Preliminary results of a floating wetland system in carp breeding

Aquaculture allows fish cultivation under controlled conditions and it is often considered as a sustainable solution that determines economic development while safeguarding environmental resources. Furthermore, over the past few decades wetland systems have been used for water treatment as they can break down pollutants through the interaction between plants, soil and microorganisms. For this reason, a trial was conducted at the University of Padova (Italy), combining these two systems. It took place in the North of Italy from 21/07/2011 to 18/11/2011. Two tanks were set up for aquaculture, both connected to a mechanical/biological filtration system, but only one with the inclusion of Tech-IA, a floating mat that allows herbaceous plants to float on the water surface, carrying out their purifying function without the aid of a substrate. About 30 kg of carp (Cyprinus carpio) were released in each tank. Several parameters were measured during the trial to assess the water quality and each carp was weighed at the end. The results obtained by the tank with Tech-IA showed better water quality data and a faster carp growth rate.