title: Model of an aquaponic system for minimised water, energy and nitrogen requirements.
abstract: Water and nutrient savings can be established by coupling water streams between interacting processes. Wastewater from production processes contains nutrients like nitrogen (N), which can and should be recycled in order to meet future regulatory discharge demands. Optimisation of interacting water systems is a complex task. An effective way of understanding, analysing and optimising such systems is by applying mathematical models. The present modelling work aims at supporting the design of a nearly emission-free aquaculture and hydroponic system (aquaponics), thus contributing to sustainable production and to food security for the 21st century. Based on the model, a system that couples 40 m(3) fish tanks and a hydroponic system of 1,000 m(2) can produce 5 tons of tilapia and 75 tons of tomato yearly. The system requires energy to condense and recover evaporated water, for lighting and heating, adding up to 1.3 GJ/m(2) every year. In the suggested configuration, the fish can provide about 26% of the N required in a plant cycle. A coupling strategy that sends water from the fish to the plants in amounts proportional to the fish feed input, reduces the standard deviation of the NO3(-) level in the fish cycle by 35%.
authors.affiliation: Agrotechnology and Food Sciences Group, Biobased Chemistry and Technology (BCT), Wageningen University, PO Box 17, Wageningen 6700 AA, The Netherlands E-mail: daniel.reyeslastiri@wur.nl.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Reyes Lastiri
authors.affiliation: Agrotechnology and Food Sciences Group, Biobased Chemistry and Technology (BCT), Wageningen University, PO Box 17, Wageningen 6700 AA, The Netherlands E-mail: daniel.reyeslastiri@wur.nl.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Slinkert
authors.affiliation: Agrotechnology and Food Sciences Group, Biobased Chemistry and Technology (BCT), Wageningen University, PO Box 17, Wageningen 6700 AA, The Netherlands E-mail: daniel.reyeslastiri@wur.nl.
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Cappon
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Ecology of Fishes, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin 12561, Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Baganz
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Ecology of Fishes, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin 12561, Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Staaks
authors.affiliation: Agrotechnology and Food Sciences Group, Biobased Chemistry and Technology (BCT), Wageningen University, PO Box 17, Wageningen 6700 AA, The Netherlands E-mail: daniel.reyeslastiri@wur.nl.
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Keesman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017756:Aquaculture; D018527:Hydroponics; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D059027:Recycling; D017210:Tilapia / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D062065:Wastewater / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D009584:Nitrogen; D062065:Wastewater