Netlogo Aquaponic Simulation (1.0.0)
This agent-based aquaponics simulation models the biological resilience and complex dynamics of a closed-loop agricultural system. Designed for educational use and agricultural research, the model helps aquaponic designers, farmers, and hobbyists understand systemic dynamics and stress-test species configurations prior to a physical build. The simulation dynamically models the nitrogen cycle by tracking aquatic bio-loads, bacterial filtration, and plant nutrient uptake. Utilizing real-world biological metrics from the Loyola Global Aquatic Excrement Dataset, the model calculates species-specific ammonia excretion rates (toxicity) for various aquatic life, including Trout, Tilapia, and Goldfish. Nitrifying bacteria agents convert this toxicity into usable nitrates, which are then absorbed by specific crop agents—such as Tomatoes, Swiss Chard, or Lettuce—at variable rates. Key features include dynamic stochastic harvesting, measurable agent health, vermaculture and crawdad integration, and reactive biological mitigators like emergency duckweed buffering[cite: 1, 3]. The system also introduces chaotic environmental variables, allowing users to test the agricultural setup’s resilience against random shocks like bio-filter pump failures and temperature crashes. This model is released under the GNU General Public License v3.0 (GPL-3.0) to encourage collaborative improvement within the academic and farming communities.
Release Notes
Initial release of the Agent-Based Aquaponic System Simulation. This version introduces the dynamic nitrogen cycle, bacterial filtration mechanics, stochastic environmental shocks, and real-world biological excretion metrics.
Associated Publications
Netlogo Aquaponic Simulation 1.0.0
Submitted by
Derrick
Published Oct 06, 2026
Last modified Oct 06, 2026
This agent-based aquaponics simulation models the biological resilience and complex dynamics of a closed-loop agricultural system. Designed for educational use and agricultural research, the model helps aquaponic designers, farmers, and hobbyists understand systemic dynamics and stress-test species configurations prior to a physical build. The simulation dynamically models the nitrogen cycle by tracking aquatic bio-loads, bacterial filtration, and plant nutrient uptake. Utilizing real-world biological metrics from the Loyola Global Aquatic Excrement Dataset, the model calculates species-specific ammonia excretion rates (toxicity) for various aquatic life, including Trout, Tilapia, and Goldfish. Nitrifying bacteria agents convert this toxicity into usable nitrates, which are then absorbed by specific crop agents—such as Tomatoes, Swiss Chard, or Lettuce—at variable rates. Key features include dynamic stochastic harvesting, measurable agent health, vermaculture and crawdad integration, and reactive biological mitigators like emergency duckweed buffering[cite: 1, 3]. The system also introduces chaotic environmental variables, allowing users to test the agricultural setup’s resilience against random shocks like bio-filter pump failures and temperature crashes. This model is released under the GNU General Public License v3.0 (GPL-3.0) to encourage collaborative improvement within the academic and farming communities.
Release Notes
Initial release of the Agent-Based Aquaponic System Simulation. This version introduces the dynamic nitrogen cycle, bacterial filtration mechanics, stochastic environmental shocks, and real-world biological excretion metrics.