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Double Recirculation Aquaponics System

Sangita Aba KhatalRoll No. 20642

Division of Agricultural Engineering, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi.

Population Soil degradation

Food security Water scarcity

Source – (Simon et al., 2015)

By 2050 global population is expected to reach 9.6 billion with more than 75% living in urban areas

Degraded land in lakh hectare

204.25

144.05

140.95

97.26

91.9480.93

Total geographical area is 328.7

million hectare

Degraded land area is

120.4 million hectare

Source- Department of Agriculture and

Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture

By 2030 almost half of the world will live under high water stress condition (FAO, 2014)

Soilless cultivation

Hydroponics

Aquaculture

Hydroponics

Aquaponics

Source – (David et al., 2015)

Indian scenario in aquaculture

Current fish production of India – 9.58 mtonnesSecond largest in fish productionAverage annual growth – 5.96% (marine-3.67 and inland-7.29)Contributes 0.83% to national GDP and 4.75% to agricultural GDP

Source-The handbook of fisheries statistics, 2014

Current status of protected cultivationCountry Total Greenhouse Area (Ha)

China 27,60,000Korea 57,444Spain 52,170Japan 49,049

Turkey 33,515Italy 26,500

Mexico 11,759Netherlands 10,370

France 9,620United States

8,425

Crop Area (mha)1. Total Area under

Horticultural Crops

19.24

2. Total area under Vegetables

7.49

3.4.

Area under Floriculture CropsArea under Fruit Crops

0.15

5.5

5. Area under Protected Cultivation

<.02

India

Source –Kacira, (2011)

Kacira (2011)

Hydroponics

Growing plants either on a substrate or in an aqueous medium with bare roots

Source - Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations, 2014

No soil-borne diseases and pathogens because of sterile conditions

We can give optimal plant requirements leading to increased yields

Increased water- and fertilizer-use efficiency

Area efficient technology

Why hydroponics ?

Captive rearing and production of fish and other aquatic animal and plant species under controlled conditions

Methods:open water systems pond cultureflow-through raceways Recirculation Aquaculture System (RAS)

Aquaculture

Source – FAO,2014

Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS)

The most efficient and water-saving technology in fish farming

Source – FAO,2014

Expensive waste -water treatmentIt can lead to

eutrophication and hypoxia in the watershed and

localized coastal areas

Overgrowth of coral reefs and other ecological and

economical disturbances

Problems of RAS

Source – FAO,2014

An effluent from aquaculture system is a sustainable, cost-effective and non-chemical source of fertilizer for plants

Organic food production

Sustainable agricultural practice

Why hydroponics should integrate with aquaculture ?

Aquaponics (Single Recirculation)Source – FAO,2014

Source – FAO,2014

Current Status and Challenges

Lower productivity

Fish and plant requirements do not always match perfectly

Restricted to grow plants with less nutrient requirement

Source– (Werner et al., 2015)

Double Recirculation Aquaponic System (DRAS)

Source – (Werner et al., 2015)

Material and methodsThey selected combination of Nile tilapia fish and Tomato plant

Used 1280 tilapia with total weight of 202kg

Stocking density ranging from 32.5-65.1 kg/cu.m

116 tomato plants were introduced after 3 days latter

Used nutrient film technology of hydroponics

Whole testing duration lasted from 6 march to 26 november

Fish production

243.3 kg 234.

1 kg

Tomato production

Average tomato yield =8.89 kg/plant

1005.62 kg

Water use

220.6 l of water is used for 1 kg of Tilapia and 1.67 kg of tomatoes

Total fresh water added = 132400 l (tap water = 94000 l and condensate gained water=38400 l)

Daily water used = 3.83 % of the total volume

Thus the net introduction of tap water = 2.72 %

Cumulative water use is 34059 lDaily water use is more in the month of june

Nutrient concentration

Total nutrient load from RAS to hydroponic system = 25.66 kg

To optimize growth conditions some mineral fertilizers were introduced to hydroponic unit

Fertilizer Quantity (kg)

Kristalon Spezial 0.80

CalciNit 0.75

KHCO3 0.08

K2HPO4 2.80

Optimum standardized fertilizer

All the CO2 released by the metabolism of fish is fixed by the tomato plants

Overall CO2 released = 778.4 kg

Tomato plant can fix 1339 Kg CO2

Net sink of 560.6 Kg CO2

Hence fostering sustainability

CO2 Balance

Findings

Total weight gain=600.1kg using 736.2 kg feed

Benefits

Fish feed provides most of the nutrients for plant growTwo agricultural products (fish and vegetables) are produced from one nitrogen source (fish food)Optimum use of fertilizers or chemical pesticidesLabour-savingArea efficient technologySustainable and intensive food production system

Limitations

Expensive initial start-up.

Knowledge of fish, bacteria and plant production is needed.

Mistakes or accidents can cause collapse of system.

Daily management is mandatory.

Requires reliable access to electricity, fish seed and plant seeds.

ConclusionAquaponics is a new , rapidly emerging, ecofriendly agricultural technology that can integrate RAS with hydroponics

This technology is efficient because it uses fish waste to feed the plants providing symbiotic environment for producing fish and plants

The DRAS allows integration of value added chains for water, nutrients, and carbon dioxide in a sustainable wayDRAS might provide the potential to increase not only sustainability but also the productivities of fish and plants

Thank You !!!