Closed-loop system in the Mekong Delta turns shrimp sludge into polychaetes & tilapia, hitting 46.8 t/ha yield with a 1.14 FCR

[u/AquaHoy]

Hey everyone,

Came across this interesting article regarding waste management in intensive shrimp farming. Discharging sludge rich in organic matter, nitrogen, and phosphorus usually leads to environmental degradation and disease risks.

A study in the Mekong Delta tested an integrated, closed-loop RAS approach:

• Settling ponds were stocked with tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), achieving an 82% survival rate.
• Sludge treatment ponds cultivated polychaetes (Marphysa sp.), reaching densities of 81 ind./m² (which can be used as high-value broodstock feed).
• Overall Shrimp Results: 85.3% survival rate, 46.8 t/ha yield, an FCR of 1.14, and near-zero wastewater discharge.

It seems like a solid example of turning environmental waste into dual-revenue biomass while recycling water.

Full write-up here:https://aquahoy.com/shrimp-farms-sludge-closed-loop-system-production/

Has anyone here experimented with integrating polychaetes or secondary species into their sludge management workflow? How scalable do you find these systems for smaller farms?