loved one for me. There’s grief each time I say goodbye to a favorite (I have a lot of favorites) processed food.
You may opt to do this week by week. I know that if I let go of one each day, they’d all be back in the fridge in two weeks. Slow AND easy…remember?
You don’t have to have a gym membership to make sure that you’re in tip-top shape. All you need is to move – your body, some big muscle. Rolling your eyes does not count. You can go walking during your office break or hiking after dinner if you happen to be one of the lucky ones living in villages with a hiking trail or a wooded area for a backyard. Catch the sunrise, hell, chase the sunset…just move!
So much has been said about the benefits of getting enough sleep and they’re all true – we need to get enough of it. The thing is, we don’t need a guru to educate us of its benefits. I’ve woken up from 4 to 5 hours of sleep (even less) and went through my day mostly tired than productive. It’s a no-brainer.
It helps if your family is going through this transition with you. But if you’re going solo on this, it helps to have a community to make the process easier for you. If you can’t find a local group that’s motivated to do the same thing, try searching online. I’m sure Facebook won’t disappoint.
To ensure that you’re slowly detoxifying your body from all those junk food, avoid eating fastfood and prepare your own meal instead.
This part of the transition may seem too daunting a task but weekly meal planning can help you manage your time as well as your budget. Going for natural food is not expensive if you plan your meals well.
Shop at your local farmer’s market and load up your basket with organic produce. Eat seasonally.
There is nothing more empowering than watching a living thing grow under the care of your hands. You can transform your backyard into one big, beautiful garden. But if you don’t have a green thumb, well, get some help either from a friend or try a different approach like aquaponics where fish can help you grow your plants.
These are baby steps, but integrating these into your life repeatedly and long enough for these to become a habit can only bring about good results. You don’t have to suffer and deprive yourself of good and delicious food to be healthy. Believe me you can choose a natural and healthy lifestyle and truly enjoy it. The question is, how willing are you to make that change now?
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Season’s greetings from AquaSprouts!
This winter, we're excited to announce a special pre-release of our new product line: the AquaSprouts Fountain. With two versions to choose from, the Fountain is part water-feature, part planter, and all eye-catching decor. With these versatile kits it’s all up to you—they can be used with aquaponics, hydroponics, or as simple water garden, to create a serene office space or add a splash of color to your patio.
Click here to learn more.
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Millennials’ love for plants has been growing in recent years—and quarantine has only accelerated this trend.
“Even before the coronavirus sent us inside for most of the day, people were buying houseplants and office plants, at record rates,” according to Rebecca Bullene of design firm Greenery Unlimited. Now, the spike has skyrocketed as people began mass-purchasing greenery to ease the discomfort of hours inside. Not only do individuals finally have the time to take care of plants now that they are home more often, but many are desperate to have a slice of nature indoors since they cannot go outside.
Whether you have already started growing your family of plants, or you are just getting started, we rounded up 10 gardening and plant-related deals that we think you will love. Read more at nypost.com
]]>"I LOVE it. The service was incredible, and it is the perfect addition to our balcony. We live in a downtown area, and it’s so lovely to hear the noise. We leave our screen door open to listen to it all day. Thank you!" —read more on BuzzFeed.com
]]>As we enter a new decade, the human race finds itself faced with worldwide political turmoil, economic injustice, dizzying technological achievements, and an existential threat in the form of a spiralling climate crisis. In order to rise to and overcome these challenges, humanity is going to need to drastically reevaluate the way it caters to some of its basic needs.
The global urban population has grown rapidly, from 751mn people in 1950 to 4.2bn today. Almost 70% of the world’s population is predicted to live in urban areas by 2050, according to a report by the United Nations (UN) released last year. At the start of the 1800s, more than 90% of the population (in the US) lived on farms and, on average, a farmer grew enough each year to feed between three and five people. Throughout the subsequent centuries, advances in agricultural technology and technique meant that farms produced more food using less labour. In 1900, an acre of land used to grow corn only produced 18% of the yield achieved on the same piece of land in 2014. Today, farmers represent a mere 1.4% of the US population, and the average size of farms has grown dramatically. The ratio of people in cities to the farmers that feed them is already at a huge disparity and, as that relationship becomes more and more imbalanced, the strain put upon the agricultural industry has the potential to spell disaster for a global food supply - to say nothing of biodiversity, quality of diet and cultural connections to cuisine itself...
https://mashable.com/shopping/deal-may-25-diy-tools-toys-gadgets-on-sale/
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AquaSprouts is excited to be awarded the Social Impact People's Choice Award from the Mass Challenge Texas Startup Showcase! MassChallenge is a global network of zero-equity startup accelerators. Headquartered in the United States with locations in Boston, Israel, Mexico, Switzerland, Texas, and the UK, MassChallenge is committed to strengthening the global innovation ecosystem by supporting high-potential early stage startups across all industries, from anywhere in the world. To date, 1,495 MassChallenge alumni have raised over $3 billion in funding, generated over $2 billion in revenue, and created over 80,000 total jobs. Learn more about MassChallenge at masschallenge.org.
]]>Did you catch the AquaSprouts Garden featured in the Innovation section of the BBC Focus Magazine? "BBC Focus is a British monthly magazine about science and technology published in Bristol, UK".
]]>AUSTIN,TEXAS, February 21st, 2018 - Yesterday, AquaSprouts was selected to participate in MassChallenge Texas’ 2018 accelerator program. AquaSprouts was one of over 520 startups to apply for the four month accelerator located in Austin, Texas, and will join 84 other startups from across Texas and around the world.
"Aquaponics & hydroponics gives environmentally conscious households and classrooms ways to engage the natural world. With our launch product the AquaSprouts Garden, we've already impacted thousands of students around the globe. We're excited to be working with an organization like Mass Challenge who supports high-impact companies," said Jack Ikard, founder of AquaSprouts. "We look forward to strengthening our mission that promotes how the synthesis of natural science and technology can change the world," he adds.
AquaSprouts will participate in MassChallenge’s Texas accelerator program, where it will receive access to MassChallenge's global network, world-class mentoring from industry experts, tailored programming, free co-working space, and unrivalled access to corporate partners. The accelerator culminates on August 2018 at the MassChallenge Texas Awards Ceremony, where selected startups will pitch for the opportunity to win a portion up to $500K in no-equity awards.
About AquaSprouts
AquaSprouts is a Texas based business that designed and developed the AquaSprouts Garden. The company is focused on creating sustainable, cost effective, accessible aquaponics solutions that can be used around the world. AquaSprouts is also committed to educating communities and youth about aquaponics and the many benefits it offers people and the planet.
About MassChallenge
MassChallenge is a global network of zero-equity startup accelerators. Headquartered in the United States with locations in Boston, Israel, Mexico, Switzerland, Texas, and the UK, MassChallenge is committed to strengthening the global innovation ecosystem by supporting high-potential early stage startups across all industries, from anywhere in the world. To date, 1,495 MassChallenge alumni have raised over $3 billion in funding, generated over $2 billion in revenue, and created over 80,000 total jobs. Learn more about MassChallenge at masschallenge.org.
]]>As the school year begins, so too does the Seafood in Schools pilot project from non-profit Seafood Nutrition Partnership. SNP is providing teachers across the country with a grant and supplies to bring tabletop fish and garden aquaponics systems into the classroom. Along with this opportunity, some schools are even accepting the challenge to offer more seafood on their lunch menus.
SNP is interested in helping the next generation understand the health benefits of eating seafood and learn about fish-farming technology that is a low environmental impact system for producing healthy food. Aquaponics combines aquaculture, a process for farming fish, and hydroponics, a process for growing vegetables in a soil-less medium, and the water is continually cleaned through this system.
This September also marks the 37th anniversary of the National Aquaculture Act of 1980, which states that, “It is in the national interest, and it is the national policy, to encourage the development of aquaculture in the United States.”
The aquaponics pilot is intended to help students learn about how to grow and be responsible for fish and vegetables, and to understand the basics of farming fish, seafood sustainability, the symbiotic relationships between fish and plants, and the health benefits of eating seafood.
Fish and shellfish have big benefits for children, including supplying the nutrients essential for strong bones, brain development, improved memory, and healthy immune and cardiovascular systems. Seafood is a good source of lean protein, low in saturated fat and rich in vitamins and minerals, most notably the omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA. (Learn more with Seafood: Fuel for Successful Learning.)
The pilot program is launching in 11 education programs across the country, including:
In the initial pilot, SNP will measure knowledge gained by both students and teachers, determine the key success factors for teachers, as well as the support required from the teacher’s school.
“Through the Seafood in Schools Aquaponics Pilot, we hope students will learn about the importance of seafood in its role for supporting human health, environmental health, and the ability to sustainably feed future generations,” says SNP President Linda Cornish.
SNP is working with The Aquaponic Source, which is helping source products and provides the curriculum, and AquaSprouts, which makes the desktop garden system and will provide customer service to assist the teachers.
Follow SNP, #Seafood2xWk, and the progress of these school projects on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest.
About Seafood Nutrition Partnership
Seafood Nutrition Partnership (SNP) is the leading 501(c)3 non-profit organization in the U.S. building awareness of the health and nutritional benefits of seafood. SNP is addressing the country’s public health crisis through education programs that inspire Americans to incorporate more seafood and omega-3s into their diets for improved health as per USDA Dietary Guidelines. In October 2015, SNP launched a national public health education campaign. For more information, visit SeafoodNutrition.org.
Last week we had the pleasure of attending the 2017 Staff Development for Educators Conference in Las Vegas. We met with thousands of passionate teachers all sharing new ideas and tips for better engagement in the classroom. It was a great to see how educators were immediately looking at different methods to bring aquaponics kits into their lesson plans.
Some of the takeaways from the SDE Conference include:
We had the pleasure to attend the NSTA Conference in Los Angeles, California for the 2017 conference. The AquaSprouts Garden was very popular among educators from all different disciplines. Our distributor, Nasco Science, graciously allowed us to demo at their booth.
"The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), founded in 1944 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, is the largest organization in the world committed to promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all. NSTA's current membership of 55,000 includes science teachers, science supervisors, administrators, scientists, business and industry representatives, and others involved in and committed to science education." Learn more about NSTA here.
]]>2017 has been off to a busy start for the AquaSprouts Crew! We had the honor to attend and demo at the Global Pet Expo in Orlando, Florida. Our industry partners, Kordon, graciously allowed us to show off the AquaSprouts Garden to thousands of attendees!
"Global Pet Expo, the premier industry event, is presented by the American Pet Products Association (APPA) and Pet Industry Distributors Association (PIDA).The 2016 Global Pet Expo had 1,087 exhibitors in 3,218 booths. Total buyer attendance was 6,170, representing 76 countries.
Global Pet Expo is open to independent retailers, distributors, mass-market buyers, and other qualified media & professionals. This trade show is not open to the public." Learn more about GPE here.
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We had a great time showing off our desktop aquaponics system to everyone at Aquatic Experience in Chicago! It seemed like everyone we met was already thinking of ways on how they can start incorporating an AquaSprouts Garden into their lives. For those of you who don't know, here's a little bit about the show:
From saltwater to freshwater with pond and aquatic animals, we have it all. Consumers and retailers are invited to join us for educational seminars and a robust show floor filled with hobbyists from entry level to the most sophisticated aquarium keepers, as well as livestock and equipment experts and the industry’s best and most trend-setting manufacturers. Add in a bevy of high powered speakers you’ve heard of and read articles from but have not had the chance to meet in person and you’ve got a must see for any aquarist no matter what their experience level. Learn more here
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