Aquaponics, the bio-integration of recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) and hydroponic is an eco-friendly crop production system. The Aquaponics system maximizes the production using less water compared to the traditional practices for production of fish and plants separately. The early fry of Asian seabass Lates calcarifer (0.456±0.003 g) and post larvae of giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii (0.035±0.001 g) were cultured in Aquaponics System and one static water culture (contro) system. The Aquaponics system was consisted of three tanks (each 480 L) for the culture of fish/prawns and one filtration unit containing pebbles and broken earthen pots (30 cm) and plants viz., water spinach Ipomea aquatica and helancha Enhydra fluctuans. In the control system, three tanks (480 l each) were used for the culture of fish/prawns without plants and circulation of water. In the control system, 10% of water was replaced at weekly interval to maintain the water quality. Fish and prawns were fed with pelleted diet (protein 40%) ad libitum twice every day. The duration of culture was 90 days.
The final average weight of seabass was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in Aquaponics system compared to the static control system. Similarly, the average weight of prawn was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in the former system compared to the later. There was no significant (P > 0.05) difference in the moisture, protein, lipid and ash contents of seabass and prawns cultured in Aquaponics and static water systems. The amino acid composition study showed that all ten essential amino acids were present in the cultured seabass and prawns. Among essential amino acids, lysine was the dominant (19.62%) amino acid in seabass and leucine (18.17%) in prawns. The glutamic acid was the most dominant non-essential amino acid found in seabass and prawns. Among various fatty acids, n-6 polyunsaturated (n-6 PUFA) and saturated fatty (SFA) were maximum in seabass and prawns, respectively. There was 1260 L of extra water expenditure in the control system compared to the Aquaponics System due to replacement of 10% water at weekly intervals.