Best Practices & Lessons Learned for Aquaponics in Schools Aquaponics in Education Conference October 13, 2012 About Hapa Farms Innovative Aquaponics •  Sustainable farming •  Minimal resource requirements •  Utilize marginal farm lands Aquaponics in Schools •  I’m a farmer •  Designed, implemented, and built aquaponic programs for schools •  Partner with isisHawaii and Dr. Clyde Tamaru’s lab (CTAHR) Goal of Aquaponics in Schools Self-sustaining program: •  Independent maintenance of healthy systems by school faculty, staff, students, parents •  Teachers have a good understanding of science behind aquaponics to develop curriculum Considering Aquaponics? •  Many dive straight into building an aquaponic system without the proper preparation and understanding of what is involved –  This can lead to becoming overwhelmed after the system is in place •  These are some things to consider before you get started (or work on now if you already have a system but haven’t addressed these points) Involvement & Investment •  Aquaponic system care is a 7 day/week job – no holidays or weekends! •  The more that are involved with the care & maintenance, the better –  Science, Social Studies, Economics, English teachers –  Maintenance staff –  Administrators –  Parents –  Don’t limit yourself Site Preparation •  Ground prep –  Gravel/cement •  Electrical outlets •  Water/sinks •  Fenced enclosure –  Security –  Safety (City Bldg Code §3109) Materials Selection •  Everything that touches the system should be food safe •  What’s safe & what’s not is always being debated but a recent study at Goethe University in Frankfurt found that PET leaches hormone-disrupting chemicals into water System Build •  Build your own system, don’t have it built for you •  Everyone that will be involved should help with the system build –  Starts investment in system(s) –  Provides deeper understanding of how the system works So now you have an aquaponic system… •  Many different possibilities •  With a little bit of creativity you would be amazed with what you could do with your system(s)