Raising fish condo-style

DAGUPAN CITY, Philippines – Introducing: “Fish Condominium” (FC). This is made of multi-level chambers (drums) where one can raise fish even in one’s backyard.

The FC was conceptualized by Dr. Westly R. Rosario, interim executive director of National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI) based here, to enable the culture of fish in used containers such as metal drums.

The design optimizes utilization of electricity to filter and aerate the water. Filtration design is simple, cheap, effective, and practical, which allows continuous reuse of water.

Dr. Rosario reported on the progress of the technology at the “First National Summit on Mechanization in Aquaculture” held at the Asian Fishesries Academy-NFRDI under the Department of Agriculture here.

The prototype fish condominium consists of seven culture chambers stacked in three “floors” of levels using a fabricated metal frame.

Three chambers are arranged at the first level while two chambers are arranged in each of the second and third levels.

The continuous flow and recycling of water, using one-half horsepower submersible pumps, serves as the unit’s life support system.

The fish condo is equipped with mechanical cum biological filters in the outlet piping system, a filter box on the topmost level (atop the third level) and a settling trough (basin) on the ground level (below the first level).

The settling trough collects solid waste and acts as catch basin before the water is pumped to the top level filter.

Water pumped from the settling trough is subjected to another filtration before it is recirculated to the culture chambers.

Water pumped from the settling trough is subjected to another filtration before it is recirculated to the culture chambers.

Dr. Rosario said 300 to 350 fingerlings can be stocked in the chamber – or 2,100 to 2,450 in the whole FC.

“Catfish (hito) can grow in a fish condo to marketable size in four months,” he said.

Since a unit of the facility occupies a minimum area of 230 centimeters by 180 cm and with the total production water volume of about 2,800 liters, it can be easily installed in one’s backyard, thus suiting the purpose of “urban aquaculture.”

“The shape of the culture chamber allows effective water circulation and easy removal of fish wastes by siphoning,” Dr. Rosario explained.

Profitability of the system can be maximized when vegetable farming is integrated with fish farming. Wastewater from the FC, which is rich in organic matter, is used to water the vegetables.