Abstract
Aquaponics is a closed-loop, recirculating fresh water system in which plants and fish grow together symbiotically. Aquaponics resembles a natural river or lake basin in which fish waste serves as nutrients for the plants, which in turn clean the water for the fish. Tilapia and salad greens or herbs are common fish and plants grown in an aquaponics system. The external inputs to an aquaponics system are fish food, a minimal volume of replacement water, and energy for lighting and heating the water. Aquaponics is particularly suited to arid climates because it uses much less water to grow plants than soil-based systems. In fact, the only water that is lost from an aquaponics systems is by evaporation and transpiration from the plants.
The relationship between the amount of external energy (fish food plus energy for light and heat) to the output (weight of fish and plants) has not been well quantified for aquaponics units in temperate climates. The need to quantify the relationship between inputs-outputs presents opportunities for research projects for undergraduate engineering students in mechanical, electrical, and civil and environmental Engineering. The following are examples:
Sensors: What types of sensors are ideal to measure air and water temperature, water pH, dissolved O2, and nitrogen species?
Thermodynamics: What type of water heating system is most efficient for maintaining desirable water and air temperature?
Water Quality: What are the optimal methods to filter out the solid fish waste (feces), maintain a biologically active filter environment, and control nutrients in the system to enable healthy growth of fish and plants?