Method and system for aquaculture production

Abstract

A system and method provide an intensive aquaculture system for producing caviar or other goods. The system has a photosynthetic subsystem to consume waste from a production species, a food production subsystem to consume the photosynthetic species and be eaten by the production species. Optionally, the food production species may be pelletized or otherwise refined before being consumed by the production species. While each subsystem may have its own water chemistry, gas scrubbers may be used to control gas levels among the subsystems. In one implementation, an enclosure is used with a sensor to measure the gas above the water in the photosynthetic species. Water and species may be transferred among the subsystems as desired. Multiple aquaculture systems may be used in combination to provide age-specific systems operating in conjunction with one another and distribute risk of disease or failure across multiple systems.

1 . An aquaculture apparatus, comprising:
 a photosynthetic culture tank;   an enclosure associated with the photosynthetic culture tank and enclosing a gas above contents of the photosynthetic culture tank; and   a sensor for sensing a level of at least one component of the gas.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the enclosure is a cover fitted to the photosynthetic culture tank. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , in which the cover is at least one of the group of translucent and transparent. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the enclosure is a room in which the photosynthetic culture tank is located. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor senses a level of nitrogen compounds. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor senses a level of carbon dioxide. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor senses a level of phosphorous compounds. 
   
   
       8 . An aquaculture apparatus, comprising:
 a photosynthetic culture tank;   a production culture tank; and   a carbon dioxide stripper associated with the production culture tank and coupled to the photosynthetic culture tank to supply carbon dioxide stripped from water in the production culture tank to water in the photosynthetic culture tank.   
   
   
       9 . An aquaculture apparatus, comprising:
 a photosynthetic culture tank;   a production culture tank;   trigger signal generator associated with at least one of the photosynthetic culture tank and the production culture tank; and   a water transfer device to selectively enable transfer of water between the production culture tank and the photosynthetic culture tank upon receipt of a trigger signal from the trigger signal generator.   
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the trigger signal generator generates the trigger signal in relation to a nitrogen level of the water in the production culture tank. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the trigger signal generator generates the trigger signal in relation to a nitrogenous waste level of the water in the photosynthetic culture tank. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the trigger signal generator generates the trigger signal in relation to a water level of the water in the photosynthetic culture tank. 
   
   
       13 . A method of aquaculture, comprising:
 growing a photosynthetic first species in a photosynthetic culture tank;   providing the first species to a second species in a food production culture tank that eats the first species;   providing the second species to a fish in a production culture tank;   harvesting the fish; and   providing a waste product to a scavenging species in a scavenging species tank.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the waste product is at least one portion of a harvested fish. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the waste product is at least one of the group of an unharvested dead fish, a sample of the photosynthetic first species, and a sample of the second species. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the act of providing water from the food production culture tank to the scavenging species tank. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the act of harvesting caviar from the fish.