Implementation and Evaluation of an Internet of Things Controlled Microbubble Generator System for Catfish Pond Water Quality Management

Aminnudin; Muhamad Syaifuddin; Bili Darnanto Susilo; Joseph Selvi Binoj; Januar Parlaungan Siregar; Fajar Nusantara; Aulia Surya Ramadhan

Authors

Aminnudin Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, State University of Malang, East Java, Indonesia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3883-0136
Muhamad Syaifuddin Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, State University of Malang, East Java, Indonesia
Bili Darnanto Susilo Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, State University of Malang, East Java, Indonesia
Joseph Selvi Binoj Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Alasala Colleges, Dammam-31483, Eastern Province, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7222-4463
Januar Parlaungan Siregar Faculty of Mechanical & Automotive Engineering Technology, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah, Pekan 26600, Malaysia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8130-1168
Fajar Nusantara Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, State University of Malang, East Java, Indonesia https://orcid.org/0009-0002-7062-0646
Aulia Surya Ramadhan Program Study of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Brawijaya University, Malang, East Java, Indonesia https://orcid.org/0009-0002-0774-315X

Keywords:

catfish aquaculture, dissolved oxygen, Internet of Things (IoT), microbubble aeration, water quality monitoring, SDG12

Abstract

The increasing demand for catfish as a source of animal protein in Indonesia has not been matched by adequate management of pond water quality. In many small-scale aquaculture units, water quality monitoring is still conducted conventionally, resulting in important parameters such as dissolved oxygen and pH often falling outside the optimal range and reducing productivity. This study aims to implement and evaluate the performance of a Microbubble Generator (MBG) system integrated with Internet of Things (IoT) technology for water quality management in catfish ponds. The test location is a catfish pond, Bringin Village, Wajak District, Malang, East Java, Indonesia. The system consists of an MBG unit (pump, aerator, dissolution tank, and distribution pipe) controlled by an IoT module based on dissolved oxygen and pH sensors. Water quality data is monitored in real time via smartphone, while the MBG is operated automatically or manually based on the set thresholds for dissolved oxygen and pH. The implementation results showed that the application of MBG and IoT was able to increase dissolved oxygen levels from 1.71 to 4.97 (190%) mg/L and maintain pond water pH within a relatively stable range (around 8.0–8.4) during the monitoring period, which supports optimal environmental conditions for catfish growth. Furthermore, the automated control system enabled more efficient aeration operation and reduced reliance on manual monitoring. This study demonstrates that the integration of microbubble technology and IoT has the potential to be an affordable solution to improve the sustainability of community-scale catfish farming.

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