Aquaponics ladder system: case study

Abstract

The growing increase in the world population and the need to meet all nutritional demand requires the development of new food production techniques. Thus, comes aquaponia, which integrates fish cultivation and hydroponic agriculture, promoting a sustainable system of producing safe food and conservation of water resources. The system is based on the recirculation of water between crops, using fish production substrates for vegetable growth, avoiding the accumulation of toxic ammonia excreted by animals in water, enabling aerobic conversion through the action of microorganisms, consequently absorbed by plant roots, helping their growth. This work accompanied the quality of water and the productive performance of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) created in an aquaponic system in stairs, intercropmed with Lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. crispa). The results were compared with those recommended in the literature and exceeded the expectation of growth and weight gain of fish with initial biomass of 1,500g/m3 and final biomass of 9,856g/m3, with the initial average weight of 50g and final weight of 352g, with average feed intake 945g/fish and 2.68 feed. It was observed that the parameters of water quality during the period of beginning and multiplication of the action of ammonia nitrir bacteria presented variations, which may be related to the percentage of 11.12% of fingerling mortality. After this period the results obtained were satisfactory and corresponded to the expected proving that the aquaponicsystem on stairs presents several benefits and requires technical knowledge for satisfactory results, being a viable alternative for cultivation and management of aquaponics in Brazil.esumo em inglês. A palavra abstract em maiúsculo e negrito.