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Fish raising now being offered at Central

By JOHN THOMPSON
jthompson@TheCitizenNews.com

Some of Coweta County’s students are experiencing a new and unique program this year.

Central Education Center is raising 150 Tilapia, compliments of Franklin County High School in North Georgia.

The fish were placed in a greenhouse at the school and will serve as an aquaculture project, according to public information officer Dean Jackson. Jackson said the project was organized by teachers Barbara Rickles and Brandon Hammond and is a real-world application of several disciplines.

“The term for the project is aquaponics,” said science teacher Hammond, making a distinction with hydroponics.  Whereas hydroponics uses nutrient solutions grow plant life, the project at CEC mimics a sophisticated fish farming process whereby water from the fish tanks is filtered through a bed of gravel and greenery, which will grow from the nutrients filtered from the water.  “This process produces both vegetation and protein,” he said.

Tilapia were chosen because of their popularity in American restaurants, and because they are a fast-growing and hearty fish.

The greenhouse was built last spring by students in CEC’s construction and electrician programs, and maintains the steady 70 to 80 degreee temperature of the fish tanks. 

“Ninety-nine percent of the construction was performed by the students,” said Rickles.