MXPA97004360A - System and method of mariculture to open heaven to raise animals mari - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mariculture system and method for cultivating or breeding marine life with water from a contaminated source. The system includes a reservoir for water replenishment, devices for the purification of activated carbon and ozone, a device for removing toxic by-products from the ozonation of salt or brackish water (containing bromine), and ponds for the cultivation or rearing of marine animals. The method includes having water that contains compounds and organisms harmful to marine animal life, treating water to make it suitable for growing marine animals, and raising and harvesting marine animals in treated water.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD OF MARICÜLTJJRA TO OPEN SKY TO RAISE MARINE ANIMALS FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an ariculture method and apparatus. More particularly / the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for breeding or cultivating aquatic and marine animals such as crustaceans, fish, shellfish or the like in open pit ponds.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION As the demand for food around the world increases, a large part of the effort has been directed towards finding more efficient ways to produce food, both animal and vegetable, to meet the demand. Marine life, including crustaceans and fish, has long been a source of high quality protein for human consumption. However, the activities of the natural marine products industries have, in recent years, been severely restricted due to problems of environmental pollution and overfishing. Fishing has become much smaller and it has been difficult to maintain productive fishing levels REF: 24766. Attempts have been made to grow monocultures of aquatic animals (eg, shrimp farms) under various levels of controlled conditions. Often such farms provide a large proportion of a particular type of shellfish consumed. For example, approximately half of the shrimp consumed in the United States in 1993-94 came from farms. The aquaculture systems of the prior art (or mariculture systems for marine animals) are either open (ie, that water is constantly replenished from an external source) or closed (ie, the same water is circulated through of a system). Mariculture has been successfully undertaken mainly in coastal areas using estuaries or coastal waters, which are rich in nutrients provided by the effluents of the land. Efficient production of crustaceans, fish and shellfish has been undertaken around part of a marine area such as a quiet gulf, a lake or an estuarine river that has favorable conditions with ponds with networks, or building ponds or lands that have the advantage of the flow of water. the tides of the sea or the natural flow of water from rivers or estuaries. In this way, large shrimp farms have been built in the coastal areas of Latin America and Southeast Asian countries. These shrimp farming systems depend partially on the ecosystems and food chains that develop in the nursery ponds to feed the shrimp. In certain cases, natural foods produced in ponds are supplemented with shrimp feed or natural food chains are stimulated by the addition of fertilizer. One disadvantage of open mariculture systems, that is, those systems that depend on natural water sources and are constantly exposed to the environment, is that water quality in estuaries and near coastal areas can vary greatly depending on the nature of the effluents of the earth. Herbicides, pesticides and other agricultural effluents can thus find their way to the mariculture systems in the affected areas. Similarly, industrial or urban effluents can adversely affect water quality for such mariculture systems in coastal areas. An example of the harmful effects of chemical effluents on the culture or breeding of marine life is the Taura syndrome, which affects several industries of shrimp farms in certain tropical areas. The syndrome attacks young shrimp (0.1 to 5 grams by weight) within 14 to 40 days of supply in the growth ponds. The affected juvenile shrimp stop feeding, because "it becomes lethargic, and eventually dies. * It seems * * that the syndrome is caused by high levels of agricultural chemicals in the shrimp culture water, especially fungicides which are used in large quantities by agricultural enterprises in the affected region (Lightner, et al., Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 21: 53-59, 1995; Wigglesworth, J., Fish Farmer 17: 30-31, 1994). Chemical contamination by agricultural chemicals has also adversely affected the shrimp harvest in Latin America and South America and in Southeast Asia. In addition to mortality due to chemical contaminants, shrimp are susceptible to infections by a variety of viral and bacterial pathogens, such as parvovirus, baculovirus, Vibrio, and necrotising hepatopancreatitis bacteria. Infection with these pathogens results in significantly reduced shrimp yields. In this way, the elimination of the etiological agents of Taura syndrome and infectious shrimp diseases could be very useful for the shrimp farming industry in particular, and for the mariculture industry in general (Lightner et al., Int. Sym. On Aqu. Anim. Healt, Program and Abstracts, 1994, pp. V-3). In light of these problems, attempts have been made to practice mariculture in closed-loop systems, providing an environment for "cultivation in a tank installed on land. According to these methods, the problem of environmental contamination can be avoided by isolating the cultivation system from natural water sources and using recirculated water that is recycled through wastewater purification mechanisms; using those methods, the residual water levels are reduced as much as possible so that it is necessary to replace the minimum amount of water. Several such methods and arrangements for breeding aquatic life in closed systems have been described by the prior art (see U.S. Patent Nos. 5,076,209 to Kobayashi, et al., 4,052,960 to Birkbeck, et al., 4,394,846 to Roéis, and 3,973,519 to McCarty, et al.). In theory, using a closed loop system, the problem of environmental contamination can be eliminated and a stable supply of fresh marine products can be provided without creating environmental problems. Another advantage that supports closed-loop systems is that the water has to be heated or cooled, the expense involved in maintaining the temperature in a closed-loop system could be considerably less than in an open system since once that a volume of water is brought to the desired temperature, little energy is required to maintain that temperature. It is claimed that the ability to strictly control the environment in a breeding tank could be possible by doing. , vary the types of fish that can be grown. Also, since water is continuously reused, water supply, movement and storage costs can be reduced to a minimum. Despite the advantages that closed circuit mariculture systems seem to provide over open systems, however, their potential usefulness remains just that - potential. Although it has been proposed that the rotational culture of aquatic life can be obtained in closed-loop systems by imposing the efficiency of industrial processes on mariculture, large-scale operations that are commercially viable have not yet been demonstrated. Open systems are, to date, the only systems of sufficient magnitude to support commercially viable operations. The volumes of water that are necessary for economic mariculture operations can be obtained only from natural water sources, ie, lakes, rivers, estuaries and oceans. However, the disadvantages of using natural water sources as listed for the prior art closed loop culture systems, (including, for example, contamination with bacterial and viral herbicides, fungicides and pathogens) exist and are a major problem for the operators of a mariculture system. Po. For example, in shrimp mariculture it is usual in affected areas that only 20% of postlarval shrimp sown (planted at a density of 150, 000 per hectare) mature, become harvestable adults, due to the harmful effects of pollution and diseases. The inventors of the present have worked to develop means to reduce the effects of pollution and diseases on aquatic life in a mariculture system. The use of ozone to purify the recirculating water from nitrogenous wastes and other organic wastes generated by the species that are grown in the system is known in closed-loop systems for mariculture (Kobayashi, et al., US Patent No. 5,076,209 and Birkbeck et al, U.S. Patent No. 4,052,960). The prior art also teaches the use of ozone to remove contaminants from fresh water to be used for drinking water (Foster et al., Water Supply 10: 133-145, 1992oh ; Reynolds, et al., J. Ozone Science and Engineering 11 (4): 339-382, 1989). However, when seawater or diluted seawater is the culture medium, as in the mariculture system of the present invention, ozone reacts with the bromine ions that exist in seawater, creating oxidized byproducts, especially hypobromous acid, which are "toxic to marine animals." Those byproducts must be removed or destroyed before the water comes in contact with the species being cultivated. decontamination with chlorine or other methods, the sterilization and purification functions provided by ozone treatment are still attractive, if the problem of residual hypobromic acid (in the case where seawater or clean water is used for crop water) can be overcome, the practical capacity of a mariculture system that uses ozone to remove or destroy toxic compounds, especially agricultural compounds of the type used near the shrimp farms, it could increase greatly. The residual hypobromous acid can be removed by the addition of a reducing agent, but this is impractical because of the large volumes of water that are routinely required in open mariculture systems. U.S. Patent No. 4,052,960 of Kobayashi teaches the removal of the toxic byproducts of ozonation by treatment with activated carbon. However, Kobayashi also teaches that 10 liters of activated carbon are needed to remove ozone byproducts from systems containing 300 liters of water.

It is readily apparent that this relationship of activated carbon to water is impractical in large open systems. A pond of 10 hectares filled to 100 cm contains 100,000 cubic meters of water, or 100 million liters. Treating water from a single pond could require 3,333,333 liters of activated carbon. It has now been unexpectedly discovered that the problems of contamination and evaporation of open mariculture systems can be overcome by employing an open mariculture system comprising means for transferring water from an estuary water source to a refueling reservoir which is in fluid communication with an ozone-containing device, which treats the replenishment water with a high concentration of ozone. The ozone-treated water from the replenishment reservoir is transported through an activated carbon device in a confinement area where it is mixed with the recirculating water of a plurality of open ponds. Mixed recirculation and replenishment water is pumped to a sedimentation device and then exposed to a low concentration of ozone, sedimented, aerated to remove the hypobromous acid and then released to a reservoir channel for later admission to one or more open ponds to raise aquatic animals.

The aquatic system of the present invention overcomes the problem of contamination with hypobromous acid in an open mariculture system that extracts Estuarian water (salt) and avoids the requirement of the prior art for large quantities of activated carbon. The ratio of activated carbon to volume of water in the system of the present invention is only 0.08 to 0.15 liters per 300 liters of water. This contrasts with Kobayashi (US Patent No. 5,076,209) which requires the use of a large activated carbon to culture water ratio (10 liters per 300 liters of culture water) because activated carbon is used to remove the hypobromous acid, while in the present open mariculture system activated carbon is used only as a final polishing step for the removal of contaminants. Now it has also been discovered unexpectedly that two different concentrations of ozone, one at a relatively high concentration (between 2 and 5 ppm) for contaminated replenishment water, and a second at a lower concentration (between 0.8 and 2 ppm) for recirculating water, they can be used to purify water from the natural source for use in the cultivation or breeding of marine animals. The use of ozone to purify brackish water containing salt created the problem of hypobromous acid described earlier. It has also been unexpectedly discovered that levels of hypobromous acid in ozone-safe water can be reduced to levels that are not toxic to marine life by aeration of ozone-treated water. The mariculture system of the present invention also overcomes and eliminates an additional problem that may affect aquatic culture systems that depend on the unimpeded flow of their water source, which is a source level of water that can rise and fall. , depending on the tides and the rain. For example, high tides' in certain tropical regions can raise and lower water levels 4 meters twice a day, often flooding drainage channels in existing shrimp mariculture systems and making it impossible to harvest shrimp at the moment desired, because the water from a high tide could flow into the growth ponds, instead of outside of them. The system of the present invention allows independent control of water levels at all points in the system, such as the recirculating channel of the present system, and which allows the harvest to be made at any time. The use of the mariculture system of the present invention can improve adult shrimp yields in open mariculture systems in affected areas by 75 to 125% (i.e., that centers approximately 35 to approximately 45% of the postlarval shrimp sown will grow to become in a harvestable adult in contrast to the prior art systems which only grow by 20% up to the harvestable size), and can produce shrimp quantities in excess of potential yields from closed mariculture systems.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an open system comprising a plurality of open ponds in fluid communication as means for replenishing water in the ponds and a water purification system suitable for the cultivation or rearing of marine animals (mariculture). Another object of the invention is to provide a mariculture system arranged so that only one pumping step allows the water to be recirculated to flow completely through the system by the force of gravity. Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for stabilizing the water loss of an open mariculture system due to evaporation and draining to the ground.

An object more than% «. The > invention is to provide methods of growing or raising marine animals in an open system using ozone as a means to purify the water in the system. A still further object of the invention is to provide a mariculture system that includes means for reducing the levels of hypobromous acid produced by the ozone treatment of the safe water to non-toxic levels for marine animals. Another object of the present invention is to provide an open-air mariculture system capable of raising and harvesting aquatic animals in commercial quantities that is capable of removing or destroying toxic contaminants and pathogenic microbes from the replenishment water and system culture. A further object of the invention is to provide a method for preventing the occurrence of Taura syndrome in animals that are grown or raised in an open mariculture pond system. A further object of the invention is to provide an open-pit mariculture system capable of growing shrimp with a survival rate of 35 to 45% of the post-larval shrimp sown.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention there is provided a mariculture system comprising means for transferring water from an estuarial water source to a refueling reservoir which is in fluid communication with an ozone-treating device which treats the refueling water with a high concentration of ozone. The ozone-treated water from the replenishment reservoir is transported through an activated carbon device in a confinement area where it is "mixed with recirculating water from a plurality of open ponds." The recirculating and mixed replenishment water is pumped to A sedimentation device is then exposed to a low concentration of ozone, sedimented, aerated to remove the hypobromous acid, and then released to a reservoir channel for later admission to one or more open ponds to raise aquatic animals. a method is provided for cultivating aquatic life which comprises obtaining water from a source of natural water which is contaminated with microorganisms or compounds dangerous to the desired aquatic species, purifying the contaminated water using a first level of ozone, combining the replenishment water purified with "recycled water, purified water In addition, the water combined with a second level of ozone, remove the residual toxic byproducts of ozonation by aeration, and replenish the water in the culture system with the combination of purified, aerated water. Methods are also provided to feed aquatic life to be cultivated in a mariculture system and to harvest the aquatic life of a mariculture system regardless of the tides or levels of natural water source that feed the mariculture system. All patent applications, patents' and literary references cited in this specification are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. In the case of inconsistencies, the present description, including the definitions, will be controlled.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above objects, features and additional advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of a specific embodiment thereof, especially when put together with the accompanying drawings in which similar numerical references were used. in the different figures to designate similar components, and wherein: Figures IA and IB together comprise an aerial or top plan view of a representative mariculture system of the present invention when they are joined along the coupling line AA; Figures 2A and 2B together comprise a flow chart indicating the path of water through the system when they are joined along the coupling line B-B; Figure 3 is an enlarged top or aerial view of the water replenishment and treatment arrangement; Figures 4A, 4B, 5, 6A, and 6B comprise a cross-sectional view of the mariculture system of the present invention when they are joined along the lines CC and DD, illustrating the relative water levels in the different components that allow them to operate largely by gravity flow; Figure 7 is a diagram of the connection of the ozone generators to the replenishment and ozone recirculation contactors; Figure 8 is a horizontal cross section of the recirculating ozone contactor; Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 9-9 of Figure 8, looking in the direction of the arrows, which illustrates the flow diagram of the ozone diffusers; Figure 10 is a horizontal cross-section of replenishment ozone contactor; Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 11-11 of Figure 10, looking in the direction of the arrows, illustrating the flow diagram of the ozone diffusers; Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 12-12 of Figure 10, looking in the direction of the arrows. Figure 13 is an aerial or top plan view of the second solids deposition device. Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 14-14 of Figure 13, looking in the direction of the arrows. Figure 15 is an aerial or top plan view of the aeration device. Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 16-16 of Figure 15, looking in the direction of the arrows. Figure 17 is an aerial or top plan view of the gate mechanism and activated carbon at the inlet of the ponds.

Figure 18 spurious view in cross section taken along line 18-18 of Figure 17, looking in the direction of the arrows. Figure 19 is a drawing of the activated carbon filters and gate mechanism at the inlets of the ponds.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to Figures IA, IB, 2A, 2B, and 3, a mariculture system 100 is illustrated. The mariculture system includes a natural water source 1, a pumping station 2, a replenishment reservoir 3, a device of ozone generation 4, an ozone contact device 5, an activated carbon device 6, a confinement area 7 for mixing the recirculated and replenishing water, a second pumping device 8, a sedimentation device 9, a second ozone contact device 10, a second settling device 11, an air blowing device 12, an aeration device 13, a reservoir channel 14, activated carbon filters 15 at the inlets of the ponds, storage tanks 16 and growth ponds 17. The connection and operation of those elements of the system is described below.

The floodgates d ?. (flow control) inlet 18 are located at the inlet of a plurality of ponds 16, 17. A recirculation channel 19 is located on the external perimeter of the ponds 1617. The inlet gates 18 allow the selective flow of fluid from the channel of the reservoir 14 to the tanks 16, 17. The outlet gates 20 allow the selective exit of fluid from the tanks 16, 17 towards the recirculation channel 19 Figures 4A, 4B, 5, 6 and 6A show the relative water levels 21 in the different components of the system. Because the water level 21 generally decreases in the sections downstream of the system, the water is forced to flow through the system largely by the force of gravity. This avoids the use of electrical energy which in other circumstances could be dedicated to pumping water through the system. The ozone contacting devices 5, 10 are illustrated in Figures 4A, 5, and 8-12. The ozone contact device .5 receives water from the reservoir 3 through the conduit 22. An outlet hatch 18 is located at the outlet of the reservoir 3 to the conduit 22 to regulate the amount of water allowed in the ozone contact device. 5. The ozone contact device 5 (see Figures 4A and 10-12) includes a housing 24 that includes ozone diffusers 26 positioned adjacent the bottom of the housing 24. The diffusers 26 produce a fine mist of bubbles of water. ozone 28 which are bubbled into the water. The size of the bubble is adjusted to ensure that substantially all of the ozone is absorbed before the bubbles reach the surface. Ozone generators can be, for example, PCI ozone generators, made by PCI Co. (West Caldwell, NJ) or ozone ozone generators, which are made by Ozonia International (Rueil-Maimaison, FRANCE). Ozonia generators are preferred. The ozone diffusers 26 receive ozone from the ozone generating device 4 (see Figures 2A, 3, and 7) which in the present embodiment is comprised of two PCI ozone generators, model B72, which are capable of producing 72 lbs. of ozone per day and model HT150, which is capable of producing 150 pounds of ozone per day. Ozone generators of greater or lesser capacity can be used in the mariculture system of the present invention, depending on the scale of the system. The ozone diffusers 26 can be any suitable gas diffuser, such as Ozinia ™ diffusers (from Ozonia International, as above) or Airamic ™ (from Ferro Corp., East Rochester, NY). Ozinia ™ diffusers are strongly preferred due to the durability they present within the contact devices. ozone. The ozone contacting devices 5, 10 also include deflectors 30 (see Figures 8, 10 and 12) to mix the water to ensure even distribution of the ozone. The amount of ozone that is required to clean the water varies with the season, the volume of water to be treated, and the flow rate of the water and can be readily determined by one skilled in the art. As illustrated in Figures 3 and 7, the ozone generator 4 is in fluid communication with the ozone contacting devices 5, 10 through the ducts' 32 and 34. A diagram of the ozone generator is shown in Figure 7. 4 and the ozone contacting devices 5, 10. The ozone contacting device 5 is best illustrated in Figures 10 and 12. The ozone contacting device 5 includes a ventilation apparatus 36 positioned in the upper part of the housing. Ventilation apparatus 36 may be used to vent any air or ozone accumulated on top of the ozone contact device 5. Referring now to Figures 8 and 9, the second ozone contact device 10 is illustrated. As illustrated in FIG. Figures 8 and 9, the second ozone contact device uses a similar arrangement whereby the diffusers 26 are located adjacent to the bottom of the housing 35. As discussed above, the purpose of the diffusers 26 is to produce a mist fine ozone bubbles inside water, so that the ozone bubbles float to the surface of the water, they dissolve substantially completely and are absorbed in the water. The absorption of ozone in the water helps to clean the water of impurities such as agrochemicals. Referring now to Figure 4B, the activated carbon device 6 is illustrated. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the activated carbon device 6 includes fourteen modules 40 of activated carbon, each of 4 cubic meters in volume and accommodating approximately 4,400 pounds of activated carbon. Preferably, the activated carbon is prepared using African Palm Seed shell. As illustrated in Figure 4B, the modules 40 are arranged in two rows, with each row containing seven modules. Referring now to Figure 5, the first settling device 9 is a reinforced concrete chamber. In a preferred embodiment the chamber is 8 meters wide by 8 meters long by 2 meters deep. The holding chamber 9 is designed to allow the particulate solids to settle in the chamber 9 while allowing the liquid to continue to flow to the next station. Thus, it is readily apparent that the size of the sedimentation device will vary depending on the size of the mariculture system. The second solids deposition device 11 receives the fluid from the second ozone contact device 10. Again, the second solids deposition device 11 is preferably a reinforced concrete chamber which in a preferred embodiment is 6 meters wide by 8 meters long by 2 meters deep. Figures 13 and 14 show plan and section views respectively of the second settling basin 11. Referring now to Figures 3 and 13 to 16, the aeration device 13 and the air blower 12 are illustrated. In a preferred embodiment , the air blowers 12 are rotary bottom blowers. Each blower has the ability to pump 300 cubic feet of air per minute to 15 pounds per square inch. The air is diffused to the aeration device 13 through the Sweetwater 42 diffusers, available from Aquatic Ecosystems, Inc. of Apopka, FL. During aeration, organic material and other foreign matter is captured in the air bubbles and floats with bubbles and towards the surface of the water, where it creates a foam. The bubbles produced by the stone 42 are preferably designed not to be completely absorbed by the liquid, but to reach the surface. A curtain 44 is placed downwardly dependent on the aeration device 13.. and it depends down to the water surface at least a meter or more. The curtain 44 is made of a porous material, preferably of burlap (ordinary jute cloth) and drawn through the aeration device over the entire flow path of the water. In this way, the porous curtain 44, captures the foam (which contains the impurities) that floats on the surface of the water in the aeration device. The foam can then be periodically removed from the front part 'or upstream of the curtain in any suitable manner. In this way, the curtain 44 acts as an extraction device to remove the foam from the upper part of the water. Therefore, it follows that the curtain 44 is positioned at a predetermined distance downstream from the air stones 42 to allow the curtain 44 to capture all the foam created by the aeration device, as shown in Figure 15. illustrated in Figures IA, IB, 3 and 17 through 19, gates 18 are provided to regulate the flow from one chamber to another. The gates can be of any valve construction suitable for regulating the flow of the upstream chamber to the downstream. A preferred embodiment of the gates is illustrated in Figures 17-19 where the fluid flows for example, from the channel of the reservoir 14 to a growth pond 17. Due to the rather bulky size of the mariculture system of the present invention, dikes 46 were used to separate the channels from the ponds and to separate the different ponds 16, 17 from each other . Accordingly, the fluid flowing from the channel of the reservoir 14 to a pond 16, 17 flows through a conduit 48 buried through the dam as illustrated in Figure 18. Each gate 18 is comprised of a plurality of individual gates 50 runs are shown in Figure 19. At the top of gate 50 are boards, such as, for example, "two-by-four" (ie, 2"x 4") 52 lumber boards. the height of the fluid, the boards can be removed from the gate 50 at any level, that is, from the gate of upper, middle or lower part. For example, gate 50 ', which is illustrated in Figure 19, is shown with the two upper boards removed. In this way, the effective water level 21 could be reduced by the height of two boards. This arrangement allows the selective removal of water at different levels of the pond. For example, when it rains, fresh water is added to the ponds, and it can affect the salinity of the ponds. However, fresh water is less dense than clean water, and in this way fresh water added by rain will float on top of the ponds. If this water is removed quickly, before the salt in the water below is diffused ... in this, the total salinity of the pond can be maintained. The removal of the top boards of a gate can effect this selective removal of undesirable fresh water. Of course, other systems can be used to regulate the flow of fluid from one chamber to another. The operation of the mariculture system shown in Figures 1 through 19 is described below. The flow of water through the mariculture system is illustrated in Figures 2A and 2B. The mariculture system is preferably located near a source of natural water 1. In many cases, and for shrimp farms in particular, the water source is clean water that has a significant salt content. The water source is frequently contaminated by industrial and agricultural chemicals or by natural pathogens which attack the cultivated species, or therefore by chemical products as well as by pathogens. When shrimp are raised, the water source must have a salinity of between 16 and 34 parts per thousand (ppt). The preferred level of salinity is between 22 and 34 ppt. A particularly preferred level of salinity in the system is 28 ppm. The technique for measuring the salt content of water is well known in the art. The system 100 can be initially filled allowing the untreated water of the natural (estuarine) water source to flow to the different components of the system via the channel of the reservoir 14. The system is then closed, for example by the construction of dams of ground 57, to prevent the unimpeded flow of estuary water into the system. Shrimp culture and water circulation through purification devices 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 of the system can start simultaneously in this mode. In another preferred embodiment, the system is filled only with water that has been subjected to purification. The untreated water is pumped into the initially empty system, by the pump 2, from the water source 1, filling the replenishment reservoir 3, and from there flowing through the ozone contactor 5, the activated carbon device 6, and then to the confinement area 7. The water is pumped from the confinement area 7 by the pumping device 8 to the settling device 9, from which the sedimentation device flows into the second ozone contact device 10. 11 and the aeration device 13 and then to the channel of the reservoir 14. The channel 14 is filled with the treated water and the treated water is then allowed to flow through the gates 18 to fill the ponds 16.17. The water is kept in the replenishment reservoir 3 until it is necessary in the storage and growth ponds 16, 17. The replenishment water is necessary because, in the open-pit system of the present invention, the Water is constantly lost by evaporation and drained to the ground. The loss of water will vary from season to season and from geographic area to geographic area. However, in typical areas the loss of water by evaporation and drainage can be substantial. To maintain water loss at a manageable level, the soil composition in which the mariculture system of the invention is constructed should preferably contain more than 50% clay, and more preferably 80% clay. The more clay there is in the soil, the less water loss will be due to filtration. In a mariculture system of approximately 200 hectares located in a tropical region, approximately 2 million gallons of resupply water per day are required in the period from June to December, because evaporation decreases due to moisture, while they need approximately 3 million gallons of replenishment water daily during the period from January to May to replace the loss of water by evaporation. The amount of water required for replenishment will vary, of course, depending on rainfall and humidity, which can affect evaporation rates. The water in the system is completely replenished in a typical manner (ie, it is completely replaced with replenishing water) for a period of 10 to 11 months. Of course, the amount of replenishment water required per day will also vary depending on the total size of the system. The composition of the soil in which the pond system is constructed should be such that during the operation it does not create sedimentation levels that exceed 40% of the total volume of water. Additionally, the soil sediment can not be less than 20 microns, otherwise the sedimentation would not be effective and the system would not work properly. When water replenishment is required either in growth ponds 17 or storage ponds 16, water is allowed to flow from the replenishment reservoir 3 to the first ozone contact device 5 by opening gate 18 of the replenishment reservoir 3. The replenishment water is preferably exposed to contact with a predetermined concentration of ozone for about 30 seconds and about 5 minutes. Ozone is preferably added to the replenishment water at a relatively high concentration of between about 2 and about 5 parts per million, preferably between about 3 and about 4 parts per million. The amount of ^ ozpno that is added to the replacement water varies with the season, the amount of water, and the rate of water flow. Thus, higher ozone levels are required in the spring, when the evaporation loss is lower. After ozone treatment, the refill water flows from the ozone reaction device 5 through the activated carbon device 6. After passing through the activated carbon device, the refill water flows to the confinement area. , wherein the ozone-treated replenishment water is mixed with the water in the recirculation channel 19. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the confinement area 7 has an area of approximately 5 hectares. The confinement area 7 also functions as an additional sedimentation area. The water is typically retained in the confinement / sedimentation area 7 for approximately 20 minutes to approximately 90 minutes to allow sedimentation of particulate materials. The sedimentation devices and reservoir areas of the invention are cleaned regularly to remove the settled solids. Specifically, the replenishment reservoir 3 is cleaned once a year by draining or suction; the confinement area 7 is cleaned once every six months by draining; the channel of the reservoir 14 is cleaned once a year by draining; the solids settlers 9 and 11 are cleaned weekly by draining the contents through a drainage tube 58 in a debris area outside the system. The mixed replenishment and recirculated water is then transferred by the pumping device 8 to the first settling of solids 9. The retention time in the first settling of solids is from about 20 seconds to 80 seconds, depending on the flow rate of the solids. Water. Water flowing by gravity flows from the first solids sedimentation 9 to the second ozone treatment device 10. In this second ozone treatment step ozone is added at a concentration of about 0.8 and 2.0 parts per million (ppm) and preferably 1.6 ppm. The water is preferably left in contact with the ozone for about 50 seconds to about 210 seconds, again depending on the flow velocity of the water. The lower the flow velocity, the greater the amount of time that water must remain in contact with ozone. Any ozone generator capable of meeting the ozone demand of the system is adequate. The water treated with ozone is then fed by gravity in a second settler of solids 11.

After allowing the sediment to settle in the chamber 11 for approximately 15 seconds and 1 minute, the water-free sediment is fed by gravity to the aeration device 13. During aeration of the ozonated water, the toxic hypobromous acid, which It is created when the water comes in contact with the bromine is exposed to ozone, it is destroyed to a degree that is not at toxic levels for marine animals. The ozone treated water is contacted with air bubbles introduced into the aeration device at 600 cubic feet per minute for approximately 8 and '25 minutes. The period of contact with the air depends on the amount of ozone that is added to the water, the amount of ozone that is consumed during the destruction of the toxins and microorganisms, and the flow rate of the water. Prolonged contact times are preferred for water that has been exposed to large amounts of ozone. During the treatment by aeration, the organic material and other impurities suspended in the water to be treated are captured in the air bubbles and float to the surface of the water where they create a foam or foamy residue. The curtain 44 captures or traps the foam containing the impurities that float on the surface of the water in the aeration device; the foam is then periodically extracted from the curtain. The passage of aeration decreases the concentration of hypobromous acid to level »» - which are not toxic to marine life. After the aeration treatment, the water is now adequate to cultivate marine life such as shrimp, catfish, turtles, etc. The water treated by aeration then flows, by gravity, from the aeration device 13 to the channel of the reservoir 14. The water quality after aeration is constantly monitored using a bioassay system 54. This system 54 comprises closed tanks 10 which They contain shrimp. . The shrimp in those tanks is exposed to the water that comes out of the aeration device. The health of the shrimp is checked for adverse effects, which could indicate an excess of toxins or hypobromous acid in the water. Since ozone-treated water passes into the reservoir channel before entering ponds, any problem can be rectified before contaminated water reaches growth ponds 17 or storage tanks 16. The reduction in water levels Pollutants, for example the attractant and ametryn herbicides, which can be achieved by treatment with ozone after the activated carbon treatment of the recirculating water are illustrated in Table 1. ^ 1 The data illustrate the usefulness of ozone in reducing the levels of contaminants in water. Measurements of contaminant concentrations were made using gas chromatography / mass spectrometry methods, which are well known to those skilled in the art. The detection limits for atrazine and ametryn are 0.5 parts per thousand, using gas chromatography / mass spectroscopy. The water is stored in the channel of the reservoir 14, and flows by gravity through the gates 18, through the carbon filters, at the entrance of the ponds, and then into the ponds 16, 17. Each pond of approximately 10 hectares 17 has six activated carbon filtration modules 56 at its entrance (See Figures 3 and 17), each of which contains 1 cubic meter of activated carbon. The storage tanks, which are smaller, have an activated carbon filter comprised of an activated carbon module 56 containing 1 cubic meter of activated carbon. The activated carbon is removed from the modules and cleaned with steam weekly. The activated carbon in each filter module is completely replaced annually. In particularly severe rain conditions (for example, in the rainy season in tropical places), it has been found that it is advantageous to have activated carbon. This is done by removing carbon from the modules and drying the carbon at room temperature at approximately 100 ° C. The coal is then reactivated through the removal of the absorbed substances. The reactivation is completed by heating the carbon granules to between about 100 and about 250 ° C, forming coal slag by heating the carbon granules between about 200 and about 750 ° C and gasification of the coal slag by heating the carbon granules to approximately 800 and 1000 ° C in the presence of limiting quantities of oxidizing gases such as gas * - fuel, water vapor or oxygen. The ponds are of two types: smaller storage pond 16, usually about 1 hectare or less, which can be used either to preserve post-larval stock (ie, shrimp weighing less than 1 g) or to grow the pond. shrimp at full size, and larger growth ponds 17, usually with an area of 10 hectares or more, in which the shrimp are allowed to grow to their final size (i.e., preferably 15 to 18 g). In shrimp maricultures, the temperature of the pond water should be maintained above 18 ° C. It has been found that shrimp stop growing when kept at low temperatures. The level of dissolved oxygen in the pond water should remain between about 2 and about 10 ppm and preferably between about 4 and about 5 ppm. When the dissolved oxygen content in the pond water falls below 2ppm the shrimp are adversely affected. In the practice of the present invention, dissolved oxygen levels should be verified and maintained at or above 2 ppm. Dissolved oxygen levels tend to be at their lowest level between about 5 and 6 AM because phytoplankton photosynthesis has not occurred in the water overnight and thus dissolved oxygen measurements are preferably done in the morning . Optionally, culture ponds can be inoculated with garlic paste, which can be prepared by kneading fresh garlic. In the mariculture system of the present invention, this garlic paste acts as a bacteriostatic, which reduces the load of organic matter that is produced by the cultivation of marine life in ponds. The reduction in the load of organic matter in the recirculated water significantly reduces the fuel consumption of the system, when the level (second) of ozone that must be reached in the recirculating and combined replenishment water decreases significantly more than required when the paste of garlic is not added to the pond water Since the generation of ozone requires significant energy costs, the reduction of the required amount produces significant savings.The garlic paste is added to the breeding tanks in the following way. First and second weeks after the time in which the marine life to be cultivated is introduced into the nursery tanks, approximately 1 kilogram of garlic paste per hectare of pond is added, during the third week, 500 grams of pasta are added. garlic per hectare daily, from the fourth week to harvest, for every 1,000 pounds of live shrimp in a nursery pond In addition, approximately 500 grams of garlic paste are added daily on a daily basis or on each of the other days depending on the condition of the breeding pond, that is, if the animals in the pond do not appear to be growing as rapidly as expected. or it is required, the garlic paste can be applied on a daily basis, as long as the animals are growing and surviving well, the addition of the garlic paste can take place on the basis of each of the other days. Between 3 and 8% of water volume is exchanged daily in the growth ponds. That is to say, that each day from 3 to 8% of the total volume of water in a given pond is allowed to enter the channel of the reservoir 14, and a similar amount is allowed to leave the pond towards the recirculation channel 19. This circulation allows the constant reconditioning of the pond culture water by sedimentation, ozone treatments and aeration for the additional use of mariculture system. With the mariculture system of the present invention, between about 25 million and about 70 million gallons of water (total of all ponds) can be recycled daily. In a preferred embodiment approximately 30 million gallons of water are recirculated daily from the ponds. Of course, this number will vary depending on the size of the system. The minimum viable size of a farm to grow shrimp using the mariculture system of the present invention is 30 hectares and the maximum size is approximately 800 hectares. A preferred embodiment of the system (see Figure 1) is approximately 200 hectares. The preferred maximum area of an individual growth pond 17 is approximately 25 hectares. There is no minimum size of a pond. In the present modality, the ponds are graduated in the soil and do not have the artificial coating or water barrier. However, any suitable coating material, such as plastic or concrete, can be used in ponds in the practice of the invention.

CULTIVATION OR AGING OF MARINE ANIMALS The use of the present invention to cultivate or breed shrimp will be described. Shrimp are raised in tanks using methods well known in the art. It takes approximately 17 to 19 days for a shrimp to grow from an egg to the post-larval stage (ie, approximately 0.001 grams). The postlarval shrimp are transferred to small storage tanks 16, where they are stored. Shrimp from storage ponds 16 are harvested when they have grown to between about 0.5 to 1 gram, and are transferred or sown in growth ponds 17 to a density of approximately 150,000 to 180,000 (Pennaeus vannamei or monodon) or 90,000 to 120,000 (Pennaeus stylirostries) postlarvae shrimp per hectare of pond. The shrimp subsist mainly on the phytoplankton that is introduced into the ponds. For a 10-hectare pond, the initial phytoplankton feeding amount is approximately 3300 pounds. For a 1-acre storage pond, the initial phytoplankton feed amount is approximately 330 pounds. Phytoplankton grows in tanks by methods well known in the art, and can be collected from tanks by well-known methods, such as centrifugation or phytoplankton-containing culture medium, or by microfiltration of the phytoplankton-containing culture medium. Phytoplankton microfiltration to produce a suspension, followed by compression to further reduce the water content, produces a compressed phytoplankton cake which is easy to handle. Microfiltration is the preferred method for harvesting cultivated phytoplankton. Apparatus for the centrifugation and microfiltration of phytoplankton can be obtained from, for example, U.S. Filter Co., Warrendale, FA. The collected phytoplankton is then placed in plastic bags and frozen for a maximum of 30 days. When a pond needs to be planted with phytoplankton, the phytoplankton is taken from the freezer in the morning and deposited in the designated pond in a uniformly dispersed pattern. The growth of phytoplankton in ponds 17 is raised by the addition of nitrate and phosphate fertilizers. The amount of fertilizers added varies by season. In summer, from June to November, between about 6.6 to about 17.6 pounds per hectare of nitrogen-containing fertilizers (typically ureas) are added depending on the size of the pond when ponds 17 are seeded with phytoplankton. It also adds between approximately 3.3 and 11 pounds per hectare of phosphorus-containing fertilizer depending on the size of the pond to each pond 17 at the time the phytoplankton is sown. Subsequently, 17 of approximately 2.2 pounds to 11 pounds per hectare of nitrogen-containing fertilizer are added weekly to each pond. The phosphorus-containing fertilizer is added weekly at a rate of 1.1 pounds per hectare to 8.8 pounds per hectare. In the winter of December to May, nitrogen-containing fertilizer is added when ponds 17 are seeded with phytoplankton in amounts of 2.2 pounds to 8.8 pounds per hectare of pond 17. The phosphorus-containing fertilizer is added to ponds 17 at the time of plant the phytoplankton efi .. quantities of 2.2 pounds per hectare to 13.2 pounds per hectare. Subsequently, to maintain growth, fertilizer containing nitrogen in amounts of 1.1 pounds per hectare is added to 6.6 pounds per hectare per week. The phosphorus-containing fertilizer is added to ponds 17 weekly at a rate of 2.2 pounds per hectare to 11 pounds per hectare. As shrimp mature in growth ponds 17, they consume phytoplankton in greater quantities. Croquettes to feed commercial shrimp, which typically contain fishmeal, squid, wheat, rice, and fish oil, and vitamins are added to ponds to supplement the phytoplankton feed source Table 2 indicates the typical amounts of kibble they are introduced in a pond 17.

Table 2 When storage ponds are used to store very small postlarval shrimp and grow in them to a size of 0.5 to 1 g before being transferred to the growth ponds, the harvest is made as follows. The gates 20 of the ponds open and the shrimp collect marine net such as nylon, with an opening size smaller than that of the shrimp. One end of the tube is tied to gather the shrimp. Shrimp are immediately transferred to buckets filled with hydrogen peroxide and then transferred immediately to the growth pond in which they are stored or grown. When the shrimp grow to between about 9 and about 20 grams, and preferably between about 15 and 18 grams, they are harvested. Shrimp should be harvested at night, between approximately 6 PM and between approximately 6 AM. During the day the shrimp adhere to the bottom of the ponds 16, 17, and thus do not flow out with the water when the floodgates 18 open. At night, shrimp are present on the surface of the water and can be easily collected. Before harvest, the water levels of the ponds should decrease from approximately 110 cm to approximately 60 cm. The shrimp harvest is carried out as follows: a hooked tube (usually made of marine netting material, such as nylon), with hooked openings smaller than the shrimp to be harvested, is attached at one end to the pipe of the shrimp. external flow 49 (see Figure 6b) of a selected pond. The other end of the tube is tied in a knot to close the end. The outflow gates 18 of the ponds 17 are then opened, and water and shrimp are allowed to flow out of the pond 17 by the action of gravity. The water contained in the shrimp flows through the tube into the recirculation channel 19, and the shrimp are captured in the tube. After about 1500 to about 2000 pounds of shrimp have been caught in the tube, the gate 18 closes, the end of the tube is untied, and the shrimp are packed, in layers, on ice. After the tube has been emptied, it is tied again at one end and the same sequence of events is repeated until the pond 17 has been emptied and the shrimp have been collected and packed on ice. A typical 10-hectare pond will produce 9,000 to 11,000 pounds of shrimp. The water that is drained in the ponds during the harvest of the shrimp is not discarded, but is stored by raising the levels of other ponds 17, the recirculation channel 19, and the confinement area 7. In one embodiment of the invention, the The maximum amount of water that can be stored in this way is 150 million gallons, which corresponds to 4 times the length of the ponds of approximately 10 hectares. In the practice of the invention, the emptied ponds 17 are examined to determine damage and acidification. If an area appears to have putrefied organic matter collected, it is treated with lime (CaCO3). The ponds 17 are then allowed to dry to the solution, until the bottom of the pond cracks. The pond is then filled with water from the reservoir channel 14 at a height of 30 cm. This process of reconditioning and refilling a pond typically takes from about 7 to about 15 days. The use of ozone shortens the time before the pond surface cracks. Approximately 36 hours after filling the ponds with the water a depth of 30 cm, they are planted again with phytoplankton. On the third day after filling, postlarval shrimp are added to the growth ponds 16. During the next 20 days, the water level of the pond is allowed to rise from 30 cm to approximately 100-110 cm leaving the water in the pond and not allowing no outward flow. Between the 20th and 25th day after refilling 17, water exchange begins via reservoir channel 14. Storage ponds are filled in the same way as growth ponds.

The open mariculture system described above is adapted to cultivate shrimp. However, as known to those skilled in the art, and as is evident from the foregoing discussion, the apparatus and method are generally applicable to cultivate any aquatic or marine species. Fresh aquatic life and salt water can be cultured or bred using the invention, because there is no limitation on the water salt content. In this way, the invention can be used to greatly increase the available supply of many types of marine life that currently have a scarce supply as a result of overfishing and environmental destruction. It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known to the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is that which is clear from the present description of the invention. Having described the invention as above, the content of the following is claimed as property:

Claims (28)

1. An open mariculture system, characterized in that it comprises: a reservoir; a first ozone contact device in selective fluid communication or the reservoir; a reservoir channel in selective fluid communication with the first ozone contact device; and a plurality of ponds in selective fluid communication in the reservoir channel.

2. The mariculture system according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a recirculation channel in selective fluid communication with the first ozone contact device.

3. The mariculture system according to claim 2, characterized in that it also comprises a second ozone contact device in selective fluid communication with the recirculation channel.

4. The mariculture system according to claim 3, characterized in that the plurality of ponds are in selective fluid communication with the recirculation channel.

5. The mariculture system according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises an activated carbon device in selective fluid communication with the first ozone contact device.

6. The mariculture system according to claim 5, characterized in that it also comprises a confinement area in fluid communication with the activated carbon device where the replenishment and recirculation water are mixed.

7. The mariculture system according to claim 2, characterized in that it further comprises an activated carbon device in selective fluid communication with the first ozone contact device and the recirculation channel.

8. The mariculture system according to claim 7, characterized in that the recirculation channel includes a confinement area in fluid communication with the activated carbon device, and wherein the water from re-feeds and recirculation are mixed.

9. The system according to claim 6, characterized in that it also comprises a sedimentation device in selective fluid communication with the confinement area.

10. The mariculture system according to claim 9, characterized in that it further comprises a second ozone contact device in selective fluid communication with the confinement area, further comprising a second sedimentation device in selective fluid communication with the second contact device of ozone.

11. The mariculture system according to claim 10, characterized in that it further comprises an aeration device in selective fluid communication with the second sedimentation device; the aeration device is capable of removing the hypobromous acid from the water containing bromine treated with ozone.

12. The mariculture system according to claim 11, characterized in that the aeration device includes a curtain that depends downwards on the upper part of an aeration device.

13. The mariculture system according to claim 12, characterized in that the curtain is made of a porous material.

14. The mariculture system according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the plurality of ponds has an inlet gate, an activated carbon filter placed in each of the ponds near the inlet gate.

15. A method for cultivating or breeding marine life, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: obtaining water from a natural water source; put the water in contact with ozone; aerate the water until the residual byproduct content of such contact in the water has been reduced to a compatible level of marine life; and to cultivate or breed marine life in such water.

16. A method to cultivate or breed marine life, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: obtaining water for replenishment from a source of natural water which is contaminated with microorganisms or compounds dangerous to marine life; contacting the replenishment water with a first quantity of ozone for a sufficient period of time so that the ozone reaches a first level in the replenishment water; combine the replenishment water put in contact with ozone with recirculating water in which marine life is farmed or reared; aerating combined replenishment and recirculating water until the residual by-product content of ozone contact with water has been reduced to a level compatible with marine life; and to cultivate or breed marine life in such water.

17. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that the replenishment water is water containing bromine from a natural water source.

18. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that the replenishment water is contaminated with microorganisms or compounds dangerous to marine life.

19. The method of non-conformity with claim 16, characterized in that the replenishment and recirculating water is contacted with a second amount of ozone for a sufficient period of time so that the ozone reaches a second lower level in the replenishment and recirculating water combined

20. The method according to claim 19, characterized in that before combining the recirculating water and the ozone-treated replenishment water, the ozone-treated replenishment water is brought into contact with activated carbon.

21. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that marine life is cultivated or bred in a plurality of ponds on land.

22. The method in accordance with the claim 21, characterized in that it also comprises inoculating the ponds on land with phytoplankton.

23. The method in accordance with the claim 22, characterized in that it further comprises inoculating the ponds on land with a paste derived from the garlic plant in an effective bactericidal amount.

24. A method for preventing or at least diminishing the harmful effects of microorganisms and chemical toxins in a culture of marine animals suffering from such harmful effects, characterized in that it comprises: obtaining bromine-containing replenishment water from a natural water source which is contaminated with microorganisms or compounds dangerous to marine life; contacting the contaminated replenishment water with an amount of ozone for a period of time sufficient to reach a first level of ozone in the replenishment water, where the first level "of ozone is effective to destroy microorganisms and dangerous chemical compounds for marine life, combine the purified refill water with recirculating water, contact the replenishment water with the recirculating water combined with a sufficient amount of ozone and for a sufficient period of time to reach a second level of water. ozone in water, where the second level of ozone is lower than the first level, and where the second level of ozone is also effective to destroy microorganisms and chemical compounds dangerous to marine life, aerate the replenishment and recirculating water combined until the content of residual byproducts of contact with ozone in > > -the. water is reduced to a level compatible with marine life; and to cultivate or breed marine life in such water.

25. The method in accordance with the claim 24, characterized in that the culture or breeding of marine animals suffers from Taura syndrome.

26. The method according to claim 24, characterized in that the culture of marine animals suffers from infection with microorganisms selected from the group consisting of parvorirus, baculovirus, Vibrio, and necrotising hepatopancreatitis bacteria.

27. The method in accordance with the claim 16, characterized because marine life is shrimp.

28. The method according to claim 24, characterized in that marine life is shrimp.