• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.482-495
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• 2019

This study compared the productivity of fish and vegetables grown using the hybrid biofloc technology-aquaponics (HBFT-AP), a semi-recirculating aquaculture system (SRAS), and hydroponics (HP). For the study of fish productivity (HBFT-AP vs. SRAS), fish were provided feed containing 3.0% monobasic potassium phosphate (MKP) for 18 weeks. After the 18-week feeding trial, the average weight of the sampled population (n=100) was not significantly different (P>0.05), while hematocrit (PCV, %), hemoglobin (Hb, g/dL), and plasma K (mEq/L) were significantly different (P<0.05) between the two groups (HBFT-AP: 47.83%, 15.48 g/dL, and 1.39 mEq/L; SRAS 34.83%, 11.81 g/dL, and 2.48 mEq/L). Leaf vegetable productivity (HBFT-AP vs. HP) was compared in three experiments (EXP 1-3), and slower growth was observed in both groups in EXP 2, in which pH was maintained at 5.0 or less throughout the experiment. During the 18-week feeding trial, total ammonia nitrogen (TAN), $NO_3-N$, and $PO_4-P$ levels increased with time in the HBFT-AP system, while the concentration of $NO_2-N$ remained below 0.1 mg/L throughout the study.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.260-275
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• 2021

Aquaponics is a cultivation system that combines aquaculture and agricultural hydroponics. This study investigated the productivity of leafy vegetables cultivated in the hybrid biofloc technology-aquaponics (HBFT-AP) using Japanese eel fed two kinds of diets (Mash, commercial powdered feed and extruded pellet [EP]) and hydroponics (HP).The mash was fed to the fish in a type of a dough mixed with water for 6 weeks (Exp1) and switched to the EP containing 2.7% monobasic potassium phosphate (MKP) for subsequent 6 weeks (Exp2). Leafy vegetables of 8 cultivar were employed in the experiment and water quality [dissolved oxygen (DO, mg/L), pH, water temperature (℃), electrical conductivity (EC; ㎲/cm), turbidity (NTU), TAN (NH₃ + NH₄⁺) (mg /L), NO₂-N (mg/L), NO₃-N (mg/L) and PO₄-P (mg/L)] was measured 6 times a week. Leafy vegetable productivity (HBFT-AP vs HP) was compared in respective experiment, which was similar or somewhat higher in HBFT-AP. During the 12-week feeding trial, concentrations of nitrite (NO₂-N) and phosphorus (PO₄-P) were kept low in variability while total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) and NO₃-N levels increased with time in HBFT-AP. At the end of two feeding trials, values of weight gain (WG, %), feed efficiency (FE, %), specific growth rate (SGR, %) and protein efficiency ratio (PER) were higher in Exp2 than in Exp1. As well, higher values in hematocrit (PCV, %), plasma K (mEq/L) and inorganic phosphorus (mg/dL) were found (p < 0.05) in Exp2 where fish were fed the EP (EP: 38.60%, 2.80 mEq/L and 7.04 g/dL; Mash: 33.20%, 1.95 mEq/L and 5.50 g/dL). Leafy vegetables in HBFT-AP using Japanese eel fed the EP with MKP 2.7% had a productivity similar (4 kinds of cultivar) or somewhat higher (4 kinds of cultivar) compared to those in HP. Also, Japanese eel fed the EP showed higher values of Pi (m/dL) and K (mEq/L) in plasma compared to those fed commercial powder diet.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.606-619
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• 2020

This study investigated the effects of crude protein levels in diets containing monobasic potassium phosphate (MKP) on water quality and the growth of Japanese eels Anguilla japonica and leafy vegetables in a Hybrid BFT-Aquaponics (HBFT-AP) system. The first experiment (EXP1) was designed to verify the effects of the feed itself on leafy vegetable productivity using two diets (CP48 and CP30) with MKP and one commercial eel diet (COM58). The second experiment (EXP2) examined the effects of the three diets on productivity of the fish and leafy vegetables in the HBFT-AP for 6 weeks. After the 6 week feeding trial, the weight gain, feed efficiency, specific growth rate and protein efficiency ratio of fish fed COM58 and CP48 were higher than those of fish fed CP30 (P<0.05) and the growth of the four leafy vegetables was the highest with fish fed CP48. Water quality was measured six times per week using a portable water quality meter and reagent measurements and showed variance with time for TAN (0.01-0.09 mg/L), NO₂-N (0.010-0.064 mg/L), NO₃-N (5.52-27.15 mg/L), PO₄-P (2.03-5.32 mg/L) and pH (7.86-6.15).