23.03.2016 © 2009 UNIVERSITÄT ROSTOCK | FAKULTÄT AGRAR- UND UMWELTWISSENSCHAFTEN

Projekt:

Aquaponic research at University Rostock

(Fac. Agricultural and Environmental Sciences)

Europäischer Fischereifonds

Harry W. Palm

U.Knaus & S. Strauch

23.03.2016 © 2009 UNIVERSITÄT ROSTOCK | FAKULTÄT AGRAR- UND UMWELTWISSENSCHAFTEN 2

Background

Lowest populated state in Germany

Dominated by farmers, less industry

Tourist destination No. 1

540 biogas plants (warm water available)

Commercial African catfish production since 7

years, appr. 1000 to mainly by farmers

State policy to increase aquaculture production

BUT: No access to surface water

Prevention of effluent water

Knowledge based combination of commercial

aquaculture and plant cultivation (aquaponics)

Nitrate in ground water and into the Baltic Sea

Rostock

23.03.2016 © 2009 UNIVERSITÄT ROSTOCK | FAKULTÄT AGRAR- UND UMWELTWISSENSCHAFTEN 3

The problem

Aquaponic literature scarce

Mainly from small scale experimental

systems

Data not comparable

Not originating from „commercial farms“

Access to commercial farms very limited

Literature not public domain

General statement „Aquaponics in Germany

economical NOT sustainable“ (HOW DO

THEY KNOW ?)

How to give recommendations concernring

aquaponics to investors/farmers ?

23.03.2016 © 2014 UNIVERSITÄT ROSTOCK | FAKULTÄT AGRAR- UND UMWELTWISSENSCHAFTEN

Cucumber after 70 days

© 2009 UNIVERSITÄT ROSTOCK | FAKULTÄT AGRAR- UND UMWELTWISSENSCHAFTEN 527.11.2015

O. niloticus – C. carpio

Cucumber, Tomato, Salat

Effects:

● Consumption of nitrate in both

cycles

● Cleaning the process water in

both species

Spring - Summer

nitrate [mg l-1]

0

5

10

15

20

25

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Nitr

ate

[mg

l-1]

Day [d]

cycle I cycle II

Knaus, U. & Palm, H.W. (submitted): Effects of the fish biology on aquaponical cultured vegetables under optimal conditions.

27.11.2015 © 2009 UNIVERSITÄT ROSTOCK | FAKULTÄT AGRAR- UND UMWELTWISSENSCHAFTEN 6

● Fish species decides onto plant growth under identical cultivation conditions

● Plant growth performed best with O. niloticus● Plant growth in Kombination with Cyprinus carpio was less than combined with O. niloticus

● Growth of C. gariepinus was better than carp and tilapia

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Experiment I Experiment II Experiment III Experiment IV

(Palm et al., 2014b) (Knaus & Palm, 2015) (Knaus & Palm, 2015) (Knaus & Palm, 2015)

Mint 2 x Better growthwith Tilapiacompared with carp

Basil better, not significant growthwith carp comparedwith Tilapia

experimentsindependent

The Aquaponic factor (AF)

Aquaponical cultivated species

Ab

weic

hu

ng

vo

m id

eale

n W

ach

stu

msfa

kto

r

(„0

“)

Berechnung: AFFisch = (Biomasse Fisch 1 / Biomasse Fisch 2)-1 und vice versa

bzw. AFPflanze = (Biomasse Pflanze 1 / Biomasse Pflanze 2)-1 und vice versa

Pilot project: Commercial aquaponics possible in MV ?

23.03.2016 © 2009 UNIVERSITÄT ROSTOCK | FAKULTÄT AGRAR- UND UMWELTWISSENSCHAFTEN 7

Palm et al. (2014a)

23.03.2016 © 2009 UNIVERSITÄT ROSTOCK | FAKULTÄT AGRAR- UND UMWELTWISSENSCHAFTEN 8

Frequently asked questions

Can we combine commercial African

catfish production with commercial

plant cultivation ?

Which plant species can be used ?

Investment costs ?

Labor costs reasonable ?

Technical adjustments neccessary ?

Nutrient flows ?

Education level of labor force ?

Product quality ? Does a cucumber

smells fishy ??

Scientific support in the case of an

investment ?

23.03.2016 © 2009 UNIVERSITÄT ROSTOCK | FAKULTÄT AGRAR- UND UMWELTWISSENSCHAFTEN 9

The FishGlassHouse (Aquaculture & Hydroponics)

3 aquaculture units

6 hydroponic units

construction as coupled & decoupled systems

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Fish stocked (50, 100, 200

kg staggered) in Juli 2015,

opened in 27.11.2015

The FishGlassHouse

23.03.2016 © 2015 UNIVERSITÄT ROSTOCK | Aquaculture and Sea-Ranching 11

3 Aquaculture units

(Clarias gariepinus)automatic control

• extensive unit

• semi-intensive unit

• intensive unit

● 9 fish Tanks per unit

• intensive unit

automatic feeder

The FishGlassHouse

23.03.2016 © 2009 UNIVERSITÄT ROSTOCK | FAKULTÄT AGRAR- UND UMWELTWISSENSCHAFTEN 12

Can we run a commercial system beside our regular jobs

?? (work load)

Product quality

Student education in commercial RAS and its

combination with aquaponics (MSc. Aquaculture)

The challenge

23.03.2016 © 2015 UNIVERSITÄT ROSTOCK | Aquaculture and Sea-Ranching 13

Nutrient water transfer tanks (exchange of water, connection to drainage)

some pictures

aquaculture units (3) hydroponic cabins (6)

23.03.2016 © 2015 UNIVERSITÄT ROSTOCK | Aquaculture and Sea-Ranching 14

Aquaponic facility IIIfrom spring 2015 - present

The hydroponic unit - automatic control of environmental parameters

● light intensity [lux] automatic shading

● temperature min-max automatic ventilation

● WLAN, Internet

23.03.2016 © 2015 UNIVERSITÄT ROSTOCK | Aquaculture and Sea-Ranching 15

● Test of different hydroponik subsystems (NFT / Ebb - Flood / Floating raft)

first on cucumber, now on other plants => INTENSIVE Process water

The FishGlassHouse

23.03.2016 © 2015 UNIVERSITÄT ROSTOCK | Aquaculture and Sea-Ranching 16

Aquaponic facility IIIfrom spring 2015 - present

Polyponics

• Polyculture with C. gariepinus and O. niloticus

• Test of growth effects on different herbs

• Stand-alone recirculation system

23.03.2016 © 2015 UNIVERSITÄT ROSTOCK | Aquaculture and Sea-Ranching 17

● Commercial aquaponic production in standard ebb-flood system (mint)

●Comparison of EXTENSIVE and INTENSIVE cultivation with control

● Cooperation with the largest plant producer in Rostock (quality and market access)

mint

The FishGlassHouse

8,28

39,81

60,28

3,44 3,127,61

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Kontrolle Extensiv Intensiv

N, P (in mg l -1) Mittlere Konzentrationen von N und P in Minzkultur Total DissolvedNitrogen

PO4-P

1,5 x

Upscaling

© 2009 UNIVERSITÄT ROSTOCK | FAKULTÄT AGRAR- UND UMWELTWISSENSCHAFTEN27.11.2015

control extensive intensive (basic fertiliser)

Palm, H.W., Strauch, S. & Knaus, U. in Vorb.

2,4 x

35 FB-1 140 FB-1

The FishGlassHouse

27.11.2015 © 2009 UNIVERSITÄT ROSTOCK | FAKULTÄT AGRAR- UND UMWELTWISSENSCHAFTEN 19

Lessons learned

Parameter

Kontrolle

(Dünger) Extensiv Intensiv Faktor

Sprossanzahl [Stk.] 1,61a±0,66 1,56a±0,62 2,25b±1,16 1,44

Blatt-Fläche [cm²] 5,74a±2,20 5,63a±2,14 10,91b±2,46 1,93

Blatt-Länge [mm] 5,45a±1,42 5,42a±1,39 8,61b±1,64 1,58

Frischmasse ungeschnitten [g] 120,56a±51,77 165,46b±71,67 190,66b±105,57 1,15

Frischmasse geschnitten [g] 11,16a±5,26 17,38b±4,66 31,83c±13,83 1,83

Minze Frischmasse [g] geschnitten

● Mint cultivation best with INTENSIVE water (p<0,05)

● Commercial production of African catfish with Mint

possible

● Reduction of 20% water in fish production and

100 % in Mint production

Compared with regular production

FishGlassHouse

Ø : 1,586

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Hedara helix (2 sorts)

Thanks for your attention

23.03.2016 © 2009 UNIVERSITÄT ROSTOCK | FAKULTÄT AGRAR- UND UMWELTWISSENSCHAFTEN 21