Aquaponics system and method thereof

An aquaponics system for producing both a plant product germinated from a seed and an animal product, the system comprising:

• a waste conversion unit including a plurality of vertically stacked plates, each plate having a hole and an algae upon the plate, and a filter mesh located above the plurality of vertically stacked plates, wherein each plate includes a raised ridge extending upwards from a perimeter of the hole and the raised ridge is spaced from an outer perimeter of the plate to define a planar horizontal portion between the raised ridge and the outer perimeter of the plate, the planar horizontal portion adapted to facilitate the mineralization of animal waste by the algae retained on the planar horizontal portion of the plate;
• a circuit of water that flows from an aquatic animal tank containing the animal product to the waste conversion unit, wherein the mineralized animal waste is carried by the circuit of water upwards through the holes in each of the plurality of vertically stacked plates then through the filter mesh to a first trough having a root of the plant product located within a portion of the circuit of water within the first trough, and returning to the aquatic animal tank, wherein the root of the plant product absorbs the mineralized animal waste;
• a tray floating upon the circuit of water within the first trough and supporting a portion of the plant product above the circuit of water, the tray including a flat surface surrounded by an elevated lip, a skirt extending down from the elevated lip into the circuit of water, and a plurality of tapered cones extending from the flat surface into the circuit of water, each of the plurality of cones having a lower opening, wherein the flat surface, the raised lip, the skirt, and the plurality of tapered cones form an air bubble region configured to trap air to provide buoyancy for the tray, and wherein the lower opening is located at one end of the tapered cone and is smaller than an upper opening of the tapered cone located at the flat surface, and the lower opening extends into and directly contacts the circuit of water;
• wherein the lower opening includes a size sufficient to prevent the seed from dropping through the lower opening but sufficient for the root of the plant product passing through the lower opening in one of the plurality of tapered cones;
• the waste conversion unit including a lamp providing illumination to the algae, a gas bubbler located below the plurality of vertically stacked plates for providing oxygen to the algae, a stream of nutrient fluid pumped into the waste conversion unit, and the plurality of vertically stacked plates includes at least four plates;
• the aquatic animal tank including a tapered bottom and bottom drain extending through the bottom through which the circuit of water flows to the waste conversion unit, and a vortex drain attachment in the aquatic animal tank adjacent to the tapered bottom and the bottom drain, the drain attachment having a plurality of fins extending away from a flat base, each of the plurality of fins having a concave side and a convex side, the flat base including a plurality of vortex openings through which the circuit of water flows, wherein each of the plurality of openings extend through the flat base, is located along the flat surface between the plurality of fins, wherein the vortex drain attachment includes a diameter to match the diameter of the aquatic animal tank;
• the animal product within the aquatic animal tank is an animal selected from an animal group consisting of a yellow perch, a bluegill, and a tilapia;
• and the plant product is a plant selected from a plant group consisting of a tomato, a cucumber, and a lettuce;
• an adjustable water level control unit including an inner vertical pipe having an open top, the inner vertical pipe secured to a horizontal pipe through a transition pipe, the inner vertical pipe vertically adjustable within the transition pipe, and an outer pipe enclosing the inner vertical pipe;
• wherein the circuit of water flows first, from a bottom drain in the aquatic animal tank, second, through the horizontal pipe, third, to the transition pipe, fourth, up the inner vertical pipe, fifth, out the open top of the of the vertical pipe, and sixth, down between the inner vertical pipe and the outer pipe.