Stylish aquarium with fish that growsedible and healthy greens - is this possible? It turns out that such a miracle invention already exists and is called an aqua farm. The editors have tested this miracle and share their conclusions with you. This unusual device surprises at first sight. It looks like an aquarium, but covered with pots with real green spaces. And then thoughts arise in my head: “Will the fish suffocate there? How and what do plants eat? Where do the waste products of the inhabitant of the aquarium disappear? " Since the aqua farm is a rather original thing and is gaining popularity all over the world, we simply could not sit back and decided to introduce you, our dear readers, to this eco-friendly invention better. Well, at the same time we met ourselves. For the duration of the test, the editors put the aqua farm in their office, and the editor-in-chief liked it so much that now this wonderful little thing is in her home. 
What kind of fruit?
If you have been thinking about starting a home for a long timepet, and you like to put fresh greens in a salad, then the aqua farm is an invention for you! Moreover, there is practically no need to make efforts to create and maintain your own mini-farm. Buy a kit that already includes an aquarium, seeds, pots and fish food. You go to the pet store for the smaller brother. Follow the instructions to install the entire system (which will only take about 20 minutes). Feed your beloved pet and enjoy the resulting option! Do not worry that the aquarium gets dirty, the fish will feel bad and nothing will come of it. The system is designed in such a way that the aquarium cleans itself using a special pump. The waste serves as food for plants that grow according to the laws of hydroponics. In addition to fresh, eye-catching greenery, you get fresh oxygen from the plants. Oksana Kashenko, editor-in-chief of the portal roomble.com: - I have long dreamed of an aqua farm, but I didn’t know if it’s really so convenient to take care of it. Since I am a mom of two small children, it was very important for me to really not waste time cleaning the aquarium. And they gave it to me: the delight of my children knew no bounds. She is so designer, so beautiful! If you plant wheat in it, it germinates in two days, and already on the fourth day a beautiful meadow appears on the aqua farm. When the wheat grows a little, it can be cut and added to salads - very tasty and healthy. I have also tried planting parsley, cilantro, basil and lettuce. Basil and lettuce take a long time to sprout and then they seem to lack sun or nutrients. And parsley grows, although not as vigorously as in the beds. But the smell is amazing from her. Of the features, I would like to note that you do not need to listen to consultants in pet stores who may advise you to take other fish. My other fish did not survive. And the cockerel feels great. You don't even need to feed it every day - it is extremely convenient for families with children. 
History of creation
The idea of creating such a mini-ecosystem belongs toTo two Californian guys, more precisely, graduates of a research university, which is known as the University of California at Berkeley. Nikhil Arora (Nikhil Arora) and Alejandro Velez (Alejandro Velez) wanted to create a perfect mikrofermu, which would be absolutely harmless for humans and nature, and still make the world better. 
To implement their ideas, they collected a wholecommand. Researchers in the fields of hydroponics and aquaculture, biology, engineering and design worked on the aqua farm. As a result, they got a system that is perfect for residential spaces (especially those located in large cities, where there is less and less space for nature) and for offices, childcare facilities (schools, kindergartens). On the territory of Russia, the miracle product began to be popularized by the company "Back to the Origins", whose specialists are engaged in the search and distribution of unusual and creative gizmos in the CIS countries. They pay special attention to eco-theme and gadgets that enhance the interaction between man and nature. Mikhail Kobzarev, chief developer of the moysport.ru project: - We had a purely male office, and we wanted to somehow revive it. Therefore, we really liked the idea of an aqua farm, where both the fish swim and the plants live, and which practically does not need to be looked after. But in the first three days there was an embarrassment: we inattentively read the instructions and did not grasp the fact that in this bioorganism, for the first few days, everyone gets used to each other: the fish to water, grass to fish, and so on, and from this water may be cloudy. And when everyone gets used to each other, the biological process of water filtration starts. We left the aqua farm for the weekend, we arrive on Monday and see muddy water. They thought that something had gone bad there. And since the wheat had already sprouted all over and took root into the stones, we threw out both it and the stones, since we did not know how to free them from the roots. And then we climbed to read and found out that we just had to wait. But now we are smart, literate. Although one more time they obeyed the advice of a consultant from a pet store and bought all kinds of decor in the water. And this decor interfered with the flow of oxygen through the tube. In general, follow the instructions and don't do anything extra! I think the aqua farm is a great gift for any man. The main thing is that he does not overdo it, as we do. moysport.ru 
Grow big and small garden
So, now that we are already familiar with the fact thatsuch an aqua farm, it's time for another important question - what plants can be grown in this way. Here, too, there are nuances, for example, it is better to give preference to leafy greens than flowers. This is due to the fact that flowers need more nutrients than an aqua farm can provide. Ideal plants for a miniature ecosystem are greens and herbs. Therefore, the basic set includes wheat and basil seeds. But the variety in the mini-garden is not limited to this. You can also grow arugula, parsley, mint, or cilantro. Our opinion: - After analyzing the user experience and our own, we recommend buying an aqua farm on the official website aquafarms.ru. In addition to the original farm, there you can get advice and answers to all questions about the operation.
Who lives in the aquarium?
Now let's talk about fish.For an aqua farm, any breed will not work. The inhabitant of such an aquarium should be resistant to fluctuations in nitrite and ammonia. The inventors of the aqua farm themselves recommend launching a fighting fish or, as it is also called, a Siamese rooster, into the tank. Another suitable species is the zebra zebra, or zebrafish rerio. They can be placed 2-3 individuals in one aquarium. Since the volume of the tank is 11 liters, it is worth remembering that many fish will not fit into it. In general, the cockerel, if possible, should live alone, since he can behave aggressively next to another individual. The ideal calculation if the fish are calm - three individuals of 2.5 cm. To maintain the normal life of the fish, the water in your aquarium should be at least 25-27 degrees. 
In its place
Place the farm where there is access toelectricity, it will be needed to operate the pump. Plants such as lettuce or basil will need plenty of daylight. It is only necessary to prevent sunlight from entering the water, as this can cause algae to appear. In the event that the sun's access to your apartment is limited, plant wheat. It does not require abundant lighting. 
Stars and aqua farms
And what famous people write about their aqua farms? We looked in the Instagram of TV presenter Irena Ponaroshku and son Evelina Bledans - Semyona Semin. 
Pinterest.com, outdoorhydro.com
