Integrated pond culture for improved production and ...era.daf.qld.gov.au/2073/1/16_WAS_conf_08-sec.pdf · Integrated Pond Culture… for improved production and environmental performance

Integrated pond culture for improved production and environmental performance. Willett, D. and Palmer, P. (2008). Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries. PowerPoint of the oral presentation given at the World Aquaculture Society Conference entitled "Innovation in a global market", Brisbane, Queensland 3-6 August 2008. Published electronically August 2011: DEEDI eResearch Archive is a public digital archive of scientific and research output by staff of the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) Australia or its previous entities. © The State of Queensland (Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation). © The State of Queensland, Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries 2008. Copyright protects this publication. The State of Queensland has no objection to this material being reproduced but asserts its right to be recognised as author of its original material and the right to have its material remain unaltered. Enquiries should be directed to

Commercialisation Unit http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/77.htm email [email protected] phone the Business Information Centre on 13 25 23 (Queensland residents)

or +61 7 3404 6999.

Animal Science - Aquaculture

Dan Willett & Paul PalmerBribie Island Research Centre 144 North St, Woorim Bribie Island Qld 4507

Acknowledgements:Steven Nicholson, Trevor Borchert, Luke Dutney & Catriona Morrison

Integrated Pond Culture… for improved production and environmental performance



Impediments to Profitability:

Competition from cheap imports





Strong reliance on wild caught fishmeal for feed





Strong reliance on wild caught fishmeal for feed

Environmental compliance



Allows farmers, using existing farm infrastructure, to…

(a) Improve economic security through crop diversification

(b) Improve nutrient use efficiency through nutrient recycling

(c) Comply with environmental regulations by limiting water discharge requirements



The result…

• >12 tonnes ha-1 harvest of Sand Whiting (Sillago ciliata)

• 10 month production period using existing infrastructure

• zero water exchange throughout grow-out period



Improved water management by creating Biofloc conditions:

Heterotrophic (biofloc) vs Autotrophic (phytoplankton)



Improved water management by creating Biofloc conditions:

Cadd = Nww x ([C/N]mic/E)

Where:Cadd is the amount of C requiredNww is the bio-available N in wastewater[C/N]mic is the C:N ratio of bacterial biomass [typically about 5]E is the bacterial C assimilation efficiency [assumed to be 0.4]

Therefore: for bacterial metabolism of available N:

DOC : TDN ratio > 12.5 : 1

(Adapted from Avnimelech 1999)


0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

0 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 27 30 33 36 39 42 45 48

HOURS

Tota

l Am

mon

ia m

g/

ControlMolasses 1Molasses 2


DOC : TDN ratio > 12.5 : 1

Dose rate: 720L molasses per hectare to remove 1mg/L of Ammonia!!


Virtues of (predominantly) Biofloc conditions:

Lowers and stabilizes pH – in turn reduces % of un-ionised ammonia

Buffers phytoplankton blooms – inhibits boom/bust cycles - leads to more stable DO levels

Reduces (or eliminates) need to exchange water – reduced pumping costs; improved biosecurity; environmental compliance

Benefits to water quality and production efficiency can be achieved with more realistic Carbon doses!

Bioflocs are food for grazing animals – nutrient recycling


Typical Biofloc matrix…



02468

101214161820

Mullet Prawn Whiting

Isot

ope

sign

atur

e (p

pt) Control

Isotope

0

100

200

300

400

500

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13Day

Isot

ope

enric

hmen

t (pp

t)

Mullet IsotopeMullet ControlPrawn IsotopePrawn ControlWhiting IsotopeWhiting Control

15NH4 Isotope Trial:


Benefits of Whiting as an alternative species for prawn farmers:

Viable diversification option to spread risk without major changes to current protocols

Fit seamlessly with existing hatchery and growout infrastructure

Broodstock easy to source & spawn. Larvae reared in traditional GWC tanks

21-d old fry packed, transported and stocked like prawn PLs and grown at high densities

No disease issues encountered

Omnivorous - thrive in Biofloc conditions!


Benefits of Whiting as an alternative species for prawn farmers:

Sand (Summer) whiting highly regarded by consumers

Markets already exist for wild-caught stout whiting

High retail prices for value-added butterfly fillets

Fish for butterfly fillet market only 40 – 50g: takes 8-10 months

Disadvantages:

Requires on-site processing equipment


Potential benefits of Whiting / prawn polyculture:

Taking advantage of complementary feeding habits to produce potentially greater yields per area and per feed input

Disease control: shrimp culture pathogens predominantly gram –ve; fish culture gram +ve.

Risk:

Fish eat the prawns!

Oversea precedent with vannamei / tilapia


0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37Week

Wei

ght (

g)

Whiting Prawns

Whiting and Banana Prawn growth…


Pond DOC : TDN ratio over trial…

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36

Week

Bio-

avai

labl

e C:

N Ra

tio


6

6.5

7

7.5

8

8.5

9

9.5

9/10

/200

7

2 3/1

0/20

07

6/11

/200

7

20/1

1 /2 0

074/

1 2/2

007

18/1

2 /20

07

1/01

/200

8

15/0

1/20

0 8

2 9/0

1/20

0812

/02/

2008

26/0

2/20

08

11/0

3/20

08

25/0

3 /20

08

8/04

/200

822

/04/

2008

6/05

/ 20 0

8

20/0

5/20

08

3/06

/200

8

17/0

6/20

08

Date

pHpH AMpH PM

Pond pH over trial…


0

2

4

6

8

10

12

9/10

/200

7

23/1

0/20

07

6/11

/200

7

20/1

1/20

07

4/12

/200

7

18/1

2/20

07

1/01

/200

8

15/0

1/20

08

29/0

1/20

08

12/0

2/20

08

26/0

2/20

08

11/0

3/20

08

25/0

3/20

08

8/04

/200

8

22/0

4/20

08

6/05

/200

8

20/0

5/20

08

3/06

/200

8

17/0

6/20

08

Date

DO

(mg/

L)DO AMDO PM

Pond DO over trial…


Pond TAN over trial…

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37

Week

Am

mon

ia s

pp. (

Mg/

L)

TANUn-ionised Ammonia


Pond NO2 over trial…

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37

Week

Nitr

ite (M

g/L)



Summary:

Whiting a viable diversification option to spread risk without major changes to current protocols:

>12 tonnes ha-1 harvest of Sand Whiting (Sillago ciliata)

10 month production period using existing infrastructure

Production in biofloc ponds improves nutrient use efficiency through nutrient recycling

Creating predominantly heterotrophic conditions regulates water quality, limiting (eliminating) the need for discharge until harvest

substitute for prawns in almost all aspects of production

Requires on-site processing equipment to value add

Whiting learn to eat prawns!



Documents

Integrated pond culture for improved production and ...era.daf.qld.gov.au/2073/1/16_WAS_conf_08-sec.pdf · Integrated Pond Culture… for improved production and environmental performance