ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Effect of Water Spinach Floating Bed
and Chlorella pyrenoidosa on Water Quality
and Shrimp Growth in an Aquaponics System
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Agriculture Ministry Key Laboratory of Healthy Freshwater Aquaculture,
Key Laboratory of Fish Health and Nutrition of Zhejiang Province,
Zhejiang Institute of Freshwater Fisheries, Huzhou 313001, China
Submission date: 2020-09-28
Final revision date: 2021-05-06
Acceptance date: 2021-05-14
Online publication date: 2021-10-19
Publication date: 2021-12-23
Corresponding author
Zhimin Gu
Zhejiang Institute of Freshwater Fisheries, China
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2022;31(1):189-198
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Twelve concrete ponds were stocked with pacific white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) each
weighing about 0.1g and grown for 77 days. The effects of autotrophs, floating beds of water spinach
(Ipomoea aquatica) and microalgae (Chlorella pyrenoidosa) on water purification and shrimp growth
were assessed. The results showed that the water quality of aquaculture water with water spinach
(S1), aquaculture water with chlorella (S2), and aquaculture water with water spinach and chlorella
(S3) were significantly better than that of Aquaculture water without vegetation and chlorella (S0).
The combination of water spinach and chlorella (S3) was able to keep ammonia and nitrite nitrogen
levels below 1.0 mg/L and 0.1 mg/L, respectively. These low levels were not lethal or detrimental
to the growth of the white shrimp. The roots of the water spinach were the vital organs for the removal
of N and P. Sixty percent of the removed portion of N and P accumulated in the roots of the water
spinach. The survival rate and mean harvest weight of shrimp from S1, and S3 was significantly
higher than that from S0, and S2. In addition, in S3 the immunity of the shrimp was improved due
to the formation of similar biological floccules around the roots and thus increasing their survival rate.
The present study indicates that a vegetable-microalgae-shrimp system has a good potential for practical
application in commercial shrimp production.