Abstract
Aquaponics is an integrated system that combines fish farming (aquaculture) and hydroponic plant production. The objective of this study was to examine how the level of dissolved oxygen with or without an air pump affects water quality, fish output and plant growth parameters for common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and basil (Ocimum basilicum). Ebb – and flood aquaponics systems (with automatic syphon) was used. Two treatments were set in this experiment, one of which was the aquaponics system without air pump (unit I), where water of the plant bed was pumped two directions, one falling back to the fish tank oxygenating the water the other was pumped to the hydroponics unit. The other system (unit II) was designed with an air pump. In the course of the study, water quality parameters, such as oxygen saturation, dissolved oxygen (DO), electrical conductivity (EC) and nitrite were significantly different (p<0.05). Total basil biomass was higher in unit II. (5367.41 g). The final biomass of common carp were 2829.45 g ± 79.24 and 2980.6 g ± 64.13 g in unit I and unit II respectively. Weight gain (WG) and specific growth rate (SGR) showed no significant differences (p>0.05) between the treatments.
Highlights
Aquaponics is an integrated system that combines recirculating aquaculture and hydroponic plant production (Diver, 2006)
The present study describes effect of the low oxygen level on water parameters, carp and basil growth
The dissolved oxygen quantity is very important in the aquaponics systems
Summary
Aquaponics is an integrated system that combines recirculating aquaculture and hydroponic plant production (Diver, 2006). A typical aquaponics consists of a fish tank (aquaculture), a biofilter (for nitrification) and a plant grow bed (hydroponics) (Love et al, 2015). The latter is practically a biological filter because the nitrogen forms are excellent nutrients for plants. Nitrification is the main process that transforms NH4+ to NO3- in the presence of oxygen (Hu et al, 2015) This process is carried out by three groups of bacteria, ammonia oxidizing bacteria (Nitrosomonas, Nitrosococcus, Nitrosospira, Nitrosolobus, Nitrosovibrio sp), ammonia oxidizing archaea and the nitrite oxidizing bacteria (Nitrobacter, Nitrococcus, Nitrospira, Nitrospina sp) (Ebeling et al, 2006; Panuvatvanich et al, 2009). The concentration of nitrogen forms are the result of conversion by nitrifying bacteria which are oxygen dependent
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