Optimization of Aquaponics System Efficiency Based on Artificial Intelligence Approach

This paper aims to design and implement an ML-based approach to learn from NeuroAqua - the AI and IoT-based aquaponics system set up in our previous research at both a lab setting and larger-scale Ouroboros Aquaponics Farm (Half Moon Bay, CA) to enhance system stability and efficiency. Utilizing the data gathered from the wireless sensors, a structured database was formed to store the aquaponics environmental conditions, water quality, nutrient components, and plant images. We used the ML model to find the important factors having the largest impact on plant growth and their optimal amount levels. First, computer vision with image processing was applied to develop auto plant growth monitoring and to measure plant growth rate as the target variable more accurately and automatically for ML. Then feature engineering on the input variables was performed to enhance model performance and accuracy for a smaller dataset. ML algorithms including Linear Regression, Bagging Regressor, Decision Tree, Random Forest, XGBoost and Artificial Neural Network were applied and evaluated based on key performance metrics. The findings show that XGBoost outperformed the other models with 91.6% accuracy and also had the lowest MAE. Random Forest came in second with 90.9% accuracy and then Bagging Regressor in third with 88.5% accuracy. Lastly, according to the feature importance analysis conducted on the best model of XGBoost, Nitrogen had the largest impact on plant growth, followed by Nitrate, Nitrite, Light, and Phosphorus. Hence the initial results would recommend to closely monitor these top important factors together with plant growth in NeuroAqua's monitoring applications.