• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.293-305
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• 2020

This experiment was aimed to identify concentrations of mineral nutrients in leaf lettuce (Lactuca sativa) grown on hydroball aquaponics and in the water for growing fish by conducting two experiments. The experiment I (Expt. I) was conducted with 12 fishes (F12) with and without filter, hydroball and plants (H12 (12 fishes, hydroball), FHP12 (12 fishes, filter, hydroball, 6 plants) and HP12 (12 fishes, hydroball, 6 plants)), and the experiment II (Expt. II) was with and without plants (FH15 (15 fishes, filter, hydroball), FHP15 (15 fishes, filter, hydroball, 6 plants)). The pH level in the water of all the treatments was decreased during the growing period, and the pH and EC of the water were lower in all the treatment with plants than those without plants in both Expt. I and Expt. II. When compared with adequate nutrient concentrations for hydroponics, nitrate nitrogen (NO₃-N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations in the fish growing water were higher under the FHP15 treatment in Expt. II; however, potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) were only 16, 49, and 82% of hydroponics, representatively, and iron (Fe) was not detected. The fresh weight of lettuce harvested from the FHP15 treatment was 38 g, only a 30% of marketable lettuce yield. The T-N and P contents of the leaf tissue grown under the FHP15 treatment were close to the optimal level; however, the K, Ca, and iron (Fe) contents were less than the optimal with no deficiency symptom.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.26 no.8
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• pp.500-513
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• 2023

The effects of prolonged photoperiod (additional night lighting) were investigated on the production of Ocimum basilicum (lemon basil) and fish/crayfish raised in a nutrient film technique aquaponic system. Hybrid lemon fin barb and red claw crayfish juveniles were co-cultured with O. basilicum and subjected to 12 h of ambient natural daylight and additional 0, 4, 8, and 12 h of night lighting for 14 weeks (two batches of 7 weeks each). The water quality parameters and the performance characteristics of the fish/crayfish/plant were evaluated, and the nutri- ent uptake (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) in the system by the three organisms was also measured. The fish growth performance showed no significant differences (p > 0.05) in all the growth parameters measured across the treatments. The body proximate and nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium (NPK) composition of the fish and crayfish were not significantly (p > 0.05) different across the treatments. Similarly, there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in the NPK uptake by the fish and crayfish across the treatments. The plant growth performance showed that there were no significant (p > 0.05) differences in the plant growth parameters measured, except for % plant height gained in the 12 h-light treatment (403.2 ± 26.0%) which was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than other treatments and cycles. Hence, this study demonstrat- ed that varying supplementary night lighting has no significant effect on the growth performance of O. basilicum, hybrid lemon fin barb, and red claw crayfish. This study, therefore, suggests that supplementary night lighting should not be considered for O. basilicum production as it does not significantly improve the performance characteristics of the plant nor the fish co-cultured with it in a polyculture aquaponic system.