Aquponics Trial New modified terrace garden/prototype model.

Date 17.09.2012.

After documenting leanings of previous 2 trials of Aquaponics, new modified model for terrace gardening is designed for further studies (prototype/ demo scaled model).System details are as given below (Photo attached) System consists of 6 half cut blue barrels of 200 lit (4*1.7*1 ft) are used as growing bed. Mixture of coco-pit and sand is filled in these growing beds in 1:1 proportion. 5 out of 6 beds are connected to aquaponics system (fish tank water) through flush and drain system, whereas 1 bed is kept as control. All 6 beds are planted with 10 gm/each spinach seeds. Fish tank consists of MS sheets welded together to form circular ring (without base) and plastic paper is fixed inside of this MS ring to form tank. Fish tank total capacity is of 3000 lit with 3 ft water depth. Approximately 2 Kg fish is added, weighing around 0.065 kg each. These fish are fed regularly with mixture of grains and oil cake @ 1 % of their body weight. Water from fish tank is pumped to growing bed with central flush and drain system by submersible pump. Same submersible pump is also use for circulating water of fish tank for maintain DO level at 6 ppm all the time.

Photo 1 - Aquaponics System with 6 grow beds and fish tank.

Following are the important leanings from previous trials and changes mode for these trials as
Sr Problem faced No 1 More NH3 level in fish tank that expected. Probable reason Action taken in new trial

Uneven fish growth and more fish mortality

3 4

EC of water was very high Plant growth differed by plant species / types.

Root / growing bed surface area are Fish density in tank is decided as per growing is less than amount of fish waste are volume. For this Aquponics training produced manual (by-Lorena viladomate & Philip Jones) and calculation sheet from www. Aquaponics.com.au is considered. So by calculation of fish feed to bed surface area OR fish density to bed surface area calculations now we can accommodate approximately 5 Kg of fish in system. Vermicompost added in growing No vermicompost used (only cocopit + sand beds. @ 1:1 proportion) Improper bio-filtration with less Care will be taken maintaining at least 3.8 l / water circulation. min water flow as per calculation. Fluctuating dissolved oxygen level Fish tank is changed from regular plastic tank (syntax type) to open surface circular tank (photo attached) as per guidance from fishery science college, Ratnagirir and Shramjivi NGO, Mahad. Less water circulation System designed changed special porous pipe is fixed with common submersible pump for supplying water to growing beds and water circulation for increasing DO. COD is very high than prescribed. Care will be taken to avoid excess feeding. Improver fish feeding Now fish will be fed by measuring their body weight on every 1 month interval. Initial average wt of fish is recorded as 0.65 Gm / each. Fish feed of Godraj agro vet is enquired and will be procured soon. Selection of wrong fish We required Tillapia fish species for our model, but as this species is not available now Cattla / Rohu are added. Addition of vermicompost Vermicompost is not used as growing media this time. Different crops are cultivated as mix This time we are doing single cropping so we cropping. have planted Spinach crop in all growing beds with one bed as control ( without aquaponics treatment).

Photo No 2- Water circulation for maintaining DO in fish Tank.

Photo No.3- Control bed without aquaponics treatment.