Production of the Macroalgae <i>Ulva lactuca</i> Integrated with the Shrimp <i>Penaeus vannamei</i> in a Biofloc System: Effect of Total Suspended Solids and Nutrient Concentrations
Andrezza Carvalho,
Ítalo Braga,
Florencia Chaar,
Alessandro Pereira Cardozo,
José María Monserrat,
Juan Rafael Buitrago Ramírez,
Wilson Wasielesky,
Luís H. Poersch
Affiliations
Andrezza Carvalho
Marine Aquaculture Station, Institute of Oceanography, Federal University of Rio Grande—FURG, Rua do Hotel n° 2, Cassino, Rio Grande 96210030, RS, Brazil
Ítalo Braga
Escola Agrícola de Jundiaí, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte—UFRN, Jundiaí, Macaiba, Rio Grande do Norte 59280-000, RN, Brazil
Florencia Chaar
Marine Aquaculture Station, Institute of Oceanography, Federal University of Rio Grande—FURG, Rua do Hotel n° 2, Cassino, Rio Grande 96210030, RS, Brazil
Alessandro Pereira Cardozo
Marine Aquaculture Station, Institute of Oceanography, Federal University of Rio Grande—FURG, Rua do Hotel n° 2, Cassino, Rio Grande 96210030, RS, Brazil
José María Monserrat
Marine Aquaculture Station, Institute of Oceanography, Federal University of Rio Grande—FURG, Rua do Hotel n° 2, Cassino, Rio Grande 96210030, RS, Brazil
Juan Rafael Buitrago Ramírez
Marine Aquaculture Station, Institute of Oceanography, Federal University of Rio Grande—FURG, Rua do Hotel n° 2, Cassino, Rio Grande 96210030, RS, Brazil
Wilson Wasielesky
Marine Aquaculture Station, Institute of Oceanography, Federal University of Rio Grande—FURG, Rua do Hotel n° 2, Cassino, Rio Grande 96210030, RS, Brazil
Luís H. Poersch
Marine Aquaculture Station, Institute of Oceanography, Federal University of Rio Grande—FURG, Rua do Hotel n° 2, Cassino, Rio Grande 96210030, RS, Brazil
This study focused on evaluating the effect of different concentrations of nutrients and total suspended solids on the removal rate of nutrients and biocompounds from the macroalgae U. lactuca in an integrated system with the shrimp Penaeus vannamei in biofloc. The experiment lasted 45 days and included five treatments with three replicates each, with percentages of 0 (control), 25, 50, 75, and 100% biofloc inoculum (73.3 ± 5.7 and 325.0 ± 21.2 mg L−1 initial nitrate and solids, respectively, in the 100% inoculum), from a shrimp farm, resulting in different concentrations of solids and nutrients. The macroalgae were introduced into 280 L tanks at a density of 0.88 kg m−2, along with 200 shrimp m−3. The algae were separated by a floating structure. Water quality parameters were measured, and the nutrient removal rate was evaluated. The treatment with 75% inoculum showed a removal rate of 55.0 ± 4.0 and 31.0 ± 10.0% of nitrate and phosphate, respectively. There was no difference in macroalgae growth between the treatments; however, macroalgae grown in 75% inoculum had higher protein, chlorophyll-a, and lower ash values compared with the control. The use of macroalgae in integrated production with shrimp under the conditions of the treatment with 75% biofloc inoculum proved to be viable and sustainable.
