Aquaponics at Casa Esperanza!

Starting the wet set course for the retaining wall.

Aqua–whataaaa??? Yes, that is about what I thought of when I heard the word, Aquaponics, but actually,first I heard the word Hydroponics and the last time I had seen it done it did not go over too good and you had to be well versed in chemical balancing. I got my first bit of education in Aquaponics when a small group from Costa Mesa Calvary Chapel showed up to talk to us about building a system that would help supply food to the ladies and their children. I showed up thinking that some where along the line we’d be butting in to say “uhh,,,sorry, but we’re not interested”, but it did not take long for out wheels to start turning as we

Dave works out the layout of the sump pool

watched a video presentation and listened to the idea and vision. Vision? Yes, vision. Jacob Harman is the young man that first got interested in Aquaponics by simply building a small system on his patio, but soon after that he says the Lord touched him with this incredible vision of how to use Aquaponics to take His word and good news to people all over the world. First however maybe I should explain what Aquaponics is, or at least as best I can. With aquaponics you grow fish and plants (vegetables) side by side and one supports the other in a organic (environment). Fish, in their natural way of living will have waste, and this waste will produce Nitrates.

Mid-way through the week and ready to start build the gravel beds.

Plumbing is set that will transfer the water to the gravel plant beds

Jacob Harman, the man with the plan and a blessed Vision!

Plants love nitrates, and you need to clean the water that the fish live in or they will die. So we take the water from the fish and pump in into gravel beds that will have the vegetables growing, and in these beds the plants will suck up the water and nitrates and stimulate rapid and robust growth, then the plants send clean water back to the fish. Then the cycle starts all over again. So this last fall a date was set for the construction to begin, but it was after Christmas and we usually have a group in after Christmas, but no problem as this would lend for a great opportunity for Sergio to handle a group on his own. As I showed up at Casa Esperanza there was a small team preparing the ground work and

Yea, we worked into the night.

there was going to be lots more to be done than I had thought. We had prepared and area of land that would contain the pools that would hold the fish, but the new plan would call for a retaining wall to be built out of block and would raise the pools to almost a hight of 3 feet. So as I listened to the plan and looked at the work that had been done and still left to do I was thinking to myself—”One week, working 5 days,,,right??” So I had to make the decision to second guess the plan or simply get in the boat and simply ask which way to row, or in other words, “what do you want me to do??” Dave Bird and his buddy Ken were there working and Dave was the man with the plan and I must say that I did have a real peace about working with these guys and I felt, or at least I hoped they felt the same way about me.

Lloyd Tanaka, myself, and Ken Radford

Lloyd gives more instruction and shares his knowlage, it was a blessing to have him with us.

Dave and I work the Sump Pool

Footings had to be dug out, a huge amount of dirt had to be moved, block, sand, gravel, and cement needed to be ordered and some extra tools needed to be brought out to the location. So yea, a few surprises and the biggest was yet to come. We dug and dug, threw dirt, moved dirt and then we got real close to laying out how the block was to be laid and I found out that there were not a bunch that not only did not know how to lay-out, but that simply knew how to lay block. I knew a little and had spent time watching and learning, but I guess you could say that it was time to put it all to work. I was bit nervous as I had never wet-set, which is laying the block in the concrete footings, but before I knew it there was the concrete, the strings were set, so  it was time to

Debbie's planting seeds as the full moon and New Year approaches.

get to work. Debbie manned the concrete mixer and tried to stay on top of that plus take photos shoot some video and a few other things as well.  Block by block we worked and Dave have the real difficult job of laying out the sump pool that was about 5′x12′x3′ deep. Jacob kept an eye on the progress and got that team started on building the gravel beds that would house the plants as they grew. Lloyd Tanaka was also part of their team and he offered every bit of information he could and had many little “work shops” on plants and plant growth. All of us worked hard and you sure felt it at the end of the day and there were a few days that we even broke out the night lights to get us through the work goals for the day, and I think this is the first time

Jacob and his wonderful Wife Tara

we had done this much work with night lights,,,and yea, it was crazy fun. One night it as kind of cool as the full moon was raising Lloyd had the girls planting seeds and it was odd to think that we had come this far in just 4 days. It was long week, two groups, laying block, mixing concrete… but we got to meet and to to know some fantastic people and it was a pleasure to work along side them. As we worked I saw the excitement on Jacobs face as he saw this vision that the Lord gave him come to life and I could see that there are those that receive visions like this, but how many really act on them and move forward. Then I had to realize that there are Vision Builders, those that help visions come to life and we adopt the excitement for the vision and we believe in it. So if I was to ask myself if I’m a Visionary, or a Vision Builder, I’d proudly say that I’m a Vision Builder and I do love it so as I look on at the excitement of the Visionary. Stay tuned to updates on the Casa Esperanza Aquaponics project and to follow Jacob’s vision for God’s Kingdom just go to Applied Aquapoincs.

The Ladies planting Seeds

Jacob, Dave, myself, and Ken

The whole gang from Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa