Hannah & Friends, an agency serving persons with special needs, is also home to the original Green Bridge Growers’ greenhouse. By building our first greenhouse at Hannah and Friends, we have had the wonderful opportunity to learn from gifted individuals around us. One of the initiatives at Hannah & Friends is to create training opportunities on-site for their gifted residents. Through these efforts participants are involved regularly in the greenhouse and one of the residents is among those currently involved in the training program which we offer through the support of the Kelly Cares Foundation.
Featured in today’s blog post is one of our regular assistants, Scott. Scott works as both a stable assistant and a greenhouse/garden assistant. His cheerful personality and infectious smile always brings new light into the greenhouse. Today, Scott and I after completing our regular chores worked on the aquaponic system’s water chemistry. Healthy water chemistry is essential in aquaponic systems. Scott and I discussed how the fish health was directly related to the water chemistry. I explained to Scott how the waste produced by the fish were important to plant growth but how too much of the waste would be bad for the fish’s health. The levels of the different chemicals in the water help to determine whether the water chemistry is good, creating an environment for healthy fish. When testing water chemistry we look at Nitrate levels, Nitrite levels, Ammonia levels, and pH levels. We do this by using a small water chemistry test kit and comparing the color of the solution to a chart provided. This kit is a good way to use the skills and abilities of our assistants at Hannah & Friends while teaching them a little about the science behind our aquaponic systems. To me, one of the best ways to use aquaponic systems is to teach others about science - and I am of the firm belief that everyone can conduct and understand science.
- Janaeé Wallace
- Janaeé Wallace
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