According to BFAR saline tilapia produces green water, a bio-control agent in prawn culture. In the system, tilapia is grown in net cages and the green water it produces helps control the growth of luminous bacteria that is bad for the development of shrimps and prawns.
National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (NIMBB) and the Institute of Aquaculture of the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (AI-CFOS) of the University of the Philippines in the Visayas have jointly developed this latest biotechnology, green water. Dr. Jesse Ronquillo and Prof. Valeriano Corre Jr. of the NIMBB and AI-CFOS developed this technology starting in 1999 to help prevent and control the spread of aquaculture diseases like vibrio or luminous bacteria.
It is told that chlorination has long been used a means of reducing pathogens in water but was proven to have short-term effect—a rapid repopulation of seawater occurred upon dechlorination. Gil Ramos, provincial chief of the field office of the BFAR, informed that modifications in management techniques, like the use of semi-intensive farming method and modular ponds, were even suggested to address the problem but were proven rather expensive and laborious untakings.
He also said that the successful completion of the Ronquillo-Corre green-water project in 2002 has enhanced shrimp production and been hailed as an aquaculture-friendly technology. The green-water project is a technique that basically involves the use of phytoplankton such as chlorella that turns the water green.
