When Science and Service Meet

In addition to the beautiful plants donated by Village Nurseries, a group of entrepreneurs came together to develop and donate an aquaponic garden to Potter’s Lane! The new garden provides an earthy touch and allows residents to give their green thumbs a try! The plants have settled perfectly into their new home thanks to the combined efforts of Hung Ngo, William Hu, Dorian Aguilar and Michelle Martinez who believe in the power of giving, rather than receiving, and that we can create sustainable environments by providing not only a gift, but a well-planned resource that is renewable.

For those who do not know, aquaponics is the joining of aquaculture (raising fish) and hydroponics (the soilless growing of plants). The fish waste is an organic food source for the plants, while the plants provide a natural filter for the water that the fish live in. The final participants in the process are the microbes and red worms that convert the ammonia from the fish waste into nitrates and vermicompost, which provides food for the plants. Together, each component forms an integrated, symbiotic system.