EVALUATING TUMBLING EFFICIENCY OF DIFFERENT AIR DIFFUSERS ON THE MEAN GROWTH OF Ulva AND TURKISH TOWEL SEAWEEDS

Tumble culture of seaweed and kelp is an emerging form of mariculture that can lead to high growth rates and efficient nutrient absorption. A commercial industry with demand for various types of seaweed for cosmetic, medicinal, or human consumption could be met by tumble culture in land-based systems. This project aims to understand the difference in growth between a commonly used air diffuser and designs created by our group that could lead to more growth and greater nutrient absorption in Ulva lactuca (Sea Lettuce) and Chondracanthus exasperatus (Turkish Bath Towel). Comparison between the diffuser types will be conducted via analysis of water quality parameters as well as starting and end weight of the seaweeds. The first set of data is conducted with both Ulva and Turkish Towel while the second set of data consists of only Ulva. The first set compares two types of diffusers across four tanks while the second set compares three diffusers across the same four tanks. Results indicate diffuser type does lead to a difference in growth. Small variations can lead to vastly different results and maintaining consistency is key to understanding any observed effects. This has implications for commercial mariculture with respect to efficiency, as diffusers vary greatly in cost of materials and complexity. Understanding the potential benefits of diffuser type could allow those employing tumble culture to make educated decisions when creating new systems.