A Three-Way Integrated Aquaponics System (Producer, Consumer and Filter Feeder)

Authors

  • Abegail Reyes

Keywords:

Aquaponics, Nutrient Cycling, Symbiotic Environment, Aquaculture

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Aquaponics has been defined as the combined culture of fish and plants in recirculating systems. It refers to any system that combines aquaculture (raising aquatic animals such as fish) with hydroponics (the soil-less growing of plants) in a symbiotic environment. The fish waste provides an organic food source for the plants, and the plants naturally filter the water for the fish. The purpose of this research is to innovate the idea of Aquaponics in a unique, cheaper and helpful way. This project has three main organism in the aquarium: the producer (plant), consumer (fish) and the filter feeder (ghost shrimp). Importance of this project is that it can contribute to energy and land conservation and help country's agricultural sector. Researchers chose this topic because their main goal is to innovate the idea of Aquaponics by adding another organism (ghost shrimp) as the filter feeder that promotes nutrient cycling.

METHODS

The processes are: Collection of Fish, Plant, Filter Feeder (Ghost Shrimp), Innovation of the Aquarium, Combination of Organism and lastly Nutrient Cycling. There is comparison between normal aquarium and an Aquaponics system aquarium. Data gathered were the comparison of the lifespan of fishes and ghost shrimp. Plant growth were also recorded. Researchers used t-test to prove that there is a significant effect in using Three-Way Integrated Aquaponics System on the growth of organisms.

RESULTS

The researchers found out that the improvised symbiotic environment expands the life span of the organism longer than that of the ordinary aquarium set-up. Fishes and the filter feeder grew and developed in the Three-Way Integrated Aquaponics System; acquiring increase in their weight and plants also grew. They also found out that having more water in a set-up makes the organisms alive and moving. They concluded that using underground water is more efficient in extending the life span of the organisms than using faucet water.

DISCUSSIONS

Food and oxygen produced by the plants are enough to feed the organisms in the aquarium (improvised symbiotic environment). There is a significant influence on the standardized nutrient cycling of producer, to secondary consumer and to filter feeder in the improvised symbiotic environment. Therefore, the researchers concluded that there is a significant effect in using Three-Way Integrated Aquaponics System-Producer, Consumer and Filter Feeder to the growth and development of the organisms involved in the improvised symbiotic environment.

Published

2019-01-18