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Assessment of Water Quality in Media-based Aquaponic Culture in Bangladesh

Bably Akter
Department of Aquaculture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh.

Farjana Akhter
Department of Aquaculture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh.

Umme Habiba Mumu
Department of Fisheries Management, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh

Subhas Chandra Chakraborty
Department of Fisheries Technology, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh.

Md. Abdus Salam
Department of Aquaculture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh.

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Water is the major and foremost concern in aquaponics and its quality indicates whether the system is functioning properly or not. Hence, the present study was conducted to evaluate the quality of water used in the combined culture of Nile Tilapia (n=60, juveniles) and water spinach (n=4) in aquaponic system using two different media for 90 days. The experiment was carried out with the two treatments (T₁= brick lets, and T₂= mixture of brick lets and used tea leaves) with three replications each. Water quality parameters such as pH, temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) were measured bi-weekly using water testing kits, and found in a suitable range for tilapia culture, though temperature was little bit higher than the favorable range. Electric conductivity (EC), carbonate (CO₃), hydrogen carbonate (HCO₃), total nitrogen (Total-N), phosphorous (P), potassium (K), sulphur (S), sodium (Na) were tested in the Humboldt Soil Testing Laboratory, Department of Soil Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh, and found higher in influent water than the effluent water due to bacterial activity in the media and roots of plants which indicated the proper utilization of fish waste by the plants. Therefore, it could be concluded that whole system was working properly and there was a perfect symbiosis between fish, microorganisms and plants.

Keywords: Water quality, Aquaponic system, Physicochemical quality

Location: Faculty of Fisheries, Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh, Bangladesh.

Start Date: 00-06-2014

End Date: 00-09-2014

Program Area: Resource Development and Management

Commodity: Water quality

Objectives:

To assess the re-circulating water quality of aquaponic systems using two different media in Bangladesh.

Methodology:

The experiment was carried out in the aquaponic Laboratory which is situated on the southern side of the Faculty of Fisheries, Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh, Bangladesh. The experiment was conducted for 96 days from 08^th June to 12^th September 2014 to assess water spinach production in aquaponics system using two different media. Various types of aquaponic systems exist among which a media-based Aquaponics system was chosen to conduct the present experiment. The design of the study comprises a fish holding tank and six food-grade plastic containers to hold the media. Two types of media were used in this experiment that was 100% brick lets (8-10 cm size) and brick lets mixed with used tea leaves (1:1 by volume). All the beds were in equal size (43.7 x 26.8 x 24.5 cm³) for the treatments. The treatments were indicated as T₁R₁, T₁R₂, T₁R₃, T₂R₁, T₂R_2, and T₂R₃. The size of the circular fish tank was 68 cm × 51 cm (750 Volume liters). Two 10 watt air pumps with two ports fitted with 4 air stones were used in a fish tank to supply oxygen. The wastewater from the fish tank was irrigated to the vegetable bed by a 12-watt submersible water pump. An inlet and outlet pipes were set to the tank. The water was re-circulating the system. Two small PVC pipes were connected to the plastic pipe where containers containing plants were placed. Small pipes were connected to the end of the plastic pipe through which wastewater circulated from the fish tank with the help of a water pump. A PVC pipe was connected to each container with another plastic pipe to the outlet pipe to drain the water in the fish tank. The fish tank was bought from the local market and prepared before starting the experiment. Preparation of tank included the cutting of upper end, washing, liming, plumbing pipes; setting brick lets and filling up the tank with underground water. At first, the upper part of the tank was cut out to make an opening for feeding the fish and cleaning the tank. It is essential to wash the fish tank with disinfectants mixed with water before starting the fish culture to remove the chemicals if any. The pipes were set to make an inlet and outlet. Two air pumps with four air stones were set to supply dissolved oxygen. The tank was then filled with brick lets of 2-5 cm diameter up to six inches at the bottom of the tank. Before placing the brick lets they were washed with clean water and finally the tank was filled with water from the overhead tank. A separate filter was used to filter the fish tank water and placed over the fish tank. Mono sex tilapia fingerlings were used as the experimental animals which were brought from a local hatchery and used in another aquaponic experiment. The collected fish was acclimatized and released to the experimental fish tank. Good and healthy fingerlings were selected for the experiment. Before stocking the fingerlings were disinfected with potassium permanganate solution (2 mg/L for 4 to 5 hours). Prior to releasing fingerlings, the fish was acclimatized for 15 minutes for each degree change in temperature and for every unit change in p^H. After acclimation, 60 fingerlings of tilapia were released into the tank on 4th June 2014. The commercial floating feed (1-- 3 mm size) containing 30% protein was used to feed the fish. The feed was bought from the local fish dealer of Mymensingh town. The feed was supplied twice daily, first in the morning at 9:00 AM and in the afternoon at 5:00 PM at the rate of 3% body weight initially. Overfeeding was avoided as uneaten feed makes the fish tank water unsafe for fish and will lead to water quality degradation. Later on, the feed was reduced to 3%of the fish's body weight. To know the quality of the water the physicochemical parameters of tank water were measured. Dissolved oxygen (DO), temperature, and pH were measured every 15 days interval. Chemical test kits were used to test the physic-chemical parameters. Total nitrogen (Total-N), electric conductivity (Ec), carbonate (CO₃) hydrogen carbonates (HCO₃), potassium (K), sulfur (S), sodium (Na), and calcium (Ca) were measured three times at one-month intervals during the experiment. The tests were done in the Humboldt Soil Testing Laboratory at Soil Science Department, Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh. The water sample was collected from the fish tank and from the outlet of the water spinach bed. Small bottles were used to collect the sample and marked as Bottle-1 for tank water and Bottle-2 and Bottle-3 for outlet water. Tank water was before treatment and outlet water was after treatment. Sample collection was done in the morning. The water sample was collected from the column of the water tank by keeping the bottle in an invert position and sinking into the tank water by hand and turns upright when it was in the mid-level of the tank. The second sample was collected from the outlet pipe of the water spinach bed using another bottle. After collection of the samples, they were brought to the Humboldt Soil Testing Laboratory at BAU. Dissolved oxygen was measured at 9 am by DO meter. At first, the DO meter was turned on and the probe of the DO meter was sunk into the tank water by using hand and kept for some time. In that time increasing or decreasing of reading of dissolved oxygen was carefully observed. Then DO meter was raised from the tank and the reading was recorded. The unit of dissolved oxygen measurement was parts per million (ppm). The temperature was measured regularly at 9:00 AM. A thermometer was used to measure the water temperature of the tank. At first, the thermometer was turned on. Then the probe of it was sinking into the tank water by using hand and kept it for some time. Then the thermometer reading was recorded. The unit of temperature measurement was degree Celsius (^°C). After using the thermometer it was turned off and extra water was removed by the tissue and kept for further use. pH was measured by using a pH meter. At first pH meter was turned on. Then the probe of it was sinking into the tank water by the hand and kept it for some time. In that time increasing or decreasing of reading of pH was carefully observed. After some time a beep signal was given by the pH meter then the movement of the pH meter reading was stopped. Then pH meter was raised from the tank and the reading was recorded carefully. After using the pH meter it was turned off and the extra water on the pH meter was removed by the tissue and kept in a safe place. The data entry was done in “Microsoft Excel 2007”. Collected data were summarized carefully before the final tabulation. Preliminary data were transferred into a master sheet and prepared tables and figures to show the findings of the experiment. After completion of the data entry in “Microsoft Excel 2007,” it was used to perform descriptive statistical analysis of data. M-Stat was also used to calculate the significance level of the three treatments data.

Source of Information: International Journal of Natural and Social Sciences, 2018, 5(1): 15-24

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Achievement/Findings:

The higher amount of EC, P, K, S, Na, CO₃, and Total-N in influent water than effluent indicates bacterial activity in the media and roots of plants, ultimately proper utilization of fish wastes by the water spinach. The whole aquaponics system worked at the desired level, and this could be a part of sustainable agricultural production in Bangladesh.

Knowledge Management: Journal