Search for a command to run...
In the pursuit of a sustainable society, increasing attention has been given to incorporating circular food production systems into education. Among these, aquaponics—an integrated system combining aquaculture and hydroponics—has been proposed as an instructional tool in technology education and holds potential as a resource for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Allowing students to work with aquaponics systems individually or in small groups may contribute to personalized learning; however, this requires compact systems. A major challenge of such small-scale systems is their tendency toward unstable water quality. The present study primarily aimed to stabilize water quality in compact aquaponics systems to support their use as educational tools. As a fundamental experiment, we investigated the effects of oyster shells. Experiments using medaka (Oryzias latipes) and broccoli sprouts demonstrated that oyster shells mitigated fluctuations in pH, although their effects were limited. Nonetheless, beneficial effects were observed in broccoli sprout cultivation, including the maintenance of a high germination rate and improved growth, even without active control of temperature and lighting.