In fish farming and fattening, success depends on good management of both water resources and fish, genetic quality, a balanced diet, strict sanitation, appropriate conservation, physicochemical properties, and transportation methods and adequate marketing channels for the final product, as emphasized by the Colombian Ministry of Agriculture.
Precisely in Huila, Columbia the largest fish producer in the country and, therefore, a reference for the national territory, the Departmental Government has reiterated that progress must be made in sanitary matters.
Biologically, water is composed of photosynthetic bacteria, saprophytic microorganisms (bacteria, fungi and parasites), phytoplankton and zooplankton; chemically, in addition to hydrogen and oxygen, it contains minerals, metals and contaminants, which are specific to each region. In all cases, the optimal water quality parameters vary with the species to be cultivated and the cultivation technology used. Knowing the physicochemical properties necessary for you is important.
To achieve a good development in aquaculture crops, the water must comply with a minimum of chemical, physical and biological properties according to the species to be used, according to Minagricultura.
On the one hand, the physical properties of the water, such as temperature and turbidity, must be within the appropriate range for the species in culture and be as stable as possible, avoiding abrupt changes; it is advisable to keep the turbidity of suspended materials low, since an excess of them reduces the penetration of sunlight, preventing photosynthesis and, therefore, causing a decrease in the levels of dissolved oxygen; the concentration of suspended materials must not exceed 80 mg/L in the ponds.
On the other hand, the main chemical properties to control are dissolved oxygen, carbon dioxide, pH, hardness, alkalinity, ammonium, nitrites and phosphates.
If any of the physicochemical properties are altered to values that are not appropriate for the species being farmed, the fish change their metabolism, lose their appetite, decrease their growth rate and/or are more vulnerable to disease and death, says the Ministry of Agriculture.
Specifically, dissolved oxygen is a measure of “how much oxygen is dissolved in the water, or the amount of oxygen available to aquatic animals. Potential hydrogen or pH is the measure of how acidic or basic the water is. It varies from 0 to 14, with seven being the ideal range. Like humans, aquatic organisms need oxygen to survive, reproduce and grow. If the water has low levels of dissolved oxygen, fish will not grow and may also die,” Laura Catalina Toro, fish farming expert at Sightline Systems.
As you can see, monitoring the physico-chemical parameters of the culture water and maintaining optimal quality is essential for fish health, growth and reproduction; but what is the best tool to do so?
If you are looking for a way to improve your aquaculture water quality monitoring processes and comply with regulations, it is important to consider incorporating artificial intelligence into your existing strategies. With automated data collection, predictive analytics and accurate monitoring, AQUA Sightline’s AI software can keep your fish healthy and be the tool that helps you achieve your goals. It can also improve growth and reproduction rates, maximize your farm’s efficiency and boost revenue.
The AQUA Sightline application automatically measures various parameters in the water such as oxygen, temperature, etc. and analyzes this information every 5 minutes in real time through saving you time.
The Sightline software integrates seamlessly with different hardware and software sensors to generate live data collection, visualization and automatic reporting of real-time data on all parameters of an aquaculture operation, even in remote locations.
In addition to automating the water quality data collection process, AQUA Sightline can also deliver vital and relevant information faster than manual methods. This is because its technology is able to process and interpret large amounts of data faster than a team of humans having to enter the data into endless Excel spreadsheets.
Finally, it is worth mentioning a complex situation that fish farming in Colombia are experiencing: the emergency caused by the Streptococcus agalactia ST7 bacterium (which does not affect humans). A major component of the water quality of a habitat is the presence of diseases and bacteria, including E. coli and coliform bacteria. Fish disease costs aquaculture farms billions in financial losses each year through bad physicochemical properties. With AI software, aquaculture companies can prevent the spread of disease by monitoring water contamination levels. This allows farms to take appropriate action as soon as possible.
AQUA Sightline is a powerful mobile app that operates even without a constant internet connection, is easy to use, and is already available in stores for Android and iOS devices.
For more information visit: https://www.sightline.com/aquaculture/
Brandon Witte is the CEO of Sightline Systems, a global leader in real-time performance monitoring and analytics software. With nearly two decades at the helm of Sightline, Brandon has driven innovation across industries, recently expanding into aquaculture with the launch of AQUA Sightline.
An experienced executive with a Bachelor of Science in Management Science from Virginia Tech’s Pamplin College of Business, Brandon’s career spans expertise in enterprise software, IT strategy, and professional services.
Under Brandon’s leadership, Sightline has established a reputation for delivering actionable insights through advanced analytics, empowering businesses to optimize operations for higher profit margins and more successful day-to-day operations.