Thomas's Final Brief

In our modern world, perfectly good water is constantly wasted when it could be repurposed. The Aquaponic Sink addresses this problem by transporting nutrient-rich water from a fish tank and pumping it into a reservoir. The water then either waters plants through a drip system which cycles back to the fish tank or passes through a filter which powers the sink. Drained water from the sink goes back to the tank as well.

The Aquaponic Sink is a space-efficient open sink table that has two levels of shelving that the reservoir and plants can rest on. The fish tank can simply go on the floor under the plants. The open framing made of PVC and the clear acrylic top allows for more light to access the plants. Pumps are used to transport the water upwards whilst a drip system utilizes gravity to move the water downwards for the plants and then completes the circle. The drip system begins when the water from the reservoir runs through a small tube above the planter with little holes in it. The level that the plants rest on, as well as the bottom of the planter, has evenly-distributed holes as well so that the water can pass through and into the fish tank. The planter can be filled with plants and gravel; there is no need for typical soil in an aquaponic system since fish waste provides all of the nutrients necessary for plant growth. It is also important to consider the soap being used at the sink since the dirty water drains back into the fish tank. A natural soap must be used that is safe to enter the fish tank's water or the water must be filtered.

This sink is ideal for a variety of users. Maybe the user an average person who wants to grow some herbs and take care of fish but lives in a city with little living space. Perhaps the users are a family in a rural village that is experiencing water scarcity who powers the sink through the water they collect from a well. Potentially a chef with a restaurant that needs fresh vegetables could make use of this design. The world and environment would be much better off if there were more natural biological processes integrated into peoples’ lives like the sustainable, water-recycling Aquaponic Sink.

Juliette's Final Brief

The aquaponic sink is a system that is designed to use the recycled water that flows through a fish tank and plant system to fuel a bathroom sink. This system is used to prevent the large amount of wasted water in homes today and encourages the use of recycled water throughout a home system. Made to fit inside a bathroom vanity, the aquaponic sink takes up as little space as possible. Incorporating real-life fish, real plants, and a simple minimalist design, the aquaponic sink is both easy on the environment and the eyes. Care for the aquaponic sink is very simple. Long term, the user will only need to feed the fish. 

The aquaponic sink is made to be used anywhere. Because of its simple design, the system can be used in both apartment buildings and houses! The aquaponic sink does not require any additional plumbing. The aquaponic sink is quite simple! On the bottom layer is the fish tank. The waste that the fish produce contains nutrients that help plants grow. The nutrient-rich water is pumped through a tube that connects to a larger tube. In the larger tube, the nutrient-rich water can go one of two ways: either flow through a drip system that waters the plants on the middle layer or pass through a filter that creates clean water which will then flow through the sink. If the water goes through the drip system into the plants, the plants will then filter and absorb the nutrient-rich water and provide clean water that will drip back into the fish tank.