Water quality control using Spirulina
platensis in shrimp culture tanks
B. Chuntapa, S. Powtongsook, P. Menasveta-2003
Aquaculture, 202(1-4): 355-366
Abstract:
A cyanobacterium (Spirulina platensis) was
co-cultured with black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) for water
quality control. We evaluated the effects of: (1) three S. platensis
trial conditions on inorganic nitrogen concentrations at one shrimp density
(S. platensis trial conditions included: absent, nonharvested and
semicontinuous harvesting) and (2) two shrimp densities on inorganic
nitrogen concentrations, with and without S. platensis.
Semicontinuous harvesting of S. platensis at one shrimp density
resulted in significantly reduced (P<0.05) inorganic nitrogen
concentrations (NH4, NO2 and NO3). With S.
platensis absent, ammonium and nitrite concentrations ranged from 0.5 to
0.6 mg l-1, while nitrate concentrations ranged from 16 to 18 mg
l-1 by day 44. With nonharvested S. platensis,
considerable variability occurred with nitrogen concentrations.
Semicontinuous harvest of S. platensis reduced nitrate to 4 mg l-1,
while ammonium and nitrite ranged from 0.0 to 0.15 mg l-1,
respectively. The factorial evaluation of shrimp density versus presence and
absence of S. platensis resulted in greatly reduced nitrogenous
compounds with S. platensis present regardless of shrimp density, and
only moderately increased nitrogen with greater shrimp density. Without S.
platensis, all nitrogen compounds were substantially elevated and shrimp
survived was significantly reduced at high shrimp density.