This paper evaluates the prospects for utilizing aquaculture effluents as a nutrient source in organic Hydroponic, as is the case in aquaponics. The development of organic Hydroponics is dependent on replacing synthetic fertilizers with organically derived nutrients, such as those found in aquaculture effluents. Also, in Hydroponic cultivation the establishment of a plant pathogen suppressive micro flora is part of the plant protection strategy. Therefore, both nutritional and microbial qualities of aquaculture water and organic Hydroponic nutri-ent solution were analyzed and compared. Results showed both aquaculture water and or-ganic Hydroponic solution to be deficient in a number of essential elements, although or-ganic Hydroponic solution was closer to recommendations.

The aim with this thesis is to make a comparison between forcing tulips in a Hydroponic system and the forcing off tulips that have been planted in soil. The results are mostly based on interviews with six Dutch and one Swedish tulip forcer and the managing director at the Horticultural Research Centre, Proeftuin Zwaagdijke, in the Netherlands. There are benefits and disadvantages with both methods. Tulip bulbs planted in soil seem to get a brighter colour after forcing, compared with those forced ?in water?.

Vi har under våren 2013 drivit ett fristående projekt för vårt examensarbete.Med inspiration från kommersiell livsmedelstillverkning och "Urban Gardening", konsten att odla utan jord, på limiterade ytor och med minimalt ljus ville vi skapa och utveckla en produkt riktad för det genomsnittliga hushållet och den gemene människan. Vi stöter på vårt problem i vardagen när vi lagar mat. Basilikan som hinner bli vissen tills nästa middag och rosmarinen som inte håller tills grillkvällen på fredag. Detta problem gav underlag för vår grundtanke som var att skapa en produkt som förlänger livstiden på färska kryddor, örter och plocksallat. Designad med fokus på hela produktcykeln, från inköp av material till återvinning formades en produkt helt olik från vad vi förväntat oss.

The aim of our research was to investigate if oat is capable of extracting cadmium to such extent that it is usable in decontaminating polluted soils. We grew oat in a Hydroponic culture during 28 days in a controlled environment and a total of 30 plants were used. The nutrient solutions were contaminated with cadmium of ten different concentrations after seven days. After harvesting the plants, the roots were separated from the shoots, placed in separate containers and then turned to ashes. The cadmium content was measured three times per sample in an atomic absorption spectrometer.Our results indicate that the ability of oat to extract cadmium from a solution is linearly dependent of the cadmium concentration of the solution.

This pilot study examined whether treatment with Vortex Process Technology (VPT) of the irrigation water used on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants had any effect on plant growth. In a block experiment, with two blocks comprising 12 vases containing 1 L water and two tomato plantlets, treatment in which, nutrient solution was based on Vortex-treated water was compared with an control using untreated water. All vases were kept in a static aerated culture system in a daylight chamber for four weeks. The results showed that the effect of the two blocks exceeded the effect of vortex treatment in terms of leaf area and weight of fresh and dry matter. Plant height, stem width and internodal length were significantly different in tomato plants grown in Vortex-processed water compared with the untreated control.

Städerna växer och samtidigt ökar efterfrågan på närodlade och ekologiska grödor. För att klara av att producera närodlat och mer hållbart skulle ett alternativ vara att odla i så kallade vertikala växthus. I Kiruna finns Sveriges största malmgruva som drivs av företaget LKAB vars olika processer leder till spillvärme. I Kiruna är klimatet kallt jämfört med större delen av Sverige och därför erfordras uppvärmning om odling ska kunna ske året runt i ett växthus. Examensarbetets uppgift är därför att undersöka hur man kan utnyttja spillvärme till ett vertikalt växthus i samband med en ny kontorsbyggnad på LKABs gruvområde.

Aquaponics is a food production system consisting of a consecutive cultivation of plants and aquatic animals, fish or shellfish, in recirculating water. The plants feed on the nutritious effluents from the fish tank and bacteria converts ammonia from the fish tank into nitrate that is absorbed by the plants. The plants receive nutrition and the fish gain purified water. The environmental impact of the production of fish meal and fish oil used in conventional fish feed includes a large consumption of fossil fuels with subsequent carbon dioxide emission. The aquaponic system can be made environmentally sustainable and self-supporting if supplemented with a vermicompost/vermiculture for the production of worm protein as a fish feed. Vegetable waste from the Hydroponic part of the system can be reused as worm feed in the compost and the protein rich worms can be harvested, dried and grinded and brought back to the aquaculture as fish feed. As a first step in this direction, I have investigated the effect of recycling of vegetable waste in vermicomposts on the growth and number of earthworms (this was evaluated after harvesting). The hypotheses were that earthworms can be cultivated in the vegetable waste and that by adding manure to the vermicompost it is possible to obtain a nutrient content adequate to support a continuous worm harvest, in other words create a vermiculture. Eisenia fetida and Dendrobaena veneta were grown in 20 L bins containing peat mixed with either poultry or cattle manure. The proportions were 70% peat and 30 % manure. Discarded plant parts from lettuce cultivation was added to the vermicomposts (35 g per week) and water was supplied with 0.8 L per week.