AQUAMAT


Aqua mats -A ZERO WATER EXCHANGE SYSTEM
FOR USE IN SHRIMP FARM/LAKE AND ORNAMENTAL PONDS
Shrimp/Prawn Hatchery, Nursery and Growout

Aqua mats are a new and innovative aquaculture product fabricated from highly specialized synthetic substrates to produce supplemental organic food resource, primarily phytoplankton, zooplankton and bacteria. Aqua mats resemble sea grass in appearance and provide aquatic habitat, in situ biofiltration and supplemental natural food production for a wide range of aquatic species and environments. At the same time that Aqua mats generate a continuously replenished organic food supplement using natural biological processes, the product provides aquatic structure (to support higher stocking densities, reproduction and reduce predation) and effluent control for most aquatic species. Aqua mats products include aquaculture (rearing shrimp and fish species), ornamental ponds (for use in water gardening and koi ponds) and for use in recreational lakes and ponds.


Product Description

SDF Aqua mats (surface deployment format) are suspended from the water surface and the individual ribbons are non buoyant, sink to the pond bottom and deploy into a complex three dimensional structure. Each surface of the ribbons is engineered with the Ultra weave TM process to promote growth of benthic organisms rich in highly bioavailable HUFA’s, vitamin and minerals on one side and beneficial biofiltration organisms on the other. The upper section of SDF Aqua mats consists of a durable flotation element inserted in a highly UV resistant sleeve.(In this design wave energy is transmitted to the submerged bioactive surfaces, displacing sediment accumulation and assuring high levels of periphyton growth.) The upper layer of the SDF product promotes growth of benthic organisms rich in highly bioavailable HUFA’s, vitamins and minerals. The lower Ultra weave layer promotes growth of beneficial biofiltration organisms and provides optimal shelter. The SDF Aqua mats feature easier unit deployment and retrieval, lower unit weight and detachable ballast bags. Models : 120002.00 for nursery and grow out









What is Ultra Weave

Ultra weave is the name given to the revolutionary manufacturing technology that is used to microscopically tailor the surface construction of Aqua mats. The ultra weave TM process achieves optimal product performance for the entire line of Aqua mats products in ponds, and in commercial aquatic farming and in biofiltration applications.





How does Ultra Weave Technology Work

Ultra weave TM technology provides bioengineered, precision substrates to encourage the growth of select bacterial and benthic algal communities. The pore size and other key characteristics of the surfaces for each product within the product line are also tailored and specified to achieve the right balance between algal and bacterial community colonization for the specific product application. By its unique surface engineering, Ultra weave TM technology provides the optimal balance of natural feed production and supplemental biofiltration capacity.


Biofiltration applications

Early product trials in aquaculture demonstrated that the bluegreen algae typically formed late in commercial growth cycles, did not develop in ponds with Aqua mats .This is because the soluble reactive phosphorus was very rapidly metabolized by the periphyton community on the surfaces of the Aqua mats. Moreover, the periphyton community generally tolerated a far wider ratio in total nitrogen/total phosphorus. The combined effect of these characteristics allowed the periphyton community supported on the surfaces of Aqua mats to dominate in utilization of available phosphorus and in the process out competes bluegreen algae available P resource. This phenomena has been used to advantage in guiding Meridian’s Ultra weave technology in all of the Aqua mats products lines, especially in biofiltration applications.


Benefits in Crustaceans

Aqua mats have demonstrated the capability to remove as much as 82% of available phosphorus with hydraulic residence times of 24 hours or longer, as well as 90% of the nitrates in 36 hours .Ammonia is also rapidly removed by aerobic bacteriological nitrification process. The removal of these nutrients allows the stocking of even higher densities in ponds, tanks and raceways, while at the same time reducing the environmental impact of Aquaculture operations. Aqua mats have demonstrated tremendous value in culture of crustaceans, particularly penaeid shrimps. The primary benefits and functions of Aqua mats in shrimp are:

  1. Zero water exchange system
  2. Provides structure that allows for at least a 50% to 100% increase in stocking density with no fall off in survival.
  3. Increase natural feed production substantially and reduce overall FCR values.
  4. Improve immune system function.
  5. Controls soluble toxins and effluent discharge by performing insitu biofiltration.
  6. Increase dissolved oxygen levels without aeration.

Aqua mats provide vertical structure that dramatically increases the surface area available for grazing and reduces cannibalistic predation. Stocking levels as high as 160 animals per square meter in 1 meter deep tanks for penaeid shrimp have been achieved with very high survival rates. With adequate nutrients and sunlight, the regenerative periphyton on the surface of Aqua mats provides a very large proportion of the feed necessary during early rearing (45 or more days) of all crustacean species. Aqua mats continue to provide shrimp species with an important natural food supplement throughout their life cycle. In zero exchange aquaculture systems, as much as 92% of available nitrogen and 75% of phosphorus is converted to periphyton biomass. Phosphorus fixation rates range between 25 and 30 mg/sq m./day on Aqua mats .Nitrogen fixation rates range between 1.3 and 0.5 grams/day/sq.m/day .The Ultra weave technology used in manufacturing operations, generates an anaerobic zone only microns thick on one side of the product to enhance mass transfer and rapid denitrification while the other side of the product is manufactured with higher loft to generate more holdfast area for surface oriented algae species and bacteria. Aqua mats for biofiltration represent a highly unique and advantageous method of applying periphyton based processes into all dimensions of the water column in order to reduce excess Nutrient loads.


Lakes/Nutrient Control and Habitat applications

Meridian developed another adaptation of the basic Aqua mats technology for use in ponds and lakes where the primary interest is in increasing the health of the ecosystem and the success of stocked or indigenous fish populations. Aqua mats for Lakes are factory configured for immediate out of the box lakeside installation to afford lake owners/managers with epilithon based natural algae control and habitat to increase the success of fish and many other species in the pond ecosystem. The epilithon based community that rapidly colonizes Aqua mats for lakes reduces water column nutrient levels dramatically as the Aqua mats supported epilithon community out competes the phytoplankton community in natural processes.


Ornamental Pond applications

The aqua mats for ornamental ponds product provides pond owners with a revolutionary, in-pond biofiltration system that combines a pleasing plant-like appearance with bio-engineered surfaces that add vast amounts of beneficial biological activity to ornamental ponds and water gardens. The basic benefits that characterize and distinguish the product are as follows:

  1. Enhances complements and reduces the load on existing pond biofiltration systems.
  2. Provides valuable habitat for pond fish to play and seek shelter from the sun and from predators.
  3. Provides a “safety net” in the event of failure or interruption of mechanical pond systems.
  4. Biological growth on the Aqua mats surfaces provide fish with highly desirable natural food.
  5. Relief from excessive green water through natural biological processes.
  6. Eco-friendly construction using food grade polymers with no parts to replace, no power required and no recurring cost burden.
  7. Long lasting, low-cost ,easy to handle and install.

Installation

SDF Aqua mats are simple to use and install either in dry or in already filled ponds. The top portion of SDF Aqua mats floats at the water surface. It maintains its relative position in the pond by ballast bags(supplied) that are attached to the lower sections of the product. For best results, it is recommended that SDF Aqua mats be installed 5-10 days prior to the introduction of Pl’s in order to develop initial productivity while the pond is being filled and bloomed. Initial SDF Aqua mats productivity is dominated by benthic diatoms which are of great food value and highly utilized by PL’s. SDF Aqua mats may also be installed during the early stages of the grow out cycle.











Cleaning and Reuse

Mats can be cleaned in chloride for two hours and then they can be reused.

                  

Filling Ballast Bags



Aquamats being dried

after using and cleaning








                             



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