Aquaponic production of Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica) in Bangladesh

Abstract

The experiment was conducted to assess the water spinach production in aquaponic system using two different media for a period of 90 days. Only brick lets was used as media in treatment T₁, whereas in treatment T₂ media had mixture of brick lets and used tea leaves. Six 20 liter plastic containers and a 750 L water tank were used for vegetable bed and fish rearing respectively. Fish and water spinach were sampled fortnightly. The highest average plant height, weight and number of leaves recorded in T₁ were 35.96 ± 4.75 cm, 59.09 + 23.85 g and 93.90 + 38.52, respectively. Total production of water spinach in T₁ and T₂ was 1.26 and 0.98 kg, respectively. At the end of the experiment, % length and weight gain was 33.81 and 174.06, the survival rate and FCR was found to be 98.33% and 1.56, respectively. The total production of fish was 29.44 tons/ha/90 days. The system produced higher amount of fish as well as vegetable with minimum water use having no environmental pollution. The system efficiently utilized fish waste in plant production through a symbiotic relationship between the fish and plants. Therefore, the system could be installed in high density city areas to produce fish and vegetable from the rooftop and backyard to address the environmental problems.

Res. Agric., Livest. Fish.5(1): 93-106, April 2018