Riverbend Environmental Education Center in Gladwyne Pa to build Aquaponics Center

I recently saw in my Google Alert email for aquaponics that there is a huge aquaponics education facility being built in Gladwyne, PA, just outside Philadelphia.  The Riverbend Environmental Education Center is trying to raise $800,000 to build a 4,380 square foot greenhouse and aquaponics facility.  The Riverbend Environmental Education Center conducts programs to educate kids and adults about environmental issues and solutions.  The aquaponic facility will be staffed by local Veterans.  I cant wait to visit and hopefully I can get involved with setting up the facility.  Super cool!

http://www.riverbendeec.org/joingive/aquaponics-campaign.html

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SAGE Collective Aquaponic setup in Trenton NJ

I recently disassembled the 105 gallon aquaponic setup in Philly, but Im reusing some of those components for a system in Trenton, NJ at an Art Collectives studio space.  The SAGE Coalition is a group of local artists that do public murals, run a community garden, and host art gallery shows at their studio.  The Gandhi Garden is a beautiful community garden transformed by Graham Apgar, Jonathan Gordon, and other members of the SAGE Coalition and local residents.  Ive only met Graham and Jonathan so far, but Im excited to meet more of the artists here.  Heres what the Gandhi Garden looks like:

Heres some photos of our work so far:

Each shelf has a fluorescent light underneath.  I think we might remove one shelf to give each row some more space.  The goal is to eventually have the entire shelf be aquaponic grow beds connected to the 55 gallon tank on the floor.  Unfortunately, some rocks got into my aquarium filter, so Ill just be using a pump with no additional filter.  I am planning on making a radial flow filter to test out, but its not a priority at the moment.  I just received the pump in the mail, and am waiting for a uni-seal to arrive, then well get some water flowing to the grow bed.

Im currently off-gassing the chlorine from the tap water.  The pH is balanced, and Ive added some ammonia to start cycling.  Hopefully in a few weeks this will be flowing!

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Aquaponics Facility at Cheyney University in West Chester PA

Wow, I cant believe I just found out about this.  While reading about the Riverbend Environmental Education Centers planned aquaponics facility, I found out that theres a 10,000 square foot aquaponic basil farm in West Chester, PA.  I work in West Chester, so Ill definitely need to check this place out and try to get a tour on my lunch break one of these days.

http://www.cheyney.edu/pr/news/21950/5700/no

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Apartment Aquaponic System disassembled

The 105 gallon system set up in my friends apartment in Philly was disassembled yesterday.  Well be moving most of the components to the greenhouse that were building in Wilmington, Delaware.  We already have a 330 gallon IBC tank waiting, and were going to be building a PVC hoop house.  Well be attaching the grow bed from the apartment system to the IBC system as well.  Also, I have obtained some old windows to make some coldframes at the same location.  Lots of excitement coming this Spring, but it was a little sad to take apart the system that I had worked so hard and long on.  We did harvest about 2 supermarket bags full of kale, and I filetd the tilapia we had living in the apartment system.  Im sure Ill have tons of updates and photos from the Wilmington garden this Spring.

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