We used a Gothic arch styled greenhouse because it will hold a heavier snow load than other types of greenhouses. Each greenhouse is set on 3 courses of blocks. The greenhouses are constructed of galvanized pipe and twin walled plastic. By inflating two layers of plastic with a squirrel cage fan, we are able to save about 30 - 40% on the heat bill. The larger greenhouse is 20'x 100'. The smaller greenhouse is 20'x 40'. Each greenhouse has a coldframe along one side. The coldframes are constructed of treated lumber and covered with Lexan. Each greenhouse is heated by natural gas(fanjet system) and cooled by a combination of fans and vents. The greenhouse tables are constructed of pipe and expanded metal.

Each year the students grow a combination of bedding plants, potted crops, and hanging baskets. The plants are sold retail to walk in customers and wholesale to local businesses.

In the greenhouse class, students are taught all of the skills necessary to own/operate a greenhouse. Students do everything from mixing soil, planting seeds, making cuttings, fertilizing plants, to determining greenhouse schedules. In the greenhouse seeds are started in a hotbed which was constructed out of 2'x8's and plastic. The hotbeds are kept warm by propagation mats that are controlled by a thermostat. Overhead lights extend the length of the day. From the hot bed plants are placed in the greenhouse where they are grown to a salable size.

The headhouse is 40'x50' and is divided into six parts and was paid for with a $12,000 grant from the local Board of Education and the balance being paid from proceeds of previous greenhouse sales. Inside the headhouse there is a large storage area where soil, pots, and other supplies are stored. Students also mix soil in this area.

The third part of the building is the potting room. This is where students plant all of the pots, baskets and cell packs. The forth area is the retail sales area where students wait on greenhouse customers.The fifth part of the building is a small tool and equipment room. The last part of the headhouse is the Aquaculture room. In this room students are raising Tilapia.

The Tilapia is a South American Cichlid, it is related to the North American blue gill, but grows much larger.The Tilapia is a very interesting fish. They grow very rapidly on a variety of foods; in fact, you can raise a fish from a "baby" to a 1 ½ to 2lb. size in about 12 to 15 months. Tilapia are very prolific egg layers. They lay the eggs and then the females put the eggs in her mouth until they hatch. She will also let them swim in and out of her mouth for protection. In some areas, these fish are known as "mouth breeders" because of this trait. The Tilapia are grown in two 440 gallon Plastic tanks. The water is pumped through a PVC pipe to the pump tank. From the pump tank the water is pumped through PVC pipe to a bead filter. In the bead filter the solid wastes are broken down into smaller sizes partially decomposed by bacteria. From the bead filter, the water is gravity fed through PVC pipe to a tank that contains rotating biological control (RBC) filter. The RBC works by aerobic bacteria breaking down waste products through the digestive process. The bacteria live in the rotating wheel, which is mainly a stack of corrugated fiberglass connected together. The RBC is kept turning by an air pump that pumps air to the bottom of the RBC fins which forces the wheel to move. The bead filter is supplied air by this same pump. From the RBC the water is gravity fed back to the 440 gal. culture tanks through PVC pipe and the process is started all over again.

The Aquaculture tanks are self contained and fully automated. The fish are fed with automatic feeders that are connected to timers. The fish are fed three times a day, at 9:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. The overhead fluorescent lights are turned on at 8:00 a.m. and off at 9:00 p.m. by a timer.

Once a week the students do a water change. The water is gravity fed out of the bottom valve to an area outside the building through PVC pipe. Here the water, which has a high organic content, is used to water plants and acts as a natural fertilizer.

Tilapia fry are harvested from the cultural tank and placed in a ten-gallon aquarium where they are grown to about one inch. When they reach the one inch point they are transferred to a twenty gallon aquarium where they are grown to about two or three inches. After they reach three inches, they are either placed in a fifty-five gallon aquarium for display or into the four hundred and forty-gallon tank, where they are grown to full size. All three glass aquariums are filtered with whisper two filters and have automatic feeders and timers to turn the lights on and off.
The student organization for the Greenhouse/Aquaculture classes is the National Junior Horticultural Association. The N.J.H.A. is a national organization that provides horticulture students with an opportunity for scholastic, social, and community service opportunities. For more information concerning the Greenhouse/Aquaculture Complex, e-mail Mr. Allen at rallen@access.k12.wv.us