major point to consider in start up a udang galah farm

as promised in my earlier post, i would like to start giving an article how to start / setting up a profitable small freshwater prawn farm ( 2 to 10 acres ). i would only discuss major vital factors that could lead to a successful farm including management of sustainable farming practice..

1. location of farm
   
2. capital
3. ponds
   
4. prawn larvae supply
5. water quality
6. feed
7. farm management
   
8. harvest
9. market your freshwater prawn
10. commercial factors / cash inflow outflow
    
11. long term GOAL of business

i will elaborate more on the importance of choosing the best location of your pond in the next post...how you can benefit in a long run than just temporary luck...please refer my earlier post for some of the subject

frozen freshwater prawn export to european countries

here some good news from today newspaper for our fellow freshwater prawn shrimp grower...

Wednesday March 18, 2009, The Star

Frozen seafood products cleared for export to EU

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian frozen seafood products have been cleared for export to the EU, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

The EU’s Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) has approved frozen seafood products from five Malay­sian companies and four farms after a visit which ended on March 12.

The FVO will next check on live sea catches.

The decision comes some 10 months after the Government suspended exports of seafood products to the EU, which had threatened a total ban after random checks on nine Malaysian companies exporting fishery products revealed poor health standards and practices.

“I am happy the FVO has cleared all the doubts and has readmitted Malaysia into the EU import list,” Liow told a press conference at Wisma MCA yesterday.

Liow said the approval process would normally take six weeks, but his ministry would expedite the process.

“We will get it done as soon as possible,” he said.

It is learnt that the nine companies accounted for about RM100mil worth of exports to the EU annually.

The whole frozen seafood industry to the EU, comprising some 15 exporters, is believed to be worth about RM600mil annually.

Tank Freshwater Prawn Culture

original ideas: culture baby freshwater prawn udang galah inside simple tanks either poly, concrete or fibre material.

duration: 1 month

setting up: 2 nos x 100 gallon poly tank, 3 nos bubble blower, 2 nos simple pumps and change water every 3 days, 8 nos of pipe shelter using green nets

findings:

• high content of sludge building up at the bottom of the tanks
• high ammonia content at tank bottom
• simple pump do not have enough suction power to filter the sludge
• 100 gallon of water is not sufficient to cater large numbers of freshwater prawn udang galah

solution:

1. larger tank with efficient suction power but gentle enough for the baby prawn
2. Water should be change at least 20% every 2 days
3. bio filter system should be consider as used in koi pond
4. bottom of tanks should be able or have drain outlet
5. high pressure blower with aero-tube should be use
6. tank should be place higher to make draining bottom sludge more easily
7. department of fisheries should have the technology as used in the hatchery complex

pro & cons:

• saving valuable lands and could monitor growth of baby freshwater prawn
• reduce risk of natural predator
• to increase survival rates up to 90%
• high cost on start-up and electricity
• baby-sit the whole time

please comment if my findings was not accurate....

aero tube vs paddle wheel report

here are my findings comparing the aero-tube and paddle wheel usage for large pond either for udang galah or fish, with the help from internet archives and the aero-tube supplier report.

Water movement and mixing capabilities

Equipment used :

1. 1 Hp 3-Grid Aero-Tube™ Air Lift

2. 1 Hp Paddle Wheel

Pond dimensions :

Area : 0.4 hectare (4,000 m2)

Depth : 6 feet (1.83 meters)

Method :

1. Both the 1Hp Aero-Tube™ Air Lift and 1Hp Paddle wheel were started 5 minutes before the dark purple dye was released into the ponds at the exact same time.

2. The coverage of the dye in the pond was then compared at certain time intervals - 18 mins, 30 mins and 55 mins

Outcome :

Status : 18 minutes after dye release in both ponds

Observation : Both the 1 Hp Aero-Tube™ Air Lift and the 1 Hp paddle wheel are able to move the water well in the pond.

The colour of dye coverage in both ponds are dark purple.

Status : 30 minutes after dye release in both ponds

Observation : Both the 1 Hp Aero-Tube™ Air Lift and the 1 Hp paddle wheel are still moving the water at the same rate with similar coverage of dye in the pond. The colour of dye coverage in both ponds are still dark purple.

Status : 55 minutes after dye release in both ponds

Observation : Both ponds are completely covered with dye.

However, there is a noticeable colour change in the
pond using the 1 Hp paddle wheel.

For Paddle wheel : the dye had sunk to the bottom of the pond. For Aero-Tube™ Air Lift : the dye is continually brought to
the surface of the water.

Conclusion :

1) Both Aero-Tube™ Air Lift and Paddle wheel were able to circulate the water at similar rate.

2) However, the Aero-Tube™ Air Lift was able to provide better vertical mixing, bringing the water and aeration from the bottom of the pond to the surface.

Hence, that would mean more aeration for our aquaculture species across the entire pond.

i am going to investing a modified air-lift type using 1HP blower that will cost some fortune but it is worth a try if can resulting long term saving to my business