What is it?
Greenwater tank culture is an intensive production technology suitable for a tropical, semi-arid environment, such as St. Croix.
What are the advantages of greenwater tank culture?
1.) Water use efficiency. Not including initial tank filling, our small-scale systems require less than 38 gallons per day. That’s less than ½ of 1% tank volume!
2.) Nutrient recycling to fish. The "suspended growth treatment process" which maintains adequate water quality for the fish, also recycles waste nutrients into plankton and bacteria. The fish graze on these, thus lowering feed costs.
3.) Production of concentrated solid waste (sludge) for associated land agriculture. Sludge produced from these systems has been found to be an effective fertilizer for a variety of crops, including pak choi, green peppers, and guineagrass.
4.) Management simplicity. Other than stocking and harvesting, the greenwater tank culture system generally requires less than 2 hours of management per day. The configuration of the system is simple, and maintenance needs are minimal.
5.) Profitability. High production capabilities, combined with reasonable capital and operational costs, permit greenwater tank culture to be profitable on both a small and a large scale.
What are the disadvantages of greenwater tank culture?
1.) Risk. As with any agribusiness, there is risk involved with raising tilapia. Poor management, hurricanes, disease, or theft may destroy an entire crop.
2.) Water source. We use well water in our tanks which is high in chloride and alkalinity. We will test your water source to ensure it’s properly suited for this kind of fish culture.
3.) Power failure. In the event of a power outage, all of the fish in the system would die within hours. Therefore, it is essential to have a backup generator.
