Abstract
The possibility of using different densities of cherry tomato as a bio-filter in a simple media-based aquaponic system to recycle nutrients from pearl gourami intensive culture wastewater was evaluated. Water quality parameters including total ammonia nitrogen (TAN), nitrite (NO2 −), nitrate (NO3 −), phosphate (PO4 3−), pH, and dissolved oxygen (DO) were determined in outlet of the aquaponic system during a 60-day experimental period. Cherry tomato was planted at four densities of 0 (control), 3 (T1), 6 (T2), and 9 (T3) plants per aquaponic unit with a constant fish stock density. Each treatment was equipped with aquaponic systems containing fish tank and plant growing bed. Productivity of the system was measured by recording the fish and plant growth indices. The potential in removing nitrogen of the water was the highest in T3 (with nine plants) compared to other treatments (p < 0.05). The highest concentrations of TAN (6.59 ± 0.241 mg/L), nitrite (0.42 ± 0.005 mg/L), nitrate (0.45 ± 0.162 mg/L), and phosphate (30.47 ± 0.371 mg/L) were obtained in control group, while the lowest concentrations of TAN (0.05 ± 0.091 mg/L), NO2 − (0.11 ± 0.008 mg/L), NO3 − (29.77 ± 0.205 mg/L), and phosphate (18.59 ± 0.185 mg/L) were detected in T3 (p < 0.05). The maximum fish weight gain was recorded in T3 (26 ± 0.014%) with 1.26 ± 0.059 FCR, and the lowest fish weight gain was measured in the control group (15 ± 0.024%) with 2.19 ± 0.446 FCR (p < 0.05). Total plant length gain was reached at the maximum value in T3 (74.70 ± 1.153 cm) in comparison to other groups (p < 0.05). It was concluded that small-scale aquaponic growing bed system can be created a sustainable ecosystem which both the plant and fish can thrive and suitable for home-made production system.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adler PR, Harper JK, Takeda F, Wade ED, Summerfelt ST (2000) Economic evaluation of hydroponics and other treatment options for phosphorus removal in aquaculture effluent. Hort Sci 35:993–999
Bailey DS, Rakocy JE, Cole WM, Shultz KA (1997) Economic analysis of a commercial-scale aquaponic system for the production of tilapia and lettuce. In: Fitzsimmons K (ed) Tilapia aquaculture: proceedings of the fourth international symposium on tilapia in aquaculture, vol 2. Publication NRAES- 106. Northeast Regional Agricultural Engineering Service, Ithaca, NY, pp 603–612
Cole B, Tamura CS, Baile R (1999) A manual for commercial production a temporal period spawner. Vol. 135, Center of Tropical and Subtropical Aquaculture Publication, 1–32
Dediu L, Cristea V, Docan A, Vasilean I (2011) Evaluation of condition and technological performance of hybrid bester reared in standard and aquaponic system. AACL Bioflux 4(4):490–498
Diver S (2006) Aquaponics-integration of hydroponics with aquaculture. ATTRA, National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service
Endut A, Jusoh A, Ali N, Wan Nik WNS, Hassan A (2009) Effect of flow rate on water quality parameters and plant growth of water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica) in an aquaponics recirculating system. Desalin Water Treat 5:19–28
Endut A, Jusoh A, Ali N, Wan Nik WNS, Hassan A (2010) A study on the optimal hydraulic loading rate and plant ratios in recirculation aquaponic system. Bioresour Technol 101(5):1511–1517
Enduta A, Jusoh A, Ali N, Wan Nik WB (2011) Nutrient removal from aquaculture wastewater by vegetable production in aquaponics recirculation system. Desalin Water Treat 32(1–3):422–430
Gjesteland I (2013) Study of water quality of recirculated water in aquaponic systems. Norwegian Uni Sci Technol 1-76
Goodman E (2011) Aquaponics: community and economic development. Master’s Thesis. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
Graber A, Junge R (2009) Aquaponic Systems: Nutrient recycling from fish wastewater by vegetable production. Desalination 246(1-3):147–156
Graham JB (1997) Air-breathing fishes: evolution, diversity, and adaptation. Academic Press, San Diego, California, USA
Hamlin HJ, Michaels JT, Beaulton CM, Graham WF, Dutt W, Steinbach P, Losordo TM, Schrader KK, Main KL (2008) Comparing denitrification rates and carbon sources in commercial scale upflow denitrification biological filters in aquaculture. Aquac Eng 38:70–92
Hu Z, Lee JW, Chandran K, Kim S, Khanal SK (2012) Nitrous oxide (N2O) emission from aquaculture: a review. Environ Sci Technol 46(12):6470–6480
Hu Z, Lee JW, Chandran K, Kim S, Brotto AC, Khanal SK (2015) Effect of plant species on nitrogen recovery in aquaponics. Bioresour Technol 188:92–98
Lam SS, Ma NL, Jusoh A, Ambak MA (2014) A study on the optimal tank design and feed type to the growth of marble goby (Oxyeleotris marmorata Bleeker) and reduction of waste in a recirculating aquaponic system. Desalin Water Treat 52(4-6):1044–1053
Lennard WA, Leonard BV (2005) A comparison of reciprocating flow versus constant flow in an integrated, gravel bed, aquaponic test system. Aquacult Int 12(6):539–553
Licamele JD (2009) Biomass Production and Nutrient Dynamics in an Aquaponics System. Ph.D. Thesis, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
Martins CIM, Eding EH, Verdegem MCJ, Heinsbroek LTN, Schneider O, Blancheton JP, d’Orbcastel ER, Verreth JAJ (2010) New developments in recirculating aquaculture systems in Europe, a perspective on environmental sustainability. Aquac Eng 43:83–93
Nesbitt TC, Tanksley SD (2002) Comparative sequencing in the genus Lycopersicon, implications for the evolution of fruit size in the domestication of cultivated tomatoes. Genet 162(1):365–379
Petrea SM, Cristea V, Dediu L, Contoman M, Antache A, Bandi AC, Feng LIU, Lupoae P (2014) A study of nitrogen dynamics in an integrated stellate sturgeon and spinach aquaponic system with different crop densities. Bull Uni Agri Sci Vet Med Anim Sci Biotechnol 71(2):218–226
Raiola A, Rigano MM, Calafiore R, Frusciante L, Barone A (2014) Enhancing the human-promoting effects of tomato fruit for biofortified food. Mediators Inflamm. doi:10.1155/2014/139873
Rakocy JE, Bailey DS, Shultz RC, Thoman ES (2004) Update on tilapia and vegetable production in the UVI aquaponic system. In: Bolivar RB, Mair GC, Fitzsimmons K (eds) Proceedings from the sixth international symposium on tilapia in aquaculture. Manila, Philippines, pp 676–690
Rakocy JE, Masser MP, Losordo M (2006) Recirculating aquaculture tank production systems, aquaponics-integrating fish and plant culture. November revision. No. 454. SRAC publication
Richter HJ (1988) Gouramis and Other Anabantoids. TFH Publications, New Jersey
Satoh S, Hernández A, Tokoro T, Morishita Y, Kiron V, Watanabe T (2003) Comparison of phosphorus retention efficiency between rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fed a commercial diet and a low fish meal based diet. Aquacult 224(1):271–282
Saufie S, Estim A, Tamin M, Harun A, Obong S, Mustafa S (2015) Growth performance of tomato plant and genetically improved farmed tilapia in combined aquaponic systems. Asian J Agricult Res 9(3):95–103
Savidov N (2005) Evaluation of aquaponics technology in Alberta. Canada Aquaponics 2:1–6
Shete AP, Verma AK, Tandel RS, Prakash C, Tiwari VK, Hussain T (2013) Optimization of water circulation period for the culture of goldfish with spinach in aquaponic system. J Agricult Sci 5(4):26–30
Smorczewski WT, Schmidt EL (1991) Numbers, activities, and diversity of autotrophic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria in a freshwater, eutrophic lake sediment. Can J Microbiol 37:828–833
Somerville C, Cohen M, Pantanella E, Stankus A, Lovatelli A (2014) Small-scale aquaponic food production, integrated fish and plant farming. Food and agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 220-262
Tyson RV, Treadwell DD, Simonne EH (2011) Opportunities and challenges to sustainability in aquaponic systems. Hort Tech 21:6–13
Tyson RV, Simonne EH, Treadwell DD, White JM, Simonne A (2008) Reconciling pH for ammonia biofiltration and cucumber yield in a recirculating aquaponic system with perlite biofilters. Hort Sci 43(3):719–724
Van Rijn J (2013) Waste treatment in recirculating aquaculture systems. Aquacult Eng 53:49–56
Watanabe WO, Ernst DH, Chasar MP, Wicklund RI, Olla BL (1993) The effects of temperature and salinity on growth and feed utilization of juvenile, sex-reversed male Florida red tilapia cultured in a recirculating system. Aquacult 114:309–320
Watten BJ, Busch RL (1984) Tropical production of tilapia (Sarotherodon aurea) and tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum) in a small-scale recirculating water system. Aquacult 41:271–283
Wu Z, Sun S, Wang F, Guo D (2011) Establishment of regeneration and transformation system of Lycopresicon esculentum microtom. Br Biotechnol J 3:53–60
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Makhdom, S., Shekarabi, S.P.H. & Shamsaie Mehrgan, M. Biological nutrient recovery from culturing of pearl gourami (Trichogaster leerii ) by cherry tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) in aquaponic system. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 20634–20640 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-9702-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-9702-1