Portable Aquaponic Model for Household and Agricultural Applications
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32628/IJSRST2512394Keywords:
Aquaponic system, water shortage, limited agricultural land, cost-effective, portableAbstract
Food and water shortages, pesticide contamination, and limited agricultural land pose significant challenges to organic food production. A small-scale aquaponic system offers a sustainable solution by integrating fish and vegetable farming in a closed-loop, water-efficient system. However, existing models often require high investment, technical expertise, and large space, making them less accessible. This study develops a cost-effective, portable aquaponic model using locally available materials. Over 45 days, the system maintained stable water quality, supporting fish and plant growth. Tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) grew to an average of 31.5 g (0.5 g/day), while spinach (Spinacia oleracea) yielded 1960 g in 10 sq. ft., demonstrating its potential for sustainable food production. Future research should focus on optimizing feeding strategies and water quality management to enhance fish growth rates, exploring alternative, locally sourced fish feed options for better sustainability, and integrating renewable energy sources, automation, and advanced nutrient recycling to improve efficiency.
Downloads
References
Adler, P. R., Harper, J. K., Wade, E. M., Takeda, F., & Summerfelt, S. T. (2000). Economic analysis of an aquaponic system for the integrated production of rainbow trout and plants. International Journal of Recirculating Aquaculture, 1, 15–34.
Al-Zahrani, M. S., Hassanien, H. A., Alsaade, F. W., & Wahsheh, H. A. M. (2023). Effect of stocking density on sustainable growth performance and water quality of Nile tilapia–spinach in an NFT aquaponic system. Sustainability, 15, 6935.
Bovas, J. J. L., Tesfit, A. M., Temesgen, B. T., Temesgen, G. H., & James, S. P. (2019). Development of a microcontroller-based drip irrigation control system in Eritrea. Trends in Biosciences, 12(3), 3–6.
Canali, S., Montemurro, F., Tittarelli, F., & Masetti, O. (2008). Effect of nitrogen fertilization on yield, quality, and nitrogen utilization of processing spinach. Journal of Food, Agriculture & Environment, 6, 242–247.
Che Deer, B., Hu, B., Dunn, B., & Dusci, J. (2021). Nitrification and maintenance in media bed aquaponics. Oklahoma State University.
Deswati, D., Safni, S., Khairiyah, K., Yani, E., Yusuf, Y., & Pardi, H. (2022). Biofloc technology: Water quality (pH, temperature, DO, COD, BOD) in a flood and drain aquaponic system. International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry, 102, 6835–6844.
Endut, A., Jusoh, A., Ali, N., Wan Nik, W. B., & Hassan, A. (2010). A study on the optimal hydraulic loading rate and plant ratios in recirculating aquaponic systems. Bioresource Technology, 101(5), 1511–1517.
Estim, A., Saufie, S., & Mustafa, S. (2019). Water quality remediation using aquaponic subsystems as biological and mechanical filters in aquaculture. Journal of Water Process Engineering, 30, 100566.
FAO. (2022a). News article: 2050: A third more mouths to feed, May 2022. Retrieved from https://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/35571/icode/
FAO. (2022b). Food and agriculture projections to 2050 | Global Perspectives Studies | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, May 2022. Retrieved from https://www.fao.org/global-perspectives-studies/food-agriculture-projections-to-2050/en/
Goddek, S. (2017). Opportunities and challenges of multi-loop aquaponics systems (Doctoral dissertation). PQDT-Global, 28232804.
Goddek, S., Delaide, B., Mankasingh, U., Ragnarsdottir, K. V., Jijakli, M. H., & Thorarinsdottir, R. (2019). Challenges of sustainable and commercial aquaponics. Sustainability, 11(7), 4193.
Graber, A., & Junge, R. (2009). Aquaponic systems: Nutrient recycling from fish wastewater by vegetable production. Desalination, 246, 147–156.
Lennard, W. A., & Leonard, B. V. (2005). A comparison of reciprocating flow versus constant flow in an integrated, gravel-bed aquaponic test system. Aquaculture International, 12, 539–553.
Mahfouz, M. E., Hegazi, M. M., El-Magd, M. A., & Kasem, E. A. (2015). Metabolic and molecular responses in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) during short and prolonged hypoxia. Marine and Freshwater Behaviour and Physiology, 48, 319–340.
Pantanella, E., Cardarelli, M., Di Mattia, E., & Colla, G. (2015). Aquaponics and food safety: Effects of UV sterilization on total coliforms and lettuce production. Acta Horticulturae, 1062, 71–76.
Rahmatullah, R., Das, M., & Rahmatullah, S. M. (2010). Suitable stocking density of tilapia in an aquaponic system. Bangladesh Journal of Fisheries Research, 14(1–2), 29–35.
Rakocy, J. (2007). Ten guidelines for aquaponic systems. Aquaponics Journal, 46, 14–17.
Rakocy, J. E., Masser, M. P., & Losordo, T. M. (2006). Recirculating aquaculture tank production systems: Aquaponics—Integrating fish and plant culture. Southern Regional Aquaculture Center (SRAC) Publication No. 454, 1–16.
Sallenave, R. (2016). Important water quality parameters in aquaponics systems. Circular 680, College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, New Mexico State University.
Shafeena, T. (2016). Smart aquaponics system: Challenges and opportunities. European Journal of Advances in Engineering and Technology, 3(9), 52–55.
Shinoj, P. (2015). Agriculture performance and future outlook on food commodities in Kerala. Agricultural Economics Research Review, 24(5), 247–258.
Somerville, C., Cohen, M., Pantanella, E., Stankus, A., & Lovatelli, A. (2014). Small-scale aquaponic food production: Integrated fish and plant farming. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Technical Paper No. 589.
Swetha, S., Nirmalraj, A. A., & Shanbough, G. R. (2016). Autonomous VTOL agro-drone. International Journal of Research in Engineering and Applied Sciences, 10(10), 26–34.
Zaki, M. A., Alabssawy, A. N., Nour, A. E.-A. M., El Basuini, M. F., Dawood, M. A., Alkahtani, S., & Abdel-Daim, M. M. (2020). The impact of stocking density and dietary carbon sources on the growth, oxidative status, and stress markers of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) reared under biofloc conditions. Aquaculture Reports, 16, 100282.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 International Journal of Scientific Research in Science and Technology
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
