AQUAPONICS AT TUNSTALL HIGH SCHOOL

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Tunstall High School Aquaponics Project Dennis
Blalock C. William Shumate,
II Science Director
Agriculture Director
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Description of Tunstalls Project

• Part one involves raising tilapia in
  recirculating tanks
• Part two involves using the waste water from the
  fish to fertilize plants in a hydroponics system
• Part three involves integrating hydroponics with
  biotechnology and genetic engineering

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Project Goals

• Develop an Interdepartmental Course
• Make use of cutting edge technology
• Provide advanced scientific training
• Allow for hands-on instruction for traditionally
  theory based subject matter
• Conduct research designed to assist local
  agriculturists and industry

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Impact

• Increased student awareness of real world
  applications of skills taught in science,
  agriculture, and communications
• Integrate traditional college preparatory courses
  with vocational studies
• Provides students with rigorous course work in
  both academic and vocational subjects

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Impact

• Increase student research skills through projects
  centered around aquaculture and hydroponics
• Integrate the usage of current technologies in
  the collection, analysis and interpretation of
  data
• Provide students with an opportunity to monitor a
  complex interactive environment
• Provides special population students hands-on
  applications

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Additional Benefits

• Allows for community involvement in new
  technology
• Relationships formed with businesses
• Blue Ridge Aquaculture, DuPont, Solite, Inc.
• Cooperative research conducted with local
  Extension Agency
• Source of new technology, non-traditional income
  sources and research for local Young Farmer
  organization, keeping in mind environmental
  safeguards

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How We Got Started

• Joint Departmental Meetings
• Head of Science and Agriculture met to discuss
  possibilities
• Obtained support and assistance from
  administration
• Principal
• Vocational Director
• Director of Secondary Education
• Developed curriculum, equipment requirements and
  budget

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How We Get Started

• Obtained tentative approval from school board
• Applied for grants and looked for sources of
  funding
• Obtained final approval from school board
• Obtained community support
• Developed a schedule for implementation
• Evaluated project and made adjustments

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• Curriculum

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Course Make-up

• Students enroll in one of two courses (Applied
  Agricultural Concepts or Technical
  Biology/Chemistry II) depending on graduation
  needs
• Each course is limited to twenty students
• Students must be in either their Junior or Senior
  year
• Students must have completed Biology Algebra I

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Course Make-up

• It is recommended that students complete
  Chemistry I
• Students are not required to have any previous
  agriculture classes although Agricultural
  Mechanics and Plant Science I is recommended
• Special students are considered on an individual
  basis

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Teaching Methods

• The course is team taught
• The department heads of the agriculture and
  science department make-up the teaching staff
• Material is divided among teachers according to
  their expertise and experience
• Theory Vs. Practical approach is used with one
  teacher doing theory and the other doing the
  practical aspect

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Teaching Methods

• Class often split between laboratory and
  classroom then rotated
• Laboratories conducted by both teachers to
  provide more hands-on assistance
• Students are divided into groups which rotate
  through the various daily laboratory assignments
  so that all students can conduct all activities
• Feeding and Water Testing
• Plant and Greenhouse Maintenance

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Teaching Methods

• Students complete three research projects
• Aquaculture
• Hydroponics/Plant Science
• Biotechnology/Genetic Engineering

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Course Content

• Class is designed to provide students with
  rigorous course work in both academic and
  vocational subjects
• Advanced Aquaculture
• Advanced Plant Science
• Biotechnology
• Genetic Engineering
• There are over one hundred CBEs for the course
• CBES are correlated to SOLS

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Course Content

• Aquaculture
• Structures and Functions of Aquatic Animals
• Managing Aquatic Animals
• Principals of Animal Health
• Principals of Water Quality
• Fundamentals of Aquatic Nutrition
• Federal State Agencies and Regulations
• Careers in Aquaculture

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Course Content

• Hydroponics
• Introduction to Hydroponics
• Meeting Plant Needs
• Nutrient Requirements Testing
• Seed Germination
• Photosynthesis Light
• Introduction to Botany
• Biological Pest Disease Control

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Course Content

• Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering
• Introduction to Biotechnology
• Impacts of Biotechnology
• Biotechnology in Plant Science
• Biotechnology in Animal Science
• Understanding Cell Structure Functions
• Understanding Basic Genetics
• Principals of Genetic Engineering

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Course Content

• Course work includes fifteen laboratory exercises
• Anatomy of Fish
• Nutrients - Protein, Carbohydrates, Fats
• Volume Calculations
• Estimating Fish Population
• Measuring Water Turbidity
• Calculating Feed Amounts
• Calculating Feed Conversion Ratio
• Conducting Eight Water Quality Tests

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Teaching Materials

• Aquaculture Text
• Aquaculture Science by Rick
  Parker
• Delmar Publishers
• Lab Manual to accompany Aquaculture Science by
  Rick Parker, Rosemary Vaughn Terry Patterson
• Delmar Publishers
• Teachers Resource Guide to accompany Aquaculture
  Science by Rosemary Vaughn
• All About Aquaculture CD-ROM
• Nelson/Pade Multimedia

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Teaching Materials

• Hydroponic Text
• Hydroponics -
  Students Manual
• Nelson/Pade Multimedia
• Hydroponics - Educators Guide
• Nelson/Pade Multimedia
• The Encyclopedia of Hydroponic Gardening CD-ROM
• Nelson/Pade Multimedia
• Hobby Hydroponics - Video

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Teaching Materials

• Biotechnology Text
• Biotechnology in Agriculture by Dennis Peterson
  Dr. Thomas Rehberger
• The Multistate Academic Vocational Curriculum
  Consortium
• Biological Science Applications in Agriculture -
  Animal Science By Dr. Ed
  Osborne, Dr. Jeff Moss Ann
  Barger
• Agricultural Education, University of Illinois
  Urbana-Champaign

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Resource Material

• Reference Materials
• Aquaculture by Susan S. Walker
• The Multistate Academic Vocational Curriculum
  Consortium
• The Science of Agriculture A Biological
  Approach by Ray V. Herren
• Delmar Publishers
• Exploring Agriscience by Ray V. Herren
• Delmar Publishers
• Agriscience Fundamentals Applications by
  Elmer L. Cooper
• Delmar Publishers

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Resource Material

• Resource Agencies
• Aquatic Eco-systems, Inc.
• Joe Pawlak Whey Tran, Consultants
• Blue Ridge Aquaculture
• Darrin Prillaman, Head Aquaculturist
• Va Tech
• Dr. George Libby, Mark Kidd
• Virginia State University
• Dr. Brian Nerrie, Jim Mullins, Albert Reed

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• Greenhouse Equipment

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DeCloet Tobacco Greenhouse 35 X 48 (Expandable)
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Mini-Greenhouse 10 X 14
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Steel Frame with 2x4 Steel Posts
Gravel Floor
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Poly-Carbonate End Walls
6 mil Clear Plastic Roof (Two Layers)
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Adjustable Side Curtains
Shade Cloth
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Safety Lights
GFI Receptacles
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Circulating Fans (Four total)
Greenhouse Roof Inflation Fan
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150,000 BTU LP Gas Heater
Liquid Propane Tank (500 Gallon)
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Main Service Disconnect with 100 Amp Service
Entrance
Back-up Generator
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Exhaust Vent
Exhaust Fan
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Double Door 8 Wide
Steel Single Door
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Wash Tub and 1150 psi Pressure Washer
Laundry Sink
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Potting Table
Lockers File Cabinets
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• Aquaculture Equipment

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Recirculating Culture Tank System
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Modified MARS system designed by N.C. State
Four hundred forty gallon culture tank (3 Culture
Tanks)
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Biofilter
Solid Filter
Sump Filter
Sump Filter
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Solid Filter
Biofilter with Trickle Bar
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Plastic Pot Scrubbers
Bio Strata
Magnet Sump Pump
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Air Blower System
Outside Vent for Air Blower
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Air Stones 1 x 1x 3 (8 per tank)
2000 Watt Tank Heater With Thermostatic Controls
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12 Hour Belt Feeder
Salmon/Trout Feed 1/4 Floating Pellets 36
Protein
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Waste Filtering System
Exotic Fish, Hold Sell Permits
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Nets - Three Sizes
275 Gallon Hauling Tank with DC Aerator
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Daily Weekly Tests Dissolved Oxygen pH Temperatu
re Ammonia Carbon Dioxide Nitrites Chloride
(Salinity) Hardness
Reagent Test Kits
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Dissolved Oxygen Meter
Temperature pH Meter
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Tilapia Fingerlings
Full Grown Tilapia
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• Hydroponic Equipment

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Ebb Flow System
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Main Propagation Area
6 x 4 x 8 Bed with Rubber Liner
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Plexiglas with holes for Net Pots
Net Pots with Rockwool Cubes
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Biofilter feeds Nurse Tank
Magnet Sump Pump
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Strawberry Production
Tomato Production
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NFT System
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Main Grow-out Area
Four Inch PVC Pipe
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Biofilter to Nurse Tank
Magnet Sump Pump
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Barley Straw to Reduce Algae
Uses Net Cups Rockwool Cubes
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Drip System
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Flower Production
Cherry Tomato Production
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Biofilter to Nurse Tank
Magnet Sump Pump
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Hydroponic Test Kit Weekly Tests Nitrogen Potassiu
m Phosphorous pH Temperature
Temperature pH Meter
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• Financial Details

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Funding

• First Year Funding
• Local, State and Federal
  Education Funds 11,750.00
• Grants 8,750.00
• Tunstall FFA Chapter 500.00
• Tunstall Sr. Science Club 500.00
• Donations from Businesses 1,500.00
• Total Budget 23,000.00

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Funding

• Second Year Funding
• Local, State and Federal
  Education Funds 1,000.00
• Tunstall FFA Chapter 250.00
• Tunstall Sr. Science Club 250.00
• Donations from Businesses 500.00
• Total Budget 2,000.00

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• Schedule of Operation

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Project Implementation Schedule

• March 1997
• Project approval
• Received local funding
• July 1997
• Received grant from DuPont
• September 1997
• Completion of greenhouse

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Project Implementation Schedule

• October 1997
• Completion of aquaculture culture tanks and
  arrival of tilapia from Blue Ridge Aquaculture
• Completion of Ebb Flow hydroponic system and
  first planting completed
• January 1998
• Completion of NFT hydroponic system and second
  planting completed
• Course begins
• Grand Opening Ceremonies

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Project Implementation Schedule

• April 1998
• Midpoint evaluation of project
• Completion of landscaping of site
• May 1998
• First sale of lettuce, strawberries, tomatoes
• June 1998
• Sale of first load of fish
• July 1998
• All fish and plants sold, laboratory shut-down

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Project Yearly Schedule

• August
• Laboratory maintenance and preparation
• September
• Arrival of fish for the new school year
• October-November
• Germination of plants for new school year
• January
• Course begins
• February-March
• Second planting

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Project Yearly Schedule

• May
• Begin sales of fish
• June
• End sales of fish
• End sales of plants
• Drain, break-down and sanitize equipment
• Close greenhouse for year

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• Annual Evaluation

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Evaluation

• Review of project by the Aquaponics Advisory
  Council
• Principal, Director of Secondary Education,
  Director of Vocational Education, School Board
  Representative, Chairman - Vocational Advisory
  Council SHE Manager of DuPont, President of Blue
  Ridge Aquaculture, Parent, Local Farmer, Student
• Student Survey
• Evaluation by Administration
• Self-Evaluation by Instructors

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Evaluation

• Once all evaluations are in, an improvement plan
  is developed
• Recommendations from evaluations
• New guidelines from State Dept. of Education
• New technologies to be considered and implemented

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• Whats Ahead?

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Future of Project

• Increase the number of course sections depending
  on requests
• Construction of additional culture tanks to allow
  for the study of different aquatic life
• Construction of additional plant culture systems
  to allow for the study of different plant growth
  methods
• Development of genetic research projects to
  better provide instruction in the area of
  biotechnology