Twelve Trinity Christian High School sophomores learn plant care and problem-solving during Kevin Van Engen's biology class aquaponics unit. "Aquaponics is a marriage of fish and plant growth," Van Engen said. "So, we're using the waste from fish to benefit the plants, and the things the plants give off that cycle back into the water to benefit the fish."
He has done an aquaponics with the sophomore biology class for 10 years. The students are put in pairs, two per tank. "It's pretty well known that in sophomore biology, we get to do aquaponics," Van Engen said. "The kids, in my experience over the 10 years, enjoy this. It's a hands-on thing. They benefit a lot from it."
The class planted seeds of tomatoes, radishes, sunflowers, lettuce and spinach on Friday, Jan. 16, and will continue the unit through April. The students spend 15-20 minutes of their biology class time working with their aquaponics system.
"Each day, they have some responsibilities, which is anything from feeding their fish to checking their water levels," Van Engen said. The students add water, check the wetness or dryness of their plants, and adjust accordingly. Water is tested for pH, nitrite and ammonia levels.
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