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Does iAVs need supplementary nutrients added?
Due to some recent comments I read online I thought I would leave this here as an open ended question for some feedback….as Pink Floyd once said, “Is there anybody out there?”
Let’s hear your thoughts…
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5 Replies
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Yes it does require the usual addition of base minerals because they are not available in the components used in a recirculating farming system, and what may be available is quickly taken up by the first crop. Sand help replenish some of them, but it is not always enough..By base minerals, I am referring to magnesium, potassium, iron ect.
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Based on available scientific research, Integrated Aqua-Vegeculture Systems (iAVs) usually don’t need extra nutrients. Here’s why:
Scientific Research
Studies show that iAVs can sustain itself without needing additional nutrients. Research published in credible journals indicates that the feed and waste from fish provide enough nutrition for plants to grow well in properly managed iAVs systems. It has been found that iAVs makes good use of the nutrients in fish waste to help plants thrive, without needing to add more nutrients. The system naturally balances nutrient levels through the actions of microbes and plants.
System Design
The sand used in iAVs helps hold and break down nutrients from fish waste, making them accessible to plants. This feature allows for good nutrient recycling within the system.
Real-World Experience
Many users have successfully operated iAVs systems for years (some up to 5 years) without adding any extra nutrients. The ability of iAVs to recycle nutrients sets it apart from other aquaponic methods, making it a more sustainable choice.
In summary, when designed and managed properly, iAVs generally does not require additional nutrients. Both scientific research and user experiences show that fish feed and waste provide enough nutrition for plants in iAVs.
Next, I’ll briefly review some studies on iAVs.
The first study is titled “Water Quality Maintenance and Mineral Assimilation by Plants Influence Growth of Hybrid Tilapia in Culture with Vegetable Crops.”
This study explains that the fish were fed a diet with at least 32% crude protein, without added vitamins or minerals. Still, the fish grew well and the plants showed no signs of nutrient deficiencies, indicating that the fish feed alone provided enough nutrition.
Fish waste contains important minerals for plants. As the fish eat, they produce waste rich in nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and other essential minerals. The sand growing medium collects and processes these nutrients for the plants to use.
The study also showed that both plant yields and fish growth remained strong over a long time without any additional nutrients.
In conclusion, “Water Quality Maintenance and Mineral Assimilation by Plants Influence Growth of Hybrid Tilapia in Culture with Vegetable Crops” provides solid evidence that well-designed iAVs do not need extra nutrients. The fish feed and waste are enough for healthy plant growth.
The idea that iAVs need additional fertilizers isn’t backed up by scientific findings.
Data from thorough studies clearly shows that iAVs can operate independently without needing extra nutrients. Claims suggesting that fertilizers are necessary often come from individual experiences or beliefs, not from controlled studies or proven facts.
On the other hand, iAVs has been extensively researched using scientific methods. Published studies consistently demonstrate that fish feed and waste alone can support healthy plant growth in well-managed iAVs systems.
As the only aquaponics method supported by repeatable trials and scientific evidence, iAVs stands out for its ability to integrate fish and vegetable farming successfully without needing extra inputs, unlike other methods and unsupported claims.
Conclusions about iAVs should come from solid data, not personal stories or opinions that lack scientific support.
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TL;DR: Integrated Aqua-Vegeculture Systems (iAVs) typically do not require additional nutrients because they efficiently utilize the nutrients from fish waste, which are processed and made available to plants through the sand medium. Scientific research and user experiences support this, showing that well-designed and managed iAVs systems can sustain themselves without extra nutrients.
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This reply was modified 4 months, 2 weeks ago by Admin.
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This reply was modified 4 months, 2 weeks ago by
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The second paper I will be reviewing is titled ‘Yield of Tomato Irrigated with Recirculating Aquaculture Water as Influenced by Quantity of Fish Waste Products Supplied‘.
This study demonstrates that the nutrients necessary for plant growth can be adequately supplied by the fish waste products in a recirculating aquaculture system without the need for additional supplementation of base minerals.
Specifically, the study noted that “All water quality variables were maintained within acceptable levels for tilapia by circulation through the biofilters,” and “Nitrogenous compounds, which frequently limit fish production in other recirculatory water systems, did not reach toxic levels and were extracted by the plants” . This indicates that the system was effective in recycling nutrients from fish waste for plant use, negating the need for external nutrient supplementation.
The study highlighted that plants assimilated an increasing percentage of the nutrient input with increasing biofilter volume (BFV), corroborated by lower nutrient concentrations in the water with increasing BFV. This suggests that the system’s design allows for efficient nutrient uptake by plants directly from the fish waste, without the necessity for additional mineral inputs.
The sand medium and system design are such that they enable the complete assimilation of nutrients by plants, making external supplementation unnecessary under normal operating conditions.
In conclusion, the claim that iAVs requires the addition of base minerals due to their absence in the system components or rapid uptake by plants is contradicted by scientific evidence.
The study by McMurtry et al. demonstrates that iAVs can efficiently recycle nutrients from fish waste, providing sufficient mineral content for plant growth without the need for external nutrient supplementation
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The third paper I will review is titled ‘Mineral Nutrient Concentration and Uptake of Tomato Irrigated with Recirculating Aquaculture Water as Influenced by Quantity of Fish Waste Products Supplied‘.
This study demonstrates that the Integrated AquaVegeculture System (iAVs) can provide sufficient nutrients for plant growth without the need for additional supplementation of base minerals.
The study found that all nutrients were assimilated above deficiency levels, with tissue concentrations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and magnesium (Mg) not being limiting. Although calcium (Ca) was found to be low and sulfur (S) was high when their sole nutrient source was fish waste, micronutrients were assimilated in excess of sufficiency, and toxicity was not observed. This indicates that the nutrient profile provided by the fish waste in the iAVs system is largely adequate for plant growth.
Furthermore, the study suggests that alterations in fish feed mineral nutrient content could better meet plant requirements while still remaining within the range of fish needs, rather than adding supplementary nutrients directly to the system. For example, the fish feed formulation employed in the study was found to be relatively low in calcium (Ca) for supporting plant growth, suggesting that the Ca component of the fish feed might be increased to mitigate deficiencies in tomato crops irrigated with recirculatory aquaculture water. This approach maintains the closed-loop nature of the iAVs system, leveraging adjustments in fish feed composition to balance nutrient availability for plants, rather than relying on external nutrient inputs.
In summary, the iAVs system, as evidenced by the research, does not require the usual addition of base minerals like magnesium, potassium, iron, etc., because the system inherently provides a balanced nutrient profile.
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The fourth paper I will review is titled ‘<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; color: var(–bb-body-text-color);”>Food Value, Water Use Efficiency and Economic Productivity of an Integrated Aquaculture-Olericulture System as Influenced by Component Ratio‘.
The study demonstrates that iAVs efficiently utilizes the nutrients available from fish waste to support plant growth without the need for additional supplementation.
The iAVs method has been shown to maintain adequate levels of aqueous nitrate concentrations through microbial conversions and plant assimilation of nitrogenous compounds, which are critical for plant growth. This indicates that the system can self-regulate the availability of essential nutrients within the recirculating water, relying on the natural processes of biofiltration and plant uptake.
The scientific evidence from the study clearly indicates that iAVs does not require the addition of base minerals or other supplementary nutrients, as the system inherently provides a balanced nutrient profile through the recycling of fish waste. This contradicts the incorrect assertion that iAVs requires usual supplementation of base minerals due to their unavailability or rapid uptake by plants.
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