Jun. 08, 2016
Living Wall Created by Nine Year Old.
Alex S., Grade 4 student
Interviewed by Emily C., Grade 4 student
Why a living wall? Only a few schools have them, and Alex was thinking of a cheaper solution than a manufactured one. He thought that this one would look pretty interesting.
Alex had three tubes of silicone lying around, and a drill. His tank was big enough to connect to the board. With some supportive parents nearby, he was able to attach them together.
Why fish? That is a good question! Alex knows that fish let out waste, and fish waste is very good for the plants. There is a pump that sucks all the water out and pumps it through the sprinklers. That lets the plants grow much quicker than normal.
There are little misters that do a 360 mist, or 90-degree misters. Alex decided to use drip emitters instead because the sprinklers would make a mess.
Aquaponics work by having the tank, with a pump at the bottom. It recirculates and filters the water.
How does Alex get ideas? At home, he does not play video games, but he does use extra time and youtube to research his ideas. He prefers sites that give visual ideas.
If you visit
Maple Ridge School, you will likely see students investigating this living wall. The ingenuity of one student has benefitted the whole school!
