Aquaculture

Commercial aquaculture covers a variety of crops from vegetables to fish to shrimps. The system designs vary from indoor systems to outdoor pond systems. Depending on the fish, the water may be fresh, brackish, or salt water. Another factor to consider is the evaporation rate. 

We are often asked if EM•1^® Microbial Inoculants can be used in someone's pond or aquaculture system. A tremendous amount of information on the various styles of fish farms ranging from shrimp farms in Thailand that are in the ocean to catfish farms in China has been generated over the years on Effective Microorganisms™ in large-scale aquaculture operations. 

The most common problems that fish farms have are due to over-stocking of the farms and creation of excess ammonium nitrogen in the water.  Basically, there is an over-population problem from over-stocking and too much wastes cause the fish to be susceptible to diseases.  The concentration of wastes increases (rise in BOD) microbial activity and drop dissolved oxygen (DO) in the ponds or tanks, starving the fish from oxygen. This stresses the animals and can kill them. EM•1^® Microbial Inoculant is effective at controlling these issues. 

The application ratio for water applications are the same across the board, whether a fresh water pond or a stock pond.  It is one part Activated EM•1^® Microbial Inoculant per 10,000 parts water in the system.  Frequency of application varies according to the type of fish grown and the type of system being used.  Sometimes a weekly application is done, alternating EM5 with Activated EM•1^® Microbial Inoculant (AEM•1^®). Some pond systems are used year-round and not drained while others are cleaned on a rotating yearly basis. Fertilizing of these ponds is done and EM•1^® Microbial Inoculant.