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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stuttgart, Arkansas » Harry K. Dupree Stuttgart National Aquaculture Research Cntr » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #161260
Title: PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF EMERGING WATER TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES FOR USE IN MINIMAL EXCHANGE SUPER-INTENSIVE PACIFIC WHITE SHRIMP LITOPENAEUS VANNAMEI CULTURE SYSTEMS

Author
item WEIRICH, CHARLES
item BRATVOLD, D - SC NATURAL RESOURCES
item BROWDY, CRAIG - SC NATURAL RESOURCES
item MCABEE, BRAD - SC NATURAL RESOURCES

Submitted to: Aquaculture America Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/1/2002
Publication Date: 2/1/2003
Citation: Weirich, C.R., Bratvold, D., Browdy, C.L., Mcabee, B.J. 2003. Preliminary evaluation of emerging water treatment technologies for use in minimal exchange super-intensive pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei culture systems [abstract]. In: Aquaculture America Conference. p. 318.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Minimal exchange super-intensive production systems offer potential for future expansion of the US shrimp farming industry. However, in order for this sustainable culture practice to be commercially viable, system output must be optimized. Use of emerging water treatment technologies such as marine recirculating bead filtration (MRBF) may be one means to enhance performance of these novel culture systems. A production trial was conducted using 8.8 m2 outdoor tanks with five treatments: 1) No Filtration, Low Density (NF-LD), 2) No Filtration, High Density (NF-HD), 3) Bead Filtration, Low Density (BF-LD), 4) Bead Filtration, High Density (BF-HD), and 5) Aquamat', High Density (A-HD). LD and HD tanks were stocked with 150 and 300, 1.0-g L. vannamei juveniles/m2, respectively. Filtration was achieved via prototype airlift 0.08 m3 MRBF units. AquaMat' density was 1.0 m2 material/m3 tank volume. Animals were fed twice daily and growth was assessed every two weeks. Water temperature, dissolved oxygen, salinity, and pH were measured daily. Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, nitrification, and chlorophyll a were measured weekly. In addition, gross primary production (GPP) was determined and net ecosystem production (NEP) was calculated (gross primary production:oxygen demand ratio). Tanks were harvested two months after stocking to determine production characteristics. Results indicated that filtered systems outperformed non-filtered systems with respect to mean weight, survival, growth, and yield. Weight and feed conversion ratio (FCR) did not differ between NF-HD and A-HD treatments, however survival, growth, and yield were enhanced in the latter. Optimal production occurred in the BF-HD treatment. Regarding water quality, chlorophyll a levels and GPP/NEP of BF treatments were significantly lower and higher, respectively, than observed for A-HD and NF treatments, suggesting that filtration promoted a younger, more active microbial community (dominated by phytoplankton) via cropping of older, less active cells, which in may have benefited shrimp production. Ammonia and nitrite were consistently higher, with corresponding lower nitrate levels and nitrification rates in BF treatments. This was perhaps due to early season lack of seeded media followed by mid and late season suboptimal protocols (filter backwashing and sludge removal). Nonetheless, results of this preliminary research suggest that augmentation of minimal exchange super-intensive shrimp production systems with MRBF technologies may offer distinct advantages with respect to overall system production and carrying capacity. Future studies will evaluate mechanical filtration, alone or in concert with biological filtration.