B.C. Smith, G.H. Wikfors-1998
Aquacultural Engineering, 17: 69-77
Abstract:
Producing large volumes of high quality microalgae to feed shellfish and other organisms is a limiting factor in the development of the aquaculture industry. Feeding regimes yielding the highest conversion efficiencies of algal feed to molluscan growth are required to maximize the return on algal-culture investments. In the past we have used 12 specialized, manually-controlled molluscan rearing chambers to study nutritional requirements and growth of oyster, clams, and scallops. A computer-controlled, solenoid-valve system was added to automate seawater flow, volume of microalgal food delivered, and feeding duration independently for each chamber. Labor was reduced from 7 h per week to 3 h, while adding flexibility. Each chamber represents a model for a programmed nursery system. Evidence that superior growth of bivalves can be achieved by feeding regimes made possible by this apparatus are provided by an experiment with juvenile bay scallops (Argopecten irradians).
(NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Milford Laboratory, 212 Rogers Avenue, Milford, CT 06460, USA.)