NPK of fish poop - Ask Extension
Hey I am curious about symbiotic fish and plant set with Hydroponics. There is lots of information on composted fish fertilizer, and barnyard manures,...
Knowledgebase
NPK of fish poop #735549
Asked December 20, 2020, 5:19 PM EST
Hey I am curious about symbiotic fish and plant set with Hydroponics. There is lots of information on composted fish fertilizer, and barnyard manures, but I'm having trouble finding the details on fish waste.
Thanks for any help you may have!
Rebecca
Whitman County Washington
Expert Response
Thank you for your question, Rebecca. I am assuming that you are referring to aquaponics systems, which have live fish, rather than hydroponics. As with other animals, the NPK content varies by species and diet of the fish. You are correct in observing that there is not a lot available on this, in no small part because the nitrogen content is so critical. Nitrogen is excreted as ammonia, which must be nitrified by bacteria to prevent it killing the fish. This variant changes depending upon the water's pH and temperature. While the following article may not answer your entire question, it may provide some helpful information: https://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_circulars/CR680/welcome.html
Good luck!
BTW: you might have more research result success if you use the term "excrement" rather than "poop." And this will help differentiate it from "fish fertilizer," which often contains the entire carcass.
