TREATMENT AND REUSE OF WATER FOR PRAWN CULTIVATION

An experimental prawn pond of 600 sq m surface area and 2 m depth was used for the cultivation of tiger prawn. Thirty-thousand 14-day PL flies were stocked. Water treatment systems consisting of primary sedimentation, aerated biofilter and inclined plate final sedimentation were installed for treatment and recycling of the pond water. With complete recycling and reuse of the pond water and occasional replenishing with seawater to make up for losses due to evaporation, water quality was maintained at an acceptable level. Survival rate of the prawn was above 80 %. Prawn yield was estimated to be around 7.6 tonnes/hectare-cycle or 22.8 tonnes/hectare-year.