Greater Growth, founded by Joel Townsend and his wife Linda in 2009, is combining traditional aquaculture with hydroponics to create a system in which the two sustainably support each other.

Their 12,000-square-foot aquaponics greenhouse holds rows of lettuce, greens, bok choi and herbs  suspended in an insulated concrete tank through which flows a steady supply of the water and nutrients the plants need for life, reports Larisa Brass in this month's Business Journal. 

The nutrients come from tanks of fish at the other end of the greenhouse, part of a symbiotic horticultural process that is 100 percent organic, says owner Joel Townsend.

"Because we have fish and plants together it keeps us entirely honest," Townsend says. "There's nothing harmful to humans that I could put in here and not kill my fish."

The Lenoir City startup is currently selling produce at local farmers markets and will soon launch a sales effort targeting area grocers and restaurants. It will begin selling fish, likely through local fish markets, in August.

Continue reading at about Greater Growth at knoxvillebiz.com