Examining Total Nitrogen and Phosphorus Levels Found in Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) Waste Water and Comparing the Effects of Tomato Seedling Growth Under Fish Waste Water Versus Various Commercial Fertilizer Treatments.

Examining total nitrogen and phosphorus levels found in Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) waste water and comparing the effects of tomato seedling growth under fish waste water versus various commercial fertilizer treatments Erik Halverson, Richard Mahoney, Robert Michitsch Due to nutrient levels in fish waste water such as nitrogen and phosphorus, it can be used as a potential soil amendment to fertilize plants. The effects of fish waste water on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) growth was examined in an eight week experiment at the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point. Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) fish waste was siphoned from acetylene tanks in the UW-Stevens Point aquaculture lab and stored in a cool environment prior to the start of the experiment. Tomatoes were planted in pots and grouped into five different treatments with five pots per treatment: Group 1 (tap water), (group 2 fish waste water), and group 3 (20-20-20 NPK commercial fertilizer balanced for nitrogen), group 4 (20-20-20 NPK commercial fertilizer balanced for phosphorus), group 5 (20-20-20 NPK commercial fertilizer balanced for nitrogen and phosphorus). Upon harvesting the tomato plants, physical measurements (eg height, dry weight, yield, etc.) of each plant were conducted and were analyzed for N, P, and K contents for the dried tomato plant tissues as well as soil samples from each pot.