How to Use Duckweed for Aquaculture
Duckweed can play an important role in the cycle of an aquaculture facility. Duckweed is a tiny floating plant--the smallest flowering plant in the world. It can provide an important source of vegetable protein for feeding fish. Duckweed also removes ammonia and other toxins from the water. In particular, duckweed is useful for tilapia aquaculture projects.
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Instructions
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Purchase some duckweed from a garden center or aquarium specialist. This should be very inexpensive. Alternatively, duckweed can often be gathered from local ponds, or from a friend's pond. You'll need around 4.5 lbs. of duckweed per 300 square feet of pond, according to the Republic of the Philippines Department of Science and Technology.
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Add the duckweed to your aquaculture pond--but avoid putting it in the same pond as your fish. Float the small green leaves on the surface. Ensure the water is as still as possible.
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Skim off a few lbs. of duckweed after the culture has had time to grow for a week or two. Feed the duckweed directly to your tilapia or other farmed fish.
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Dry some of the duckweed and combine with other forms of fish food. Create pellets by grinding the mixture together and forming into small balls or tubes.
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Use duckweed in your filtration process. Build shallow duckweed canals that receive partly treated runoff from your fish farm, according to Aquasol Inc. These can help remove ammonia and other substances from the water, before channeling back into the fish ponds.
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Tips & Warnings
Avoid placing duckweed directly into tilapia ponds. The fish will likely eat it all before it has a chance to grow.
Wear protective clothing when handling sewage runoff or fish feed. Both can harbor bacteria and other diseases.
References
- Photo Credit duckweed image by Oleg Tarasov from Fotolia.com
