Effectiveness of conditioned natural adsorbents for ammonia removal from aquaculture

Abstract This study aims to evaluate the potential use of clinoptilolite-type zeolite, leonardite, and diatomite, which have abundant reserves in Türkiye and can be mined more easily and economically compared to other mines, as water parameters regulators. The trial was conducted in seven groups in triplicate. The groups were assigned as the control (C), natural zeolite (NZ), natural leonardite (NL), natural diatomite (ND), conditioned zeolite (CZ), conditioned leonardite (CL), and conditioned diatomite (CD). The trial was initiated by adding 2 g of natural and conditioned zeolite, leonardite, and diatomite to their respective groups, excluding the control inside 500 ml tap water. Water parameters (temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and NH 4 + ) were measured daily for 14 days. In this study, as of the 4th day of the experiment, a decrease was observed in ammonia values originating from the feed in the groups treated with adsorbent compared to the control group. When all adsorbent groups were evaluated together, the ammonia values in the groups containing natural leonardite and conditioned leonardite remained at the recommended values for aquaculture throughout the experiment period (14 days). As a result of the study, it was concluded that leonardite (1.66 ± 0.001) and zeolite (0.71 ± 0.03) (4 g/l) could be used effectively in ammonia removal for aquaculture practices. The current study is one of the first studies to investigate the effect of natural adsorbents on ammonia removal and pH. Furthermore, it is the first study to demonstrate a reduction in fish feed-derived ammonia values compared to the unconditioned (natural) forms of conditioned diatomite and leonardite, based on a literature review.