“Garden Pool was created to document converting an old backyard family swimming pool into a closed-loop ecosystem and has since evolved into an international non-profit organization.
The GP (short for Garden Pool) was a one of a kind creation invented by Dennis McClung in October of 2009. It is truly a miniature self-sufficient food-system. Rather than keeping our creation to ourselves, we have decided to share it with others. GPs are being built all over the world offering an easy and sustainable solution to current food production challenges. The Garden Pool system uses more than 98% less water than conventional farming methods, has next-to zero external inputs, uses no chemical fertilizers or pesticides, and raises very nutritious food!
The Garden Pool system combines:
– solar power – harnessing and storing the sun’s energy
– water conservation – using less water by recycling wastewater and harvesting and storing dew & rainwater
– poultry farming – raising chickens & ducks in a closed-loop symbioses with the fish, pond plants, and the vegetation from the Garden Pool.
– closed-loop aquaculture – raising tilapia fish and the feed for the fish in the system itself while continuously recycling the fish pond water.
– organic horticulture – using natural methods to control garden pests without using chemical pesticides or chemical fertilizers to grow.
– hydroponic gardening – growing fruits, veggies, & herbs without soil
– aquaponics – the symbiotic cultivation of produce and fish in a recirculating hydroponic environment, the Garden Pool way.
– biofiltration – natural water filtration method using biochemistry and a special mix of pond plants, including duckweed.
– thermal mass – thousands of gallons of water that is warmed by the sun and being surrounded by earth and concrete provides “inertia” against temperature fluctuations.
– permaculture – GP systems mimic relationships found in natural ecologies.”
More at the source: Garden Pool