AY Honors/Hydroponics and Aquaponics/Requirements

Hydroponics and Aquaponics

Skill Level

2

Year

2021

Version

27.11.2024

Approval authority

North American Division

1. What are hydroponics and aquaponics?

2. How are hydroponics and aquaponics the same as other methods of agriculture in your local area? How are they different?

3. Name six different hydroponic system setups and the basic functioning of each. How do aquaponic systems compare to these six setups?

4. Explain the benefits of using hydroponics and aquaponics that are not available with other farming methods.

5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of a hydroponic system versus an aquaponic system?

6. What is a medium? What types of media are used in a hydroponic/aquaponic system?

7. How do the yields of a hydroponic system compare to that of an aquaponic system and common farming methods?

8. What types of diseases affect hydroponic systems? Aquaponic systems? Why should a grower avoid using pesticides, fungicides, and fertilizers on an aquaponic system?

9. Name the basic components necessary for setting up the hydroponic or aquaponic system you plan to build.

10. Construct and operate your own simple hydroponic or aquaponic system, maintaining it for a minimum of two months.

11. Do two of the following:

a. Visit an established hydroponics or aquaponics facility and ask the owner or operator about the things they have experienced in this area.

b. Interview a fish expert and ask which fish would be most well adapted for an aquaponic system and the reasoning behind that choice.

c. Sample hydroponic- or aquaponic-grown fruits or vegetables and contrast them with farm-grown fruits or vegetables.

d. Create a display (poster, display board, etc.) on what you learned in this honor and the benefits of hydroponics or aquaponics.

12. Create and share a 3-5 minute devotional thought with a group, using a spiritual lesson that you learned while studying hydroponics and aquaponics. Illustrate with items from your experience.