Abstract:
Untreated aquarium wastewater causes pollution and ecological risks. Advanced
filtration used in large scale aquaculture is costly for small scale keepers. Thus lowcost,
sustainable alternatives like plant-based materials are needed for pollutant
removal. This study is evaluating natural materials such as Indian almond leaves,
bamboo leaves, and charcoal in filtration to improve aquarium wastewater quality.
Aquarium effluent water was collected and treated with leaf and charcoal
combinations. T1 – Indian almond leaves, T2 and T3 – bamboo and Indian almond
leaves at different ratios, and T4 – bamboo leaves, each with 1 g charcoal (2 g total). A
control without plant materials was included to assess natural changes. Leaves were
washed, sun-dried, crushed, briefly boiled, soaked for 24 h, and re-dried. Charcoal was
washed, oven-dried, crushed, and sieved. Each material combination was placed in
muslin filter pouches and submerged in wastewater for 28 days. Water quality
parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity, turbidity, dissolved oxygen,
biochemical oxygen demand, nitrate, nitrite, and phosphate were assessed on 0, 7, 14,
21 and 28 days. Statistical analysis showed significant differences among treatments
(P<0.05). All combinations significantly reduced turbidity and nutrient concentrations
compared to the control. Treatments stabilized electrical conductivity and pH within
the range of 7.7–7.9. Dissolved oxygen improved, while biochemical oxygen demand
decreased to 2.0 mg/L, indicating effective organic load reduction. The charcoal and
bamboo leaf combination showed highest nitrate removal, whereas Indian almond
leaves effectively reduced nitrite concentrations to <0.1 mg/L. Phosphate
concentrations were significantly reduced to 0.108–0.175 mg/L across treatments.
This study shows that bamboo leaves, Indian almond leaves, and charcoal, used
individually or in combination, can significantly improve wastewater quality. All water
quality standards adhered to Sri Lankan Central Environmental Authority acceptable
standards. These findings confirm that natural leaf–charcoal filtration systems are
sustainable, biodegradable, and cost-effective filters for small-scale and household
aquaculture.
