• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.122-131
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• 2023

This study was aimed to determine the effects of grow media on the mineral contents of the leaves and growth characteristics of strawberry grown under aquaponics system in a plant factory. For aquaculture, 12 fish (Cyprinus carpio) (total weight, 2.0 kg) were raised in an aquaponics tank (W 0.7 m × L 1.5 m × H 0.45 m, 472.5 L) filled with 367.5 L of water at a density of 5.44 kg·m^-3 and total 34 of strawberry seedlings were transplanted in the pots filed with 200 g of orchid stone, hydroball or polyurethane sponge in the growing bed (W 0.7 m × L 1.5 m × H 0.22 m) laid out with holly acrylic sheet (140×60 mm, Ø80) on the top of the system. The pH and EC of the aquaponic solution was ranged from 7.6 to 4.9 and 0.24-0.91 dS·m^-1, respectively. The concentration of NO_3-N was about 28% lower than that of the hydroponic standard solution, and K, Fe and B were 10, 27 and 3.8 times lower, respectively; however, the mineral contents of strawberry leaves were in the appropriate ranges with lower contents in the leaves grown with sponge media. The organic content (OM), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) of the sludge were 61.5, 5.72, 8.92, and 0.24%, respectively. The leaf area, leaf number, and dry and fresh weights of shoot at 81 DAT were significantly higher in the hydroball, and the average number of fruits per plant was significantly higher in both the orchid stone and hydroball. There was no significant difference in the fresh and dry weights of fruits. Integrated all the results suggest that the orchid stone and hydroball media are more effective to utilize nutrients in solid particles of aquaponic solution, compared to the polyurethane sponge.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.55-62
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• 2024

This study aimed to compare the nutrient uptake rate, growth and yield of strawberry grown under the aquaponic and hydroponic systems in a plant factory. For aquaculture, 12 of fish (Cyprinus carpio cv. Koi) were raised in an aquaponics tank (W 0.7 m × L 1.5 m × H 0.45 m, 472.5 L) filled with 367.5L of water at a density of 5.44 kg·m^-3. The 30 seedlings of strawberry were planted in ports filled with perlite substrate and then were placed on the bed (W 0.7 m × L 1.5 m × H 0.22 m) at the top of the aquaponics system, and the 30 seedlings were planted in net-pots and then placed on the holes of acrylic plates (140 cm × 60 cm, Ø80 mm) on the bed (W 0.7 m × L 1.5 m × H 0.22 m) at the deep flow technique (DFT)- hydroponics. The pH and EC of the aquaponic solution was ranged from 4.3 to 6.9 and 0.32 to 1.14 dS·m^-1, respectively, while those of hydroponics were ranged from 5.1 to 7.5 and 1.0-1.8 dS·m^-1, respectively. The NO₃-N and NH₄-N concentration of the aquaponic solution were higher about 3.6 and 2.2 me·L^-1 than those of the standard hydroponic solution for strawberry cultivation. The P, Ca, Mg, and S ions in the aquaponic solution were also higher about 0.76, 3.1, 0.8, and 0.9 me·L^-1 than those of standard hydroponic solution, respectively, while the K and Fe were lower about 0.8 me·L^-1 and 0.5 mg·L^-1, respectively. The mineral contents of the strawberry leaves grown on aquaponics did not differ from that of hydroponics, and K content in the leaves were in an appropriate range. Uptake rates of T-N and P between the 58 and 98 days after transplant (DAT) were 1.5 and 1.9-fold higher in the aquaponics than those of hydroponics, respectively with no significant difference in the uptake rate of K. The crown diameter, plant height, and leaf length and width in the 98 DAT were significantly higher in aquaponics. The number of fruits per plant was significantly higher in aquaponics than those in hydroponics, and the fresh and dry weights of fruit and length and width of fruit were significantly higher in hydroponics. The results suggest that plants in aquaponics continuously utilize fertilizer components of solid particles from fish and feed wastes.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.195-207
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• 2000

Organic and inorganic characteristics including bacterial cell number, enzyme activity, nutrients, and heavy metals have been monitored in twelve acrylic experimental tanks for two weeks to estimate and compare self-purification capacities in two Korean wet-land environments, tidal flat and rice field, which are possibly different with the environments in other countries because of their own climatic conditions. FW tanks, filled with rice field soils and fresh water, consist of FW1&2 (with paddy), FW3&4 (without paddy), and FW5&6 (newly reclaimed, without paddy). SW tanks, filled with tidal flat sediments and salt water, are SW1&2 (with anoxic silty mud), SW3&4 (anoxic mud), and SW5&6 (suboxic mud). Contaminated solution, which is formulated with the salts of Cu, Cd, As, Cr, Pb, Hg, and glucose+glutamic acid, was spiked into the supernatent waters in the tanks. Nitrate concentrations in supernatent waters as well as bacterial cell numbers and enzyme activities of soils in the FW tanks (except FW5&6) are clearly higher than those in the SW tanks. Phosphate concentrations in the SW1 tank increase highly with time compared to those in the other SW tanks. Removal rates of Cu, Cd, and As in supematent waters of the FW5&6 tanks are most slow in the FW tanks, while the rates in SW1&2 are most fast in the SW tanks. The rate for Pb in the SW1&2 tanks is most fast in the SW tanks, and the rate for Hg in the FW5&6 tanks is most slow in the FW tanks. Cr concentrations decrease generally with time in the FW tanks. In the SW tanks, however, the Cr concentrations decrease rapidly at first, then increase, and then remain nearly constant. These results imply that labile organic materials are depleted in the FW5&6 tanks compared to the FW1&2 and FW3&4 tanks. Removal of Cu, Cd, As from the supernatent waters as well as slow removal rates of the elements (including Hg) are likely due to the combining of the elements with organic ligands on the suspended particles and subsequent removal to the bottom sediments. Fast removal rates of the metal ions (Cu, Cd, As) and rapid increase of phosphate concentrations in the SW1&2 tanks are possibly due to the relatively porous anoxic sediments in the SW1&2 tanks compared to those in the SW3&4 tanks, efficient supply of phosphate and hydrogen sulfide ions in pore wates to the upper water body, complexing of the metal ions with the sulfide ions, and subsequent removal to the bottom sediments. Organic materials on the particles and sulfide ions from the pore waters are the major factors constraining the behaviors of organic/inorganic elements in the supernatent waters of the experimental tanks. This study needs more consideration on more diverse organic and inorganic elements and experimental conditions such as tidal action, temperature variation, activities of benthic animals, etc.