Okay, I figured it out. The air pump uses an air stone in the bottom reservoir to keep the water aerated. The water pump is used to actually move the water to the upper reservoir. So in the larger plan, it would be necessary to have both. They do have plans for a simple 3 plant system just after the link to the larger one.

I just got home from work, and want to say thanks for putting that information up, really clears up a few questions I had. Just a really short background before I go to bed, and tomorrow I’ll do a closer read of what you posted.

I was an English major in college, Creative Writing Major, Technical Writing minor (if you know what that is, if you don’t you will probably want one as the organization grows) I attended grad school in.. English *gasp* and along the process took a grant writing course. During college I was in the English Honors Society, Sigma Tau Delta, and served as a student representative on the Board of Directors. I was also the President and Treasurer of my local chapter in which I was happily able to set the chapter very well financially before I graduated.

I’ve written a few grants, a constitution for an organization, and lots of other odds and ends (news letters, pamphlets, and the like).

As far as what I’m interested in contributing, I’ll have to figure out what I can do being in the Midwest and how much time I can devote. Maybe I can write a grant to fund my position as a grant writer lol. Oh if life were only that easy.

D

Hi Holly, thanks! I got a few green zebras from a vendor at a farmer’s market in my town. I was looking for an unusual tomato, everyone else had yucky red tomatoes lol. I fell in love, and saved my seeds from one that was a little over ripe; so viola, I have green zebra tomato plants now. My germination rate was 100% which was really surprising since this is my first time ever saving seeds and starting tomatoes from seed. BTW saving Green Zebra seeds is extremely easy. I’ve also started some pink brandywines and I plan on getting one roma and one cherry tomato plant from a local garden shop. If I’m lucky I’m also hoping to find a Cherokee purple, but I’m not holding my breath.

As far as organic, I try to be as organic as I can be… my mom swears by Gardens Alive’s: Tomatoes Alive Plus (its all natural, which isn’t necessarily organic) which has… well quadrupled the size of her plants (and as a test this year I’m going to use it on half of my tomato plants).

I personally can’t wait until I can bite into some green tomatoes topped with feta cheese and basil (my fave!)

I underestimated the possible amount of grants. Anyway, this would be a good time to start as the recent publicity due to the NPR piece should help. I’ve also got lots of questions about the vision, scope, and direction of windowfarms.org as well as the ”model” type you’re using for the organization.

In what way? I think you should either need one or the other. An air pump for the simple version, or a water pump (which could be submersible, but doesn’t need to be) for the reservoir version.

Possible, yes. Advisable… probably not. I would assume that for most plants the salt content of a saltwater tank would be too high, I’m not sure of how the whole chemical reaction thing occurs, but I’d also be worried about changing the chemistry of the tank as saltwater tanks can be a bit finicky.

I’d suggest attempting a trial where you use your typical set up and introduce a saltwater solution comparable to your tank set up (or you might use water taken from your tank during a water change), and see what happens this way you’re only using a few plants and won’t harm your tank if it doesn’t work. .

Clay pellets I believe would be inert enough for an aquatic system. I think clay adds a few minerals (beneficial to plants) but shouldn’t change pH.