Aquaponics - 3D Printed Lid Attachment
March 10, 2024 • 12 minute read
Team: Hari Rathnam, Itzetl Vixtha, Doan Nguyen, and Lesley Yan
Concept
Our project introduces an innovative aquaponics fish tank attachment that enables the growth of fresh produce in limited spaces without soil, perfectly suited for urban settings or those with restricted outdoor areas. This design attaches to the top of a home aquarium, using the nutrients from pet fish to nourish plants efficiently. By integrating with a common household item, our system enhances the productivity of food in confined spaces, providing a practical solution for sustainable living.
This initiative is closely aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and 14 (Life Below Water), addressing critical global challenges. Our aquaponics solution not only contributes to reducing hunger by enabling individuals to grow their food sustainably but also promotes responsible food consumption practices. It offers a resilient agricultural technique that is adaptable to climate change, ensuring more consistent food security in areas where traditional farming faces challenges due to limited space or climate variability. Through the conservation of water and the sustainable use of resources, the aquaponics fish tank attachment presents a dual benefit: it supports aquatic life while simultaneously providing a sustainable means to meet human food needs.
Implementation
Prototype v0 - Vertical Hydroponics Tower
We initially began with the concept of a vertical hydroponics tower. This idea emerged from our preliminary research as a common solution for space-efficient gardening. We proceeded to sketch this concept and then created a cardboard prototype to bring our sketches to life.
Initial sketches and cardboard prototype of Vertical Hydroponics Tower
However, this early iteration revealed a significant complexity in assembly due to the necessity of additional components such as a pump, large pot, and tubing. Recognizing the need for simplicity and efficiency, we pivoted to a more streamlined concept: an aquaponics lid attachment.
Prototype v1 - Fish Tank Attachment
Our next brainstorming sessions led to the creation of sketches for the lid attachment, which garnered positive feedback from our peers and seemed a more viable option given our time constraints. We developed a cardboard prototype of this design, featuring a slottable cup for plants that was particularly well-received for its practicality.
Sketches and cardboard prototype of Fish Tank Lid Attachment
Prototype v2 - 3D Printing
The next step involved 3D printing the first iteration of the lid attachment. Without access to a physical tank for accurate measurements, our initial prototype faced sizing issues. Additionally, the netted cup's design lacked thickness and stability, and imperfections in the 3D printing process resulted in fraying, necessitating a revision of the prototype.
First attempt for 3D printed lid and netted cup
Prototype v3 - Fixed Sizing and More Air Holes
Addressing the previous challenges, we reprinted the attachment with adjusted dimensions to fit the fish tank lid properly, added more air holes for improved water oxygenation, and enhanced the structural integrity. The revised design was equipped with aquaponic clay pellets, a kale plant starter, and live fish to simulate a real-world environment as closely as possible.
Edited 3D design with added kale plant and live fish
Prototype v4 - Behavioral Observations
To refine our design further, we conducted a behavioral prototype focusing on the user interaction with the system, especially how they fed the fish. This involved observing which holes users chose for feeding — differentiating between air holes, the feeding hole, and the large hole designated for the plant. The process proved the design's intuitiveness, eliminating the need for further modifications.
Behavioral Prototype focusing on fish feeding
Prototype v5 - Final Design
The culmination of our efforts is the final product: a user-friendly, efficient aquaponics lid attachment. This innovative solution not only simplifies the process of combining aquaculture with hydroponics but also aligns with sustainable practices by promoting urban agriculture. It stands as a testament to our adaptive approach and commitment to enhancing food security through sustainable means.
Final Demo Video
Evaluation
In our evaluation process, we aimed to validate the effectiveness of the aquaponics fish tank attachment prototype. Here's a detailed look at how we addressed each criterion, including examples of the data collected:
Desirability Testing: We conducted informal interviews to collect quantitative data on user perceptions, focusing on aesthetic appeal and benefits compared to traditional gardening methods. Participants rated the prototype's design on a scale of 1 to 10, with an average rating of 8.75 for aesthetic appeal, indicating a strong positive reception. This feedback was crucial for refining design elements, enhancing the prototype’s appeal to our target audience, and confirming its desirability.
Feasibility Evaluation: Utilizing the cardboard prototype, we gathered qualitative feedback to assess the ease of assembly and structural integrity. Participants provided insights such as, "The assembly process seems pretty straightforward, but making the cup have fewer holes could improve stability." This specific feedback informed adjustments in our 3D modeling process, ensuring the prototype's feasibility by simplifying assembly and enhancing durability.
Usability Assessment: Comprehensive usability testing on the 3D-printed prototype included measuring task completion times. For instance, the average setup time (after the plant has been ‘potted’) could be completed in less than 15 seconds, on average. Observational data also revealed users intuitively understood how to feed the fish through the designated hole, affirming the design’s usability and prompting further refinements to improve the user experience.
Impact Measurement: To illustrate the long-term benefits, we created a YouTube video, showcasing the system's potential to support sustainable urban agriculture. Viewer feedback in class was overwhelmingly positive, with comments from Professor Lin of Waseda University (Tokyo) stating, "College students definitely would find this useful…[it] would make growing plants inside their dorm a lot easier!" This enthusiasm and constructive feedback confirmed the prototype’s impact and provided a clear direction for future development.
Analysis and Reflection
The evaluation of our aquaponics fish tank attachment prototype yielded insightful results, highlighting both its strengths and areas for improvement.
One of the prototype’s notable successes is its ease of setup, making it accessible even to those new to aquaponics. Users appreciated the straightforward assembly process and the system's intuitive design, which seamlessly integrated into daily life. However, our experimentation revealed a limitation in the system's adaptability to different tank sizes. Initially designed for small-scale setups with betta fish, the prototype’s size and capacity constraints became apparent. A redesigned attachment featuring a larger rectangular shape with multiple plant slots is necessary to accommodate the long-term health and well-being of aquatic life, particularly betta fish that require larger living spaces.
Material selection emerged as another critical area for improvement. The initial prototypes were not optimized for long-term contact with water or food safety. To address these concerns, future iterations will be 3D printed using PET-G or ABS materials, ensuring the attachments are both dishwasher safe for easy cleaning and free from chemicals that could leach into the tank, thereby minimizing the risk of polluting the tank with micro-plastics.
Lastly, to maximize the prototype's accessibility and impact, we plan to share the 3D design online, allowing for broader distribution. This open-source approach encourages community engagement, enabling users worldwide to customize the attachment to fit their specific needs and tank sizes. Such collaboration not only accelerates innovation within the field of sustainable urban agriculture but also fosters a community of practitioners committed to improving food security and environmental sustainability.
Goals
The primary objective of creating this aquaponics fish tank attachment prototype is to evaluate its desirability, feasibility, and usability. These evaluations are pivotal for refining the prototype to ensure it not only meets but exceeds user expectations and aligns with sustainability goals. Below, we outline the specific goals and methodologies for each evaluation outcome:
Evaluation Criteria:
Desirability: The aquaponics attachment should be visually appealing, offering an attractive alternative to traditional gardening methods. Through the creation and presentation of detailed sketches, we intend to solicit feedback on the design’s aesthetics, layout, and the system's overall appeal. This stage is crucial for understanding user preferences and ensuring the design aligns with the aesthetic values of potential users.
Feasibility: Our goal is to demonstrate the practicality of the attachment design for widespread adoption. By utilizing 3D printing technology, we will produce physical models to test the system’s structural integrity, functionality, and scalability. This process will enable us to identify potential design challenges early on and assess the overall viability of the attachment in real-world settings.
Usability: The system must be user-friendly, from setup to maintenance, for cultivating various garden fruits and vegetables. Through the development of a cardboard prototype, we plan to simulate the attachment’s structure and functionality, allowing users to interact with the prototype. Feedback collected during this phase will inform us about the system's ergonomics, ease of use, and any usability issues that need to be addressed to enhance user satisfaction.
Impact: Our design should not only function effectively but also deliver tangible benefits in real-world applications. We will utilize behavioral prototyping and observe how users interact with the system, particularly focusing on the action of pouring fish food into the lid attachment. Such observation is critical for evaluating the intuitive nature of the design and determining if users can easily grasp how to utilize the attachment without explicit instructions. The insights gained from this process will guide us in making any necessary design adjustments to enhance user-friendliness. By emphasizing the simplicity and intuitiveness of feeding fish while simultaneously growing plants, we underscore the dual benefit of our system: promoting sustainable urban agriculture and contributing to responsible aquatic life care.