Inka biospheric systems

Inka Biospheric Systems creates 3 different vertical gardening products. One, the Inka Stretch, is a fabric that can stretch across fences in urban environments. You can grow decorative plants, grass, herbs, fruits and most vegetables – pretty much anything except root vegetables in that system. Another is similar to ELT’s living wall panels – a hard plastic planter that be hung on a wall.

Inka Sun Curve

Perhaps the most interesting, however, is the completely closed-loop urban food growing system – the Inka Sun Curve. The fish in the tank need oxygenated, clean water. The water from the tank is pumped up through the system and the roots of the plants act as a biofilter to help clean the water. As it drips through the system and back into the tank, it puts more oxygen into the water for the fish.

With aquaponics, the fish poop acts like fertilizer for the plants so the plants naturally get the nutrients they need. While fish naturally produce ammonia which isn’t something plants can use, by putting certain microorganisms into the grow media, the ammonia is turned into nutrients the plants love.

Aquaponics

To get the water pumping, power is needed. The Sun Curve uses both solar and wind to collect power to be stored in a battery bank so they consistently have enough to regularly keep the water pumping through the system. This model was originally designed to support remote clinics, schools, and refugee camps.

Like other hydroponic solutions, this method of gardening can use only 10% of the water used by traditional farms as all the extra water runoff is returned to the fish tank. Nothing runs off into the ground. You can read more at Inside Urban Green – a great resource for efficient gardening.

ELT Living Walls is based outside of Toronto, Canada, but still pretty close. It’s in Brantford, Ontario and they build living wall panels you can hang inside or out. It works by storing soil in slots on 45 degree angles. If you install this inside, the panel needs a moisture barrier according to ELT living walls. It’s a good look, but may hurt your wallet. What do you think?