ABSTRACT
A simple tank design is described. A self-cleaning drainage screen
provides relatively maintenance-free mass culture of seaweeds, particularly
those with lax, jlexible thalli.
INTRODUCTION
A variety of tank designs exist for the mass culture of marine macrophytic
algae. Intermediate-sized tanks (200-800-1itre volume)typically
employ some form of air bubbling to circulate thalli within the tank.
Pellegrini & Lahaye (1987) stated that this style of tank produces a
"tumble culture'.
Huguenin (1976) discussed the origins of tumble culture and its
application to large-scale seaweed culture. Early designs for tumble
culture tanks frequently employed a sloping bottom with a single air pipe
placed along the bottom of the deep end. Water left the system via a
simple vertical standpipe drainsump (e.g. Lapointe et al., 1976; Waaland,
1976). The Harbor Branch Foundation of Fort Pierce, Florida, has
performed many algal growth experiments using a similar type of design
(e.g. DeBusk & Ryther, 1984). During the 1980s a variety of different
designs have been developed. DeWreede (1980) described a novel
floating tumble culture system which could be towed to remote bodies of
water. Bidwell et al. (1985) provided a detailed description of a cellular
design of tumble culture tank which they developed while growing the
red alga Chondrus crispus. The Japanese have presented a high technology
plan for pilot plant mass culture of Porphyra which includes some
unique tank designs (Imada et al., 1986).
The basic North American design of tumble culture tank was