<![CDATA[Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is a cultivated fishery commodity that has undergone strain development. Among them, red tilapia (Oreochromis sp.) is now an important export product. Red tilapia cultivation faces several major challenges, including limited land availability, insufficient water availability, and poor or suboptimal water quality in the cultivation media. However, these problems can be overcome by applying environmentally friendly aquaponic cultivation methods. The aquaponic system is an integrated cultivation method that combines fish and plants. The system used in this aquaponic cultivation method is the Nutrient Film Technique (NFT), which uses horizontal PVC pipes through which water flows thinly beneath the plant roots. This system is highly efficient for leafy vegetables. This method is efficient in land and water use, and utilizes fish waste as a natural fertilizer for plants. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of stocking density levels on the growth performance of red tilapia cultivated using the aquaponic method. The research location was the Water Quality and Aquatic Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, Tadulako University, Palu. The study used a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) experimental design method, in which the treatment was repeated four times. The treatments tested were variations in the stocking density of red tilapia in an aquaponic system, which were divided into four different levels: A (stocking density of 15 fish/30 L), B (stocking density of 20 fish/30 L), C (stocking density of 25 fish/30 L), and D (stocking density of 30 fish/30 L). The fish were maintained for 52 days. The variables observed in this study included absolute growth, specific growth rate, and survival rate. The observation data were tabulated and then analyzed using the analysis of variance (ANOVA) method with a 95% confidence level. The results of the study concluded that the stocking density of 20 fish/30 L was the best because it produced the largest weight gain 3.63 g, length 1.69 cm, specific growth rate 2.03%/day. However, the best survival rate (85%) was found in the treatment with a stocking density of 15 fish/30 L.]]>
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