Water quality control using Spirulina platensis in shrimp culture tanks

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 19 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. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.