THINK TANK Plus, it provides free fer-
left out in the backyard
tilizer for the plants. “It’s
may seem like an unlikely
replicating
source of inspiration, but for
ture,” Ikard says. “The fish
Mother
Na-
Jack Ikard, it provided the
and the plants both rely
spark for AquaSprouts—a
on one another.” The system can work
system that converts stanaquariums
with any kind of orna-
into self-cleaning aquapon-
mental plant or even edi-
ic gardens for low-mainte-
ble leafy greens, herbs or
nance indoor fish viewing
baby tomatoes. “What you
and plant growing.
can’t grow are deep-root-
dard
10-gallon
ing plants,” Ikard says. As
“My favorite aspect of the
far as variety and num-
fish,” says Ikard, the CEO
ber of fish, Ikard suggests
and founder of AquaSprouts
sticking with the stocking
and a junior at St. Edward’s
recommendations for in-
University. Ikard teamed up
door fish. “You can have
with a classmate and locally
as many fish and variety
based product developers to
of species that a 10-gallon
launch the system. “I had a
aquarium can take,” he
ten-gallon fish tank in my
says. “So this is going to
aquaponics
is
seeing
backyard that I’ve had since childhood, and I had the vision of
be on the pet-side of fish.”
turning that into an indoor little garden—so you could have the
Currently the AquaSprouts team has been working to raise
benefits of seeing the fish and the beauty of an aquarium, but
the necessary capital to begin offering the systems for $150 for
also the benefits of aquaponics and getting plants right above
a complete kit that includes a standard 10-gallon aquarium, or
your aquarium.”
$130 for those already in possession of their own aquarium that
Indeed, traditional, large-scale aquaponics systems, which
they wish to upcycle. In the meantime, however, Ikard says his
combine aquaculture (raising fish) and hydroponics (growing
company is already taking preorders for the kits to make this
plants in a soil-less environment), are normally done outside
technology available to a wider audience and to promote the
and in opaque containers to prevent algae growth and overheat-
benefits of aquaponics in general.
ing. Conversely, an AquaSprouts system offers the same symbi-
“We wanted to bring new life to all those old aquariums out
otic setup—where waste from the fish is pumped out and con-
there,” he says. “Aquaponics, in general, is a very sustainable
verted into nutrients for the plants by bacteria in a grow bed,
form of agriculture; it’s very water conscious, and in this time
and clean water is cycled back into the tank—but this time, for
of drought—here in Texas especially—it’s a great technology for
an indoor environment and on a much smaller scale. This means
people to realize that it’s available.” —Nicole Lessin
there’s no need for home users to have to change their aquarium’s carbon filter or even spend much time cleaning the tank.
Find out more at aquasprouts.com
Dinners
in the forest on our farm
www.RoninCooking.com 12
TRAVEL 2014
EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
2730 South Congress • gonursery.com
Photography courtesy of AquaSprouts
A
n empty glass aquarium