APPLICATION: ZEOLITE IN FISH FARMING
Zeolite in fish farming
Zeolite is a unique natural mineral with high sorbing and ion-exchange properties. In fish farming, it is the volcanic zeolite that is used, the mineral composition of which contains the largest percentage of the main mineral clinoptilolite.
Over the past 15 years, a large amount of research work has been carried out on the use of natural zeolites in fish farming. The data obtained as a result of complex studies show that the effective use of natural zeolites is possible in all types of fish farming at various stages of the production process.
Main areas of application
- ensuring the hydrochemical parameters of water
- use in water filtration processes
- as aquarium substrate
- increasing the safety of fish during transportation
- in the production of fish feed
Benefits
01
Absorbs harmful substances for fish from water, in particular ammonium / ammonia (NH3 + NH4 +), nitrite and nitrate ions (NO2-, NO3-)
02
Removes heavy metals (copper, zinc, lead, etc.), radionuclides (cesium, strontium) from water
03
Prevents blue-green algae formation
04
Saturates water with oxygen
05
Water becomes biologically pure
06
100% environmentally friendly material, free from dyes, additives an d chemical components
07
Easy to use
Effect of zeolite on fish productivity
- Transportation of fish by various types of transport for fish is nothing more than a stressful situation, during which an excess amount of ammonium nitrogen is released into the water. At the same time, the fish stocking density is very high. These are the main factors that determine the death of fish while moving in small containers.
- The tests carried out showed that the introduction of zeolite into the transported containers at the rate of 5 - 20 g per 0.5 L of water allowed to remove from 55 to 92% of ammonia. As a consequence, the survival rate of fish increased significantly.
- A method of using zeolite for growing pond fish has been developed. The approbation of this technique revealed a positive effect on the development and formation of a natural food base. After the treatment of ponds with zeolite, a more favorable ratio of blue-green and green algae is established, a more intensive development of zooplankton organisms is observed, and organisms that pollute the environment disappear and the most valuable organisms in terms of food predominate. This, in turn, contributes to an increase in the production capabilities of the pond, involving the energy of the organic matter of bottom sediments into the biological cycle.
- When using zeolite during the first fish breeding season, the increase in fish productivity in various ponds was 0.25 - 3 centners per 100 thousand pieces. planted for fish farming (3-76% relative to control). At the same time, the survival rate increased from 25.8 - 32.4% in the control to 26.8 - 66.9% in the experiment.
- In the subsequent fish-breeding season, an even more significant effect of the prolonged effect of zeolite on fish productivity was noted. In relation to the control, it was higher by 2 - 5.7 centners per 100 thousand pieces. planting, or 4.5 - 9.3 centners / ha, which averaged 84.9% (per 100 thousand planting units). At the same time, the survival rate was higher than in the control by an average of 73.7%, compared with an increase of 45.2% in the last fish breeding season.
- When studying the process of sorption of ions of heavy metals (iron, zinc, lead), it was found that the introduction of zeolite into ponds effectively protects aquatic organisms from toxic damage by heavy metals. It was found that in fish grown in ponds treated with zeolites, 1.5–2 times heavy metals accumulate more slowly.
- In addition, the use of the developed methods for introducing zeolite into water bodies can not only improve the ecological system and maintain the ecological balance in the water body, but also ensure effective protection of water bodies from volley (including secondary) pollution.
Thus, the use of zeolite in pond fish farming can be carried out as follows:
- Treatment of ponds with zeolite prior to flooding: uniform application over the bed of fish ponds 1 - 5 days before filling in an amount of 500 kg / ha.
- The use of zeolite during the fish-breeding season: if toxic concentrations of heavy metal ions are detected in the aquatic environment, rotting of aquatic vegetation, volley discharges into water sources, etc., a one-time application of zeolite along the water surface in an amount of 500 kg / ha is required.
- Single application of natural zeolite over the water surface in the amount of 500 kg / ha or 20-60 kg per 1 m of the coastline or 1 kg of zeolite per 1 m3 of water.
- 1 kg of zeolite absorbs about 10 g of ammonium ions, i.e. 1 kg of zeolite is able to purify 10 m3 of water with an ammonium ion concentration of 1 mg / l (1 g / m3)
The introduction of zeolite into water bodies can also be carried out in the following situations:
- In the event of a deficiency of dissolved oxygen (reducing its concentration to 2 mg / l): zeolite is introduced in an amount of 500 kg / ha, which allows increasing the concentration of dissolved oxygen on the first day to 1.5 mg / l, and within 3-5 days - to the technological norms (5 - 7 mg / l)
- To regulate the ammonium nitrogen content during the fish breeding season: application rates depend on the depth of the ponds and the salinity of the water used.
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