Preliminary study on the impact of mussel integration on qualitative changes of water in an aquaponic system

Batuhan Kapucuoğlu; Gökhan Tunçelli; Devrim Memiş

doi:10.3153/AR25024

EN

Preliminary study on the impact of mussel integration on qualitative changes of water in an aquaponic system

Abstract

Freshwater resource sustainability is a growing concern in modern agriculture. Aquaponic systems, which integrate fish farming and soilless plant cultivation, offer a promising solution by enabling nutrient recycling within a closed water loop. However, the accumulation of organic waste and suspended solids can challenge system stability and water quality. This study investigates the potential of the freshwater mussel Unio crassus as a biological filter to enhance organic waste removal and water purification in aquaponic systems. Two system configurations were tested: the Media Bed System and the Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) system, each receiving identical daily tilapia effluent dosing, and containing identical plant cohorts (lettuce and collard greens) and U. crassus mussels. Over 30 days, key water quality parameters—total suspended solids (TSS), dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, and ammonia (NH₃)—were monitored, alongside plant biomass development. Results indicated that while the media bed system achieved significantly lower TSS concentrations (14.2 ± 2.1 mg L⁻¹), the NFT system maintained higher DO levels (5.8 ± 0.6 mg L⁻¹) and supported greater plant growth. Localised zones of improved clarity were observed near mussel clusters; however, quantitative mussel-specific contributions were not measured. Within this scope, integrating U. crassus may offer ecological value while warranting controlled, quantitative verification. Moreover, this approach may contribute to species conservation through practical ex situ applications. The study highlights the potential of hybrid aquaponic systems utilising both design types and nature-based filtration for sustainable food production.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

This work was supported by the Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit of Istanbul University. Project number FLO-2022-38607.

Project Number

FLO-2022-38607

Ethical Statement

Ethical committee approval was not required for this study as it utilized only aquaculture wastewater and invertebrate species (Unio crassus), with no direct experimentation on vertebrate animals.

Thanks

The authors thank the Limnology Lab of Istanbul University Faculty of Aquatic Sciences for water quality analysis.

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Wastewater Treatment Processes , Water Treatment Processes , Shellfish Culture , Water Invertebrates , Aquaculture

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Batuhan Kapucuoğlu
0009-0004-0519-0867
Türkiye

Gökhan Tunçelli ^*
0000-0003-1708-7272
Türkiye

Devrim Memiş
0000-0001-7378-0165
Türkiye

Early Pub Date

October 8, 2025

Publication Date

October 21, 2025

Submission Date

July 16, 2025

Acceptance Date

September 28, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 8 Number: 4

DOI

https://doi.org/10.3153/AR25024

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA29PB46DJ

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Kapucuoğlu, B., Tunçelli, G., & Memiş, D. (2025). Preliminary study on the impact of mussel integration on qualitative changes of water in an aquaponic system. Aquatic Research, 8(4), 243-252. https://doi.org/10.3153/AR25024

Öz

Preliminary study on the impact of mussel integration on qualitative changes of water in an aquaponic system

Abstract

Keywords

Supporting Institution

Project Number

Ethical Statement

Thanks

References

Details

Primary Language

Subjects

Journal Section

Authors

Early Pub Date

Publication Date

Submission Date

Acceptance Date

Published in Issue

DOI

IZ

Cite