The present study has shown that the aquaponics system provides certain environmental benefits when compared to the traditional agriculture systems. Presently, the low-cost small scale aquaponics system was standardised by Nutrient Film Technique. The water quality characteristics of Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) were stable as per the USEPA regulations. The values of the growth and weight gain features of millet and mustard plants at different days were significantly different (p<0.05). Growth rate was gradually increased significantly (p<0.01) during different culture periods. The ANOVA results revealed the recorded biochemical-values of NFT -raised organisms exhibited a less significance (p<0.04). The biochemical contents of millet plant showed significantly decreased values (p<0.03). The mean±SD values represents the NFT system plant growth exhibited an increased (p<0.05) significantly different with control. The NFT technique grown millet and mustard plants showed increased (p<0.05) significantly different with control experiment grown plants. Chlorophyll ‘a’ was high (8.17mg) in NFT and low (2.34mg) in control. Maximum chlorophyll ‘b’ content was 8.45mg in plants experiment with NFT and minimum obtained (0.84mg) in control. Carotenoid content was high 707mg in plants grown through NFT followed by low content (239mg) in control-plant. In addition, NFT system has obtained maximum number of colonies compared with control. Further investigation and implementation of alternative food systems could be a step in increasing local food production, and shifting away from the industrial global food market.

Background The fresh water environment supports the productivity of phyto- and zooplankters and fin and shell fishes. The rate of fish productivity of an aquatic ecosystem solely depends on the rate of plankton productivity, and which in turn critically depend on the concentration and variation of hydrographical features. The current investigation was focused on the distributional pattern of phyto- and zooplankton vis-à-vis physicochemical characteristics in Perumal Lake, Cuddalore District, Tamil Nadu State (India). Results The hydrographical factors and phytoplankton as well as zooplankton diversity were studied at the monthly interval of 12 months by following the standard methods in freshwater of Perumal Lake from September 2018 to August 2019. Presently a total of 15 species of phytoplankton and 15 species of zooplankton were recorded in Perumal Lake. The present study reveals good variation in the hydrographical characteristics, such as temperature (24.2–30.1 °C), turbidity (10.4–43.2 NTU), total suspended solids (300.2–1800.8 mg/L), conductivity (3.25–10.54 mhos/cm), pH (6.92–8.2), total hardness (8.58–23.8 mg/L), dissolved oxygen (2.8–7.26 mg/L), dissolved carbon dioxide (0.96–13.2 mg/L), chloride (1.92–23.8 mg/L), nitrate (0.28–3.18 mg/L), sulphate (1.1–8.2 mg/L) and phosphate (0.19–3.34 mg/L). Conclusions The findings of the present study indicate that the temperature has influence on phytoplankton as well as zooplankton diversity of species. Regular monitoring of hydro-biological parameters is necessary to assess the health of the lake ecosystem.

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