This document describes an aquaponics project at Greensgrow Farms in Philadelphia that aims to grow food using aquaponics in an urban setting. The project will design an integrated and expandable aquaponics system using Greensgrow's existing involvement in hydroponics and aquaculture. Research was conducted on backyard, home, and commercial aquaponic systems. Concept sketches show indoor and outdoor system designs. The constructed system uses repurposed materials and includes fish tanks, reservoirs, grow beds, and supporting structures.

1. Urban Aquaponics
Jesse Gerard
Jackie Starker
Thomas Reynolds
farmphilly
Instructors Tony Guido and Andrew Dahlgren
an urban agriculture project

2. Project Statement
As a part of the UArts Farm Philly initiative our goal is to utilize
aquaponics to grow food in an urban setting. Given Greensgrow’s
current involvement in hyrdroponics and aquaculture, an opportunity
for design exists in an aquaponics system. This design affordance
allows for the integration of a repeatable and expandable system
that gets food to people, educates and raises awareness.

3. Research
Hydroponic Farm Aquaponic Farm
Backyard Aquaponics Home Aquaponics
1. www.flickr.com/photos/kevinlaw/2617823362/
2. www.eaglespringsfarm.net.../greenhouse
3. www.flickr.com/photos/possum/1237461910/
4. Louis Cook’s home aquaponics system

4. How Aquaponics Works
Fish are fed food and
produce Ammonia rich
waste.
Bacteria breaks down the
Ammonia into Nitrites and
then Nitrates.
Grow Bed
Plants take in the
converted Nitrates as
nutrients.
Water in the system is
filtered by the plant roots
and by the grow medium.
Fish Tank
Oxygen enters the system
through an air pump and
during dry periods.

5. Adavantages of Aquaponics
Hydroponics + Aquaculture = Aquaponics
Uses Much Less Water
Farms Plants and Fish
No Added Fertilizer
Grow Almost Anywhere

6. Proof of Concept Model
LED grow light
pump/particulate filter
plants
grow medium
grow bed
structure
drain
air pump
fish tank

7. Home System Concept Sketches
Indoor System with Storage Tabletop Aquaponics Fish Tank Add on Fish Tank Add on
Fish Tank Spigot Fish Tank Add on Expandable System Book Shelf Integrated System

8. Greensgrow Farms
philadelphia project
2501 E. Cumberland Street
Philadelphia, PA 19125
greensgrow.org

9. Greensgrow’s Original Hydroponics System

10. Greensgrow’s Demonstration Hydroponics System

11. Aquaponic Site

12. Scalable System
250 gallon medium sized system
Home System Farm Scale System
10 to 20 gallons in a home up to and over 1000 gallons on a farm scale

13. Designing for a Larger Scale System

14. Larger Scale System Concept Sketches

15. Larger Scale System Concept Sketches

16. Greensgrow System Layout
grow bed
up pipe
2x4 support
bracket
down pipe
signage
tank rim
fish tank
support structure
reservoir

17. Greensgrow System Rendering

18. Construction

19. Construction

20. Construction

21. Fish Tank The fish tank is a re-purposed 170 gallon galvanized steel trough.
The exterior is painted with latex paint from Greenable and the inside is coated with Pond Shield from Pond Armor.

22. Reservoir The reservoir is a re-purposed 80 gallon galvanized steel trough from Greensgrow
The exterior is painted with latex paint from Greenable and the inside is coated with Pond Shield from Pond Armor.

23. Tank Structure The structure is constructed of Spruce 2x4s that are sealed with soy-based sealers from Greenable.

24. Grow Beds The grow beds are re-purposed rain gutters from Greensgrow.
The support structure is constructed of Spruce 2x4s sealed with soy-based sealers from Greenable.

25. Grow Bed Brackets The brackets are milled out of birch ply.

26. Materials Sponsors
Thank you to our sponsors who have generously contributed materials to help achieve the goal
of bringing aquaponics to Greensgrow.
Greenable is Philadelphia’s most comprehensive
resource for interior and exterior green building
materials and professional services.
Manufacturers of Pond Shield®, the finest, high
performance epoxy pond liner and sealer on the
market today.
Offering the most complete high end digital
imaging and grand format network in the US.
Also, thank you to Lewis Cook, and Mike Hogan

27. Educational Components
Aquaponics
at Greensgrow
A p r o j e c t b y J a c l y n S t a r k e r, J e s s e G e r a r d a n d T h o m a s R e y n o l d s
Aquaponics at Greensgrow
Greensgrow Farms has
takes hydroponic growing
a history of developing
to the next level. By
alternative, affordable and
incorporating fish into the
workable plans for growing
system, a new level of
food on land that was once
sustainability is achieved.
deemed unusable. The farm
While mimicking nutrient
is built on a former industrial
cycles found in nature,
site which calls for the
aquaponics creates a
use of innovative methods
symbiotic environment where
of growing, including
fish and plants can thrive.
hydroponics. Hydroponic
Greensgrow now offers
growing is a technique that
the chance to experience
involves growing vegetables
aquaponics first hand.
in nutrient-enriched water
rather than in soil.
Materials Provided by:

31. Aquaponics for the Urban Agriculturalist
These components are the main system parts for a scalable and expandable vertical aquaponic system.
Fish Tank Reservoir Tank Structure Grow Beds Brackets Plumbing

32. Small Scale System Rendering
©MomoPhoto

33. Large Scale System Rendering

34. Aquaponics at Greensgrow