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
23.03.2016 © 2009 UNIVERSITÄT ROSTOCK 10
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
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