DESIGN OF LOW-MAINTENANCE INDOOR DECORATIVE AQUAPONICS

Abstract

The trend of keeping ornamental fish and hydroponics shows positive growth every year, balanced with the high market share of ornamental fish and hydroponics both domestically and globally. This is supported by increasingly crowded urban conditions and the previous pandemic conditions where people were forced to limit outdoor activities. Interestingly, along with this trend, based on the results of direct and indirect interviews that the author has collected, some hobbyists combine ornamental fish in aquariums and ornamental plants in hydroponic systems into DIY aquaponic systems with the purpose of beautifying the room. However, currently, not many aquaponics products are intended for indoor use in urban areas. Many products available on the market are business- or commercial-scale with large dimensions and do not function to be enjoyed aesthetically by aquaponic activists. In maintaining aquaponics, hobbyists also encounter obstacles such as maintenance and knowledge about aquaponic cultivation. With this phenomenon, there is an opportunity to develop an indoor aquaponics design that is simple for users to understand and maintain. Data collection was conducted using a qualitative method through a literature study of related products and phenomena, direct observation at various ornamental fish markets and hydroponic shops in Jakarta and Surabaya, and in-depth interviews with hobbyists of ornamental fish, hydroponics, and aquaponics. It was found that potential users like aquaponic products that are easy to maintain and adapt to the space they occupy. After various primary and secondary data analysis processes were completed, it was determined that this design would focus on developing a low-maintenance indoor ornamental aquaponics design, accompanied by IoT technology for better monitoring and control. This product is expected to increase the accessibility of decorative aquaponics products among urban hobbyists, make the aquaponics system easier for users to operate, and support the growth of the aquaponics community in Indonesia.

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