Solar Powered Smart Aquaponics System
Introduction/Rationale
With the fast pace of today’s rapidly evolving tech world, “smart-technology” implies both the device and network connectivity. The term “smart” originally comes from the acronym “Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology”. Smart Technologies allow sensors, databases, and wireless access to collaboratively sense, adapt, and provide information for users within the environment.[1]
Aquaponics is a soil-less farming method that integrates growing of plants in hydroponic beds and fish in aquaculture tanks. In this system, ammonia rich fish wastes from the aquaculture tanks are pumped to the hydroponic beds. These fish wastes are converted by living bacteria in the beds into organic fertilizers needed for growing plants. In return, the plant roots filters and treats the water for habitation of the fishes, which is then recycled back into the aquaculture tanks. Aquaponics system allows plants and fish to co-exist in a symbiotic environment that promotes sustainability in agriculture and fisheries.[2]
Solar energy is a renewable free source of energy that is sustainable and totally inexhaustible, unlike fossil fuels that are finite. It is also a non-polluting source of energy and it does not emit any greenhouse gases when producing electricity.[3]
Solar power is ideally can be used in Philippines due to location factor and also give the benefit to the environment as renewable energy. This type of renewable technology will power our proposed aquaponics system.
Aquaculture contributes significantly to the country’s food security, employment and foreign exchange earnings. Aquaculture is growing much faster than capture fisheries. However, the global position of the Philippines in aquaculture production has fallen steadily from 4th place in 1985 to 12th place today. The Philippines now contributes only a little over one percent of global farmed fish production compared to five percent previously.[4]
Agriculture and Fisheries Department are the two flagship programs for Research and Development and with the aforementioned technologies and based on the current state of our aquaculture here in the Philippines, the researchers will propose to design a cost-effective, renewable and smart aquaponics system.
Objectives
The main objective of the study is to design, develop and implement a Solar-powered Smart Aquaponics System.
Specifically, it aims to:
System based objectives
- To design a sustainable and cost effective aquaponics system.
- To integrate optimized electronic components into an existing design.
- To monitor water temperature (cooling and heating systems)
- To monitor pH level
- To monitor water level
- To monitor soil moisture
Research based Objective
Specifically, the study aimed to evaluate the Solar-powered Smart Aquaponics System in terms of functionality, reliability, usability, and efficiency based on McCall’s Software Quality Model. Moreover, this project aimed to determine the level of satisfaction on the end-users based on ISO/IEC 25010 Quality in use Model.
Methodology
System and Methodology
In every research conducted, researchers follow a particular methodology that would help in the development of the study. The researchers decided to use the Rapid Application Development (RAD) Methodology which according to Kenneth E. Kendall (2014), RAD is an object-oriented approach to systems development that includes a method of development as well as software tools. The researchers will use RAD so that changes can be made in the previous phases while doing on the current stage and that any additional requirements could be done in the next step. The researchers found RAD advantageous for their study for it could save time, cost, and effort.
References:
- What is Smart Technology? [Online]: Available: https://www.petra.com/blog/2018/11/20/what-is-smart-technology/ [Accessed: March 11, 2019]
- Diver and L. Rinehart, “Aquaphonics – Integration of Hydrophonics with Aquaculture,” NCAT, 2010.
- RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ALTERNATE ENERGY SOURCES [Online]: Available: https://www.energymatters.com.au/components/renewable-energy/ [Accessed: March 18, 2019]
- National Aquaculture Sector Overview of the Philippines [Online]:
Available: http://www.fao.org/fishery/countrysector/naso_philippines/en [Accessed: March 15, 2019] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapid_application_development
- http://www.sqa.net/softwarequalityattributes.html
- https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Model-for-quality-in-use-in-ISO-IEC-25010
Budgetary Requirement
| Items | Quantity | Price | Total |
| Arduino Mega 2560 R3-Main Board | 3 | 2600 | 7800 |
| Arduino Uno Rev3-Main Board | 3 | 1600 | 4800 |
| Bluetooth Module for Arduino | 4 | 1000 | 4000 |
| Liquid PH Value Detection Sensor Module Monitoring Control For Arduino BNC Electrode Probe |
3 | 1000 | 3000 |
| SIM900 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GPRS/GSM Development Board Module Kit For Arduino |
2 | 1200 | 2400 |
| 12V 100W Monocrystalline Flexible Solar Panel Portable | 2 | 7000 | 14000 |
| Solar Charger Controller 40A | 2 | 1200 | 2400 |
| 200W 12/24V Permanent Magnet Electric Motor Generator For Wind Turbine Windmill | 2 | 9000 | 18000 |
| Soil Moisture Sensor Detection Module Hygrometer for Arduino | 3 | 300 | 900 |
| Float Switch Plastic Water Level Control | 10 | 250 | 2500 |
| Solenoid Water Valve Plastic | 3 | 350 | 1050 |
| Rain Water Level Sensor Module Detection Liquid Surface | 5 | 110 | 550 |
| 100pcs Net Pots 3″ inch for Hydroponics or Aquaponics (Pack of 100) | 1 | 2500 | 2500 |
| Koi | 20 | 80 | 1600 |
| Red Tilapia (Freshwater) | 20 | 50 | 1000 |
| Automatic Water Pump Pressure Switch Electric Controller with Gauge Home Accessory | 2 | 2000 | 4000 |
| OutFlety 13 In 1 Fish Tank Filter Bio Balls Filter, High Performance Nitrifying Bacteria Ceramic Biofilter Media Bags for Aquarium | 5 | 600 | 3000 |
| 3 Way Air Flow Control Distributor Aquarium Lever Pump Valve | 2 | 200 | 400 |
| 2 meters long and wide 100cm about 24g / square glass fiber grid cloth | 100 | 500 | 50000 |
| Threaded Brass Fog Mist Nozzle Misting Fogging Spray Sprinkler Head 3/16” | 20 | 50 | 1000 |
| Chopped Strand Fiberglass Mat for Premix Polymer Resin 1kg | 10 | 250 | 2500 |
| Semiflex Resin Gallon w/Hardener pint | 10 | 1300 | 13000 |
| Ultra-quiet DC 12V 3M 240L/H Brushless Submersible Water Pump | 4 | 400 | 1600 |
| Circuit Breaker C65H-DC 2P 250V DC Solar Energy Air Switch Amps (16A) | 2 | 500 | 1000 |
| Total: | 143,000 | ||
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