Two systems that seem completely unrelated at first glance - tanks of silver perch and a greenhouse full of herbs and greens - help each other to flourish and in turn create the first vertical aquaponic production facility in Australia.

At Bare Greens in Canyonleigh, three 10,000 litre tanks currently house close to 1000 silver perches, with another 10,000 to come soon.

The water, including the waste from the fish, is piped over the greenhouse, where it is used to fertilise 150 towers of herbs and greens.

The plants in turn take the nutrients out and purify the water, which is then fed back to the fish tanks.

The result is chemical free. nutritious herbs and greens on one hand, and fresh fish on the other.

Bare Greens is the brainchild of Frank Maly, who has an engineering background, and Sylvie Chaumont, a former chef and horticulturalist.

In another example of symbiosis, the couple decided to merge their skills when wondering what business to set up on their farm.

"We thought about free-range eggs, and truffles, and had thought about hydroponics but were hesitant with the horizontal beds. But then we saw the vertical towers and it all came together. We designed and built most of it ourselves," Sylvie said.

"It is a completely different way of looking at herbs and greens. These are not just fresh, but alive - they offer better nutrients, flavour and texture."

Each tower is relatively lightweight and stands at about 1.5 metres high, housing about 12 plants. Seedlings are planted into a substrate of recycled plastic and grown using the fish water. The towers can be reused for about 10 years.

Sylvie said that reducing the need for soil also eliminated any pest issues.

Once the seedlings are mature the towers can be taken into most settings and will produce for about a month. After that it is simply a matter of swapping the old tower with a new one full of fresh plants.

Sylvie said that they had interest from restaurants that were keen to make a feature wall from the towers as well as using them as a source of fresh herbs and lettuce. Individual towers are also available for homes.

"The beauty of the towers is that the plants are still alive. Research has shown that 50 per cent of nutrients are lost within an hour of picking fresh produce, so this system minimises that, as well as providing enhanced flavour and texture," Sylvie said.

Frank said that a lot of people only related to herbs as you bought them in supermarkets.

"Our challenge will be changing people's habits - from buying herbs and greens in a bag and only having them fresh for a few days, to having a selection of live plants in the kitchen that will last for about a month, providing better nutrition and better value as there is less wastage," he said.

Eventually Bare Greens will have the capability for people to design their own towers. Already they are working with restaurants who are providing their seasonal menus in advance to allow time for their customised towers to grow.

"Some of the restaurants around here who have their own kitchen gardens are interested because it will give them fresh herbs and greens through winter," Sylvie said.

The goal is to have 2500 towers in constant rotation - enough to service the Sydney, Wollongong and Canberra markets as well as the Highlands.

And on the other side of the equation is the fish. After about 18 months the silver perch reach about a kilo in size and are ready for the dinner plate.

"We don't process them here - we simply put them in very cold water, which is more humane, and then deliver them whole the same day," Frank said.

"We are trying to put new alternatives on the market and have made a conscious effort to do things the right way. The whole process is environmentally sound and promotes nutrition - this goes much further than just selling a product."

Bare Greens will be at the Bowral Farmers Market tomorrow, or you can visit their website www.baregreens.com.au