Vertical Oyster Gardens

Vertical oyster gardens: Natural and Innovative Filtration

HOW DO VOGS WORK?

Oysters are filter feeders, which means they filter tiny particles, such as phytoplankton and detritus, out of the water as they feed. As they feed, they also remove excess nutrients from the water, which can help improve water quality. When it comes to filtering saltwater, oysters use specialized cells called "chloride cells" to remove the excess salt from the water they filter. These cells are located in the gills of the oyster, and they work by actively pumping sodium and chloride ions out of the gill cavity and into the surrounding seawater. This process helps the oyster maintain the proper balance of electrolytes in its body, and it also helps to keep the surrounding water clean and healthy.

It is estimated that a single oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water per day. Some sources even estimate that a single oyster can filter up to 150 gallons of water per day under optimal conditions. Our vertical oyster gardens consist of anywhere from 15-25 individual oysters. Assuming 50 gallons per oyster per day, 1 VOG board with 10 VOGs on it could filter anywhere from 5,000-15,000 gallons of saltwater every day.

There are several reasons why you might want to use oysters to filter saltwater, including the following:

Oysters are effective at removing excess nutrients from the water. By filtering out these nutrients, oysters can help to improve water quality and reduce the risk of harmful algal blooms.
Oysters help to maintain a healthy balance of electrolytes in the water. As they filter the water, oysters remove excess salt and other minerals, which can help to keep the water healthy and support the growth of other marine life.
Oysters are a natural and sustainable solution for improving water quality. Unlike man-made filtration systems, oysters require no electricity or other inputs, and they can be easily grown and harvested.

Overall, using oysters to filter saltwater can have a number of benefits for the health of the water and the surrounding ecosystem.

What is a Vertical Oyster Garden?

Also referred to as a VOG, we assemble our VOGs by drilling a hole in the middle of 20 recycled oyster shells and stringing a heavy duty coconut fiber rope through each shell. We tie it off at the bottom, and typically hang the rope from a dock with enough excess rope that all 20 shells are fully submerged slightly below the surface.

Why oysters?

What is a Vertical Oyster Garden?

When mature, a single oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water per day, removing excess nutrients and sediment from the surrounding waters. If each oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water per day, then a VOG with 20 oysters can potentially filter up to 1,000 gallons of water per day (50 gallons/oyster x 20 oysters = 1,000 gallons). Over the course of a year, this vertical garden could filter up to 365,000 gallons of salt water (1,000 gallons/day x 365 days = 365,000 gallons).

How can I get them on my dock?

What is a Vertical Oyster Garden?

How can I get them on my dock?

Email a picture of your dock, or where you would like the shells to be placed, to info@oysterboys.org. We will digitally assess the dock set-up and identify how many VOGs your dock can hold. Once the assessment is complete, we will discuss your goals and budget to determine how

many total VOGs you'll need.

We drill the shells and assemble the VOGs, and based on your personal ability or desire, we can leave the install to you or we can complete it on your behalf.

Vertical Oyster Gardens