The Effect of Goldfish (Carassius auratus auratus) Excrement on the Germination Rate of

Basil (Ocimum basilicum) Seeds

Patrick Stumps, Andrew Favor, Felicia Vo, and David Atta
Department of Biological Science
Saddleback College
28000 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo, CA 92692

Aquaponic systems utilize a symbiotic relationship between plants and aquatic

animals wherein plants ingest nutrients from the excretory matter produced by the
animals. This purifies the surrounding water and promotes a healthy environment for the
animals, while the plants gain necessary nutrients for their own growth and function. This
experiment sought to examine whether water containing goldfish (Carassius auratus
auratus) excrement actually increased germination rates of basil, Ocimum basilicum. Basil
seeds were left to germinate in varying concentration ratios of water containing fish
excrement and tap water. Each group’s water was tested for a range of compounds
characteristic of fish excrement. Mean number of seeds germinated in group 1 containing
only tank water (3.4 ± 5.52, mean ± SEM respectively). Group 2, 75/25 tank water to
treated tap water ratio (4.8 ± 3.66). Rates of germination were found to be highest in group
3, 50/50 tank water to tap water ratio (6.2 ± 2.83), and group 4, 25/75 tank water to tap
water ratio (6.2 ± 3.44). Group 5 with solely treated tap water (4.6 ± 5.92). However,
analysis with a one-way ANOVA showed no significant difference between the rates of
germination between groups (p = 0.7024). These results suggest that germination rates
increase with increasing nitrite concentrations, but simultaneously decrease with increasing
ammonia concentrations.

Introduction practices. Furthermore, due to the ability of certain

In the natural world, symbiotic relationships
develop between different organisms in order to ideally
utilize the varying metabolic functions between
species. For instance, in oceanic and other aquatic
ecosystems, plants use their ability to ingest
environmental nutrients to absorb excretory matter
from aquatic animals; this purifies the surrounding
water, and thus promotes a healthy environment for
other organisms while the plants receive the necessary
nutrients for their own growth and function. This
symbiotic relationship has been utilized in an
integrative farming technique known as “aquaponics”.
As of today, aquaponics is an extremely
popular and efficient way for fertilizing plants, and is
used for a broad range of other industrial applications
(Rakocy et al., 2006). Most aquaponic systems pump
fish wastewater through grow-beds, in which the plants
filter the water in order to keep the fish healthy
(Lennard and Leonard, 2005).
The symbiotic effects of aquaponic integration
are being utilized industrially to increase the economic
efficiency of indoor fish and plant farming (Blidariu
and Grozea, 2011). Aquaponic systems offer an
efficient way to promote both plant and animal growth
while conserving the amount of water needed in both
plants to partake in water purification, the utilization of
such a system is ideal for the food production of people
living in regions of the world where clean water is
scarce (Chan, 1993). Internationally, the use of
aquaponic systems as an integrative farming technique
continues to rapidly increase (Rakocy et al., 2010) and
further analysis of the factors that contribute to ideal
conditions for aquaponic systems will allow people to
develop new aquaponic techniques, which may better
fit the varying needs and resources of people
throughout the world.
It is understood that aquaponic environments
utilize the ability of plants to take in nutrients from
surrounding water to cleanse the water of excrement
put out by the fish inhabiting it. Excretory matter
produced by fish contains nitrates and nitrites, which
promote plant growth (Esashi et al., 1979), but also
contains ammonia, which can inhibit plant growth
(Bennett and Adams, 1970).
This project seeks to examine the symbiotic
relationship between plants and aquatic animals within
aquaponic systems. Researchers will examine if water
containing Carassius auratus auratus (goldfish)
excrement facilitates faster rates of plant growth than
pure water, while taking note of the pH, ammonia
concentration and nitrite concentration found in each mean number of seeds that germinated in Group 3
experimental condition. In consideration of this, the dishes (50% tank water / 50% tap water) was 6.2 ±
specified measurements will be examined to find a 2.83 (±SEM, N = 5). The mean number of seeds that
dilution-range where the presence of these compounds germinated in Group 4 dishes (25% tank water / 75%
achieve an ideal balance, and in turn promote tap water) was 6.2 ± 3.44 (±SEM, N = 5). The mean
germination to the greatest degree. This analysis seeks number of seeds that germinated in Group 5 dishes (0%
to shed light upon whether or not the germination rate tank water / 100% tap water) was 4.6 ± 5.92 (±SEM, N
of basil seeds increases with a higher concentration of = 5). The mean germination values of each group can
goldfish excrement in water when grown in a be seen in Figure 1. There was no significant difference
hydroponic environment. Observation of the levels of between the rates of germination between groups (one-
excrement-concentration that seem to ideally facilitate way ANOVA, p = 0.7024). More germination occurred
plant growth will foster a greater understanding how in the middle groups, however the difference was not
the water-purity levels in simple aquaponic systems great enough to reject the null hypothesis (Figure 1).
should be maintained for optimal functionality.
Table 1. Concentration of tank water and tap water
Materials and Methods added to each experimental group’s Petri dishes, as
Two hundred fifty basil seeds (Ocimum well as each water-group’s pH, and concentrations of
basilcum) as well as four goldfish (Carassius auratus nitrite (ppm), phosphate (ppm), and ammonia (ppm).
auratus) were used in this experiment. Seeds of Group Group Group Group Group
Change brand Basil seeds were purchased from 1 2 3 4 5
Walmart and the gold fish were purchased from % tank
100 75 50 25 0
PetSmart. The four fish were housed in a 9.08 L fish water
tank with no water filter over the course of three days % tap
0 25 50 75 100
in a researcher’s house in order to accumulate water
ammonia and nitrites in the water. The water was then pH 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.0
tested with a pond test kit. The water was tested for pH,
nitrite, ammonia, and phosphate concentrations. Nitrite
5.0 3.5 1.5 0.5 0.0
The tested water was then split up into five (ppm)
different ratios of tank water and dechlorinated tap- Phosphate
1.0 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.0
water (Table 1). Group one contained 100% tank (ppm)
water. Group two contained 75% tank water. Group Ammonia
8.0 4.0 4.0 3.5 3.5
three contained 50% tank water. Group four contained (ppm)
25% tank water. Group 5 contained 0% tank water.
Four mL from each of these water groups 15
Average Number of
Seeds Germinated

were put into their corresponding Petri dishes, each

Per Petri Dish

dish containing ten basil seeds and filter paper to 10

prevent water loss. There were five Petri dishes used in 5
each of the five groups. The twenty-five Petri dishes 0
were placed under a twelve-volt halogen-bulb lamp, on 100% 75% 50% 25% 0%
top of a tin foil sheet, which was used to evenly spread -5
Percent Fish Water
out light. The basil seeds were left to germinate from
20 April to 24 April 2015. All measurements were
Figure 1. Average number of seeds germinated per
made between 20 April and 24 April 2015.
Petri dish vs. different percentages tank-water in each
Data gathered during the experiment was
Petri dish. There was no significant difference between
analyzed for variance between groups using a one-way
the rates of germination between groups (one-way
ANOVA test in order to compare average germination
ANOVA, p = 0.7024).
rates against the different values of pH, nitrite
concentration, and ammonia concentration.
Discussion
As seen in the results of the statistical
Results: analysis, there is no significant difference in rates of
The mean number of seeds that germinated in
germination, given groups defined by a linear increase
Group 1 dishes (100% tank water / 0% tap water) was
in concentrations of fish excrement. However, the
3.4 ± 5.52 (±SEM, N = 5). The mean number of seeds
highest average rates of germination were seen in
that germinated in Group 2 dishes (75% tank water /
groups containing twenty-five and fifty percent tank
25% tap water) was 4.8 ± 3.66 (±SEM, N = 5). The
water. These groups contained ranges of 0.5-1.5 ppm
nitrite, and 3.5-4.0 ppm ammonia.
In certain concentrations, nitrite has shown an
increase in seedling germination by promoting
anaerobic induction (Esashi et al., 1979). Furthermore,
aqueous ammonia is known to be toxic to seedlings at
concentrations as low as 3.5 ppm (Bennett and Adams,
1970). The interplay between the inhibitory effects of
ammonia and the growth-promoting effects of nitrites
suggest that the ideal water quality for aquaponic
systems would possess a balance between ammonia
and nitrite concentrations. Additionally, such a trend
would explain the pattern seen in the varying
germination rates of this experiment’s water-purity
groups.
The results of this study, which suggest that a
balance between ammonia and nitrite is ideal for
facilitating plant-growth, are consistent with the results
of other studies. An examination of the effects of
various ratios of nitrogenous compounds on the growth
of strawberries, Fragaria ananassa, found optimal
growth to occur in conditions containing a percentage
ratio of 25NH4:75NO3 (Tabatabaei et al., 2006).
Additionally, research on the effects of ammonium and
nitrate on growth in basil plants actually found that
even among different varieties of basil, there were
differences in the optimal concentration-ratios of these
two compounds for growth-promotion (Saadatian et
al., 2014).
From the results of this study and others, it
can be seen that optimal plant growth occurs when
there is an achieved balance between concentrations of
ammonia and nitrite in the water or fertilizing material
being used. Since increases in the concentration of
excretory matter in fish-water yields an increase in
both nitrite and ammonia concentrations
simultaneously, future designs for aquaponic systems
might consider ways to filter or inhibit the production
of ammonia, while maintaining standard production of
nitrite.
Esashi, Yohji, Yuuko Ohhara, Makiko Okazaki, and
Kohya Hishinuma. (1979) “Control of cocklebur seed
germination by nitrogenous compounds: nitrite, nitrate,
hydroxylamine, thiourea, azide and cyanide.” Plant
and Cell Physiology 20, no. 2: 349-361.
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comparison of reciprocating flow versus constant flow
in an integrated, gravel bed, aquaponic test
system.”Aquaculture International 12, no. 6: 539-553.
Rakocy, James E., Michael P. Masser, and Thomas M.
Losordo. (2006) “Recirculating aquaculture tank
production systems: aquaponics—integrating fish and
plant culture.” SRAC publication 454: 1-16.
Rakocy, J. E., D. S. Bailey, R. C. Shultz, and J. J.
Danaher (2010) “The status of aquaponics—
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Saadatian, M., Gh Peyvast, J. A. Olfati, and P.
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“Effect of ammonium: nitrate ratio on yield, calcium
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Literature Cited
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