The engineer in Riverton City - High school dropout builds filter system for his fish tank

Walking in Mark Bailey's home in Riverton City, St Andrew, is like walking in a builder's workshop. And one has to tread carefully so as not to step on any of his tools.

Bolts, pipes, and pieces of unrecognisable metal are all scattered on the ground, waiting to be made into something useful. A button used to turn on his sink, a hot water system, one remote used to control his TV, fan and laptop, and even a surveillance system are just some of the things he managed to create from the clutter.

But his most prized innovation is his aquarium, that he invented a little over a year ago, which he described as a sort of an ecosystem.

"This is my filter system that filters out the bacteria and the fish poop, and the plants dem absorb it back from the sand, so it's recycled water that go back straight inna the tank. Mi build di pump, is a recycled system," he said, demonstrating how it works.

Sources material

Bailey said he sources most of the material that he used to make his aquarium from the dump.

"Mi go pan the landfill, and find these glass, mi buy cement and silicone, all a dem pan ya wi get dem from Berger (Paints), weh dem put paint inna. Wi wash dem out and out the fish dem in deh," he said.

He said he started out with just 19 fish, but that has now expanded to more than 8,000. Bailey said he sells his fish, different variety of tilapia, to people in his community, and business is blooming.

"My only problem is when mi lose dem cause you know current problem, electricity problem, and pump problem mek mi lose a lot of fish sometimes. Mi nuh really have problem with feeding cause mi mek sure buy a bag a feed one time," he said.

Bailey told THE STAR that he always had an interest in science, and found the greatest pleasure in creating things. He said that he dropped out of school at 13 years old, and wasn't given much opportunity to develop his talent further.

"Mi always reading, mi know bout the filter system and all a dem something deh through reading. From mi a likkle bwoy, a fish mi a fish, wi usually fish inna di river weh deh dung here and sell, but it polluted suh mi build mi own river den," he said.