TASK

Calculation of the dimensions of an aquaponic system

This exercise uses the Excel spreadsheet PlanningExerciseAquaponic TOOL (Tschudi, 2018) to
dimension the recirculating aquaculture (RAS) part of an aquaponic system based on desired fish and
plant production quantity. This graph shows the system that should be dimensioned based on the
desired crop area and fish production in this TASK.

Adjust the following parameters in the corresponding Excel spreadsheets:

• 20 m2 plant cultivation area
• System dimensioning according to total P demand coverage Sheet 3
• Fish species: Tilapia
• Heating: yes (27-30° C)
• 3 fish tanks (tank water depth = 0.8 m, tank radius = 0.56 m)
• Maximum stock density = 10 kg/m3
• The value ‘feed rate as % of body weight” Sheet 3, B18 should be chosen so that the resulting
nutrient demand Sheet 3, B42 of the daily amount of feed (feed rate) Sheet 3, B22 corresponds
to the amount which is necessary for total demand coverage for plant growth Sheet 1, B12.
Important: Do not choose a feed ratio that is less than 0.6 %/d, because about 800 g tilapia need
at least this daily amount of feed. It doesn't matter if this requirement means that a little more food
is fed than is actually needed to cover the N requirements of the plants. But it is important that the
system is dimensioned accordingly.
• Feed Conversion Ratio 1.3 (extruded fish feed)
• Fish feed with 35% protein content
• Tip: Check if the nutrient input to the system via fish feed Sheet 3, B42 corresponds to the
previously determined nutrient demand for plant cultivation Sheet 1, B12.
• Surface area of biofilter media: 500 m2/m3
• Media depth: 50%
• Desired oxygen concentration in tank: 5.5 mg/l
• Dissolved oxygen concentration supplied to tank: 7.5 mg/l

MOOC Aquaponics – the circular food production system 1

Week 6 – Aquaponic System Design and Calculation of Dimensions
After you have adjusted the parameters accordingly, we ask you to answer the following questions
regarding planning steps 1-4, 6-8 and 10 from the manual. Step 5 includes the system sketch, which is
already given. The further steps (9 and 11-13) for planning the RAS for an aquaponic system are not
obligatory in this task.

1. What is the 'feed rate as % of body weight' in order to have sufficient P for the cultivation of
plants in the system with the defined maximum stocking density as well as the given FCR and
fish feed protein content?
2. Which is the highest estimated recirculation rate (to remove TAN / to remove SS / for the oxygen
supply) and how much is it (l/min)?
3. What size should the surface of the solid removal unit (RFS) be? (Check under the section with
the highest recirculation rate)
4. What dimensions should the biofilter (volume, free board, diameter and air flow) be?
5. Please also dimension the system (feeding rate, highest estimated flow rate, size of RFS and
biofilter) according to the total N demand coverage using the Excel spreadsheet 2 – N flow
calculation. What do you notice when you compare the highest estimated flow rate of this
calculation to the previous value according to the P demand coverage? What is the reason for
this? Please explain.
6. What is the head loss of the AP system with three fish tanks? You should have calculated a
minimum required flow rate of about 1.4-1.5 l/s. For the following head loss calculation, use a
required flow rate of 1.5 l/s for the whole system and use Figure 1 to determine the flow rate for
each pipe segment. Complete Table 1 using Figure 2 to determine the pipe diameters and friction
loss (1 bar = 10 m friction loss) when a flow speed of 0.8 m/s is maintained. Then calculate the
head loss (Table 2) of the AP system.

Figure 1: Scheme of the AP System with three fish tanks and the pipe segments (numbers in black circle)

MOOC Aquaponics – the circular food production system 2

Week 6 – Aquaponic System Design and Calculation of Dimensions
Figure 2: Friction loss, flow capacity and inside diameter of the pipes

Table 1: Pipe diameters and friction loss: supplement with missing values
Flow Inside Major fric-
Pipe Start End Velocity Length Head loss
capacity Diameter tion loss
[bar/100
m]
[l/s] [m/s] [mm] [m] [m]
1 bar =
10m/100m
1 14 1 1.5 0.8 50 0.16 20 0.32
2 1 2 0.8 2
3 1 3 0.8 4
4 3 4 0.8 2
x 3 X 0.8 4
y X Y 0.8 2
5 5 6 0.8 1
6 6 8 0.8 4
7 7 8 0.8 1
z 8 Z 0.8 4
w Z W 0.8 1
8 Z 9 1.5 0.8 50 0.16 5 0.08
9 10 11 1.5 0.8 50 0.16 8 0.128
10 11 12 - - - 0.3 10 0.3
11 12 13 1.5 0.8 50 0.16 3 0.048

MOOC Aquaponics – the circular food production system 3

Week 6 – Aquaponic System Design and Calculation of Dimensions
Table 2: Headloss of the aquaponic system: supplement with your calculations

Pipe strand Pipe Start End Pressure loss

[m]
1 1,2 14 1
2 1,3,4 14 2
u 1,3,x,y 14 Y
3 5,6,z,8 5 9
4 7,z,8 7 9
v w,8 W 9
5 9 10 11 0.128
6 Media bed HP inflow HP outflow 0.3
7 11 12 13 0.048
Total head loss in the system

7. Which of these pumps is most suitable for this system dimensioned on the P demand coverage?
a b c
5
3

0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1.0 1.25 1.5 1.75

3
2.5

4
Pumping height [m]

Pumping height [m]

Pumping height [m]

3
2

2
1.5

1
1

§
0

0 25 50 75 100 0 30 60 90 120 0 30 60 90 120

Delivery volume [l/min] Delivery volume [l/h] Delivery volume [l/min]

MOOC Aquaponics – the circular food production system 4

Week 6 – Aquaponic System Design and Calculation of Dimensions