Tomato Production Using Recirculation Aquaponics System.

The aquaponics recirculation production systems are an alternative for the sustainable management of water and also allow to provide good quality products: fish and plant. The objective of this research was to use the residual water of the aquaculture system to produce tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) fruit as well as to determine quality characteristics of water for the optimal development of tilapia and tomato. Twenty tilapia fish (Oreochromis niloticus) were grown in each one of the four containers. Fish of different weights (60-100, 100-150, 150-200, and 200-250 grams)  were used. Fifty four plants of tomato were distributed in growing beds. The concentrations of NH⁴⁺ and NO^3- in the fish containers varied from 1.6 to 103.5 mg L^-1, while the pH fell from 9 to 6.8. On the other hand, the average concentration of dissolved oxygen was 5.3 mg L^-1. According to the results, the average weight gain for fish was 40 g, maximum temperature was 27.2 ˚C while the minimum was 22.1 ˚C. The nitrification process was carried out correctly since NH⁴⁺ concentration decreased by 59% at the entrance of the growing beds. In the growing beds the NO^3- was 125 mg L^-1. The nitrogen concentration in plant leaf tissue from aquaponics and hydroponics showed no significant differences.