Monomer-isolated stepped sea urchin culture device and bait efficiency evaluation method

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of aquaculture, and particularly discloses a single-body isolated stepped sea urchin culture device and a bait efficiency evaluation method. According to the monomer-isolated stepped sea urchin culture device provided by the invention, a suitable running water environment can be created in the culture tank through the partition plates and the circulating water system, so that each monomer culture tank realizes water body renewal, obtains sufficient dissolved oxygen, inorganic salt and fresh water body, and takes away excrement, impurities, ammonia nitrogen solute and the like. Meanwhile, the sea urchin prefers a running water environment, and the growth speed in the running water environment is obviously superior to that in a still water environment. Compared with a large-scale intensive breeding mode of a traditional farm, the device provides a suitable running water growth environment, growth of the sea urchins can be accelerated, the breeding period is shortened, and the growth speed is remarkably higher than that of an industrial breeding mode. The device can be used for fine and rapid culture of the sea urchins, such as high-quality parent culture and the like, and the output of the sea urchin fry is accelerated.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of aquaculture technology, and in particular to a single-unit isolated stepped sea urchin farming device and a method for evaluating feed efficiency. Background Technology

[0002] Sea urchins are an important aquatic resource, with their gonads rich in nutrients and yielding substantial profits from aquaculture, thus holding a significant position in the aquaculture industry. However, current sea urchin farming technology, especially in areas such as refined farming management, breeding of superior varieties, and precision nutrition research, faces a series of key challenges.

[0003] Traditional aquaculture methods typically employ group polyculture, which leads to aggressive sea urchins shoving and squeezing each other, resulting in significant mortality and individual growth differences. It also makes it extremely difficult to accurately assess the feeding amount and growth of individual sea urchins, as well as to calculate key trait indicators such as feed efficiency (feeding amount / weight gain), severely restricting the efficiency of breeding superior varieties and the formulation of precise feeding strategies.

[0004] While existing equipment for intensive, three-dimensional aquaculture improves space utilization, its design often leads to insufficient dissolved oxygen and accumulation of metabolic waste in the bottom water. Sea urchins are highly sensitive to fluctuations in water quality, making them prone to outbreaks of disease. Furthermore, most existing aquaculture facilities have fixed structures, making it difficult to flexibly adjust the number, size, or overall layout of aquaculture units (individual aquaculture rooms) according to actual experimental or production needs. This limits the feasibility of conducting individual isolation comparative experiments or multi-gradient aquaculture trials. Therefore, the industry urgently needs to develop a sea urchin aquaculture device and supporting methods that can achieve effective individual separation, ensure efficient and uniform water circulation and renewal, integrate automated and precise monitoring functions, and possess high modularity and scalability. This would support precision sea urchin aquaculture, breeding, and nutritional physiology research, especially providing a reliable technical platform for accurately measuring key traits such as individual feed efficiency.

[0005] While aquaculture facilities already exist in China, they suffer from limitations such as limited space and unsuitability for sea urchin farming. Therefore, a suitable facility is needed for the separate farming of sea urchins, enabling refined sea urchin farming and the study of individual sea urchin feed characteristics. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a single-unit isolated stepped sea urchin farming device and a method for evaluating feed efficiency, so as to solve the problems existing in the prior art.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a single-unit isolated stepped sea urchin farming device, comprising:

[0008] Multiple breeding tanks are arranged in a stepped manner; each breeding tank is equipped with a partition, which divides the breeding tank into multiple individual breeding chambers. The partition has a perforated part and a shielding part, and two adjacent individual breeding chambers are connected through the perforated part.

[0009] The circulating water system has multiple front openings and multiple back openings on opposite sides of the breeding tank. The inlet of the circulating water system is connected to the front opening of the bottommost breeding tank, and the outlet of the circulating water system is connected to the front opening of the topmost breeding tank. The circulating water system is used to filter and control the temperature of the water in the breeding tank.

[0010] A monitoring system is used to monitor the shell diameter, feeding, and aquaculture environment of sea urchins in the culture tank.

[0011] Preferred options also include:

[0012] A support plate is provided at both ends of the breeding tank. Both ends of the breeding tank are provided with fixing ports. The breeding tank and the support plate are connected and fixed by screws and fixing ports. The breeding tank is arranged in a stepped manner through the support plates at both ends.

[0013] Preferably, the front opening is located at three-quarters of the height of the side wall of the aquaculture tank, and the back opening is located at the bottom of the side wall of the aquaculture tank. Valves are installed on both the front opening and the back opening.

[0014] Preferably, both the front opening and the back opening are tubular structures.

[0015] Preferably, both the aquaculture tank and the support plate are made of polypropylene acrylic sheet, which has high structural strength, low cost, and can effectively prevent seawater corrosion. Light-transmitting or light-blocking materials can be selected according to actual needs. Light-blocking covers can be installed on each layer of aquaculture tank to achieve a light-protected environment.

[0016] Preferably, the front opening of the topmost breeding tank is connected to a water supply pipe, and the rear openings of multiple breeding tanks are all connected to drain pipes. The water supply pipe is used to replenish water lost due to natural evaporation or water changes, and the drain pipe is used to discharge breeding wastewater, while also carrying away accumulated feces in the breeding tank during drainage.

[0017] Preferably, the circulating water system includes a filter, a water pump, a thermostat, an inlet pipe, and an outlet pipe; one end of the inlet pipe is connected to the front opening of the bottommost aquaculture tank, the filter, the water pump, and the thermostat are sequentially installed at the other end of the inlet pipe, one end of the outlet pipe is connected to the outlet end of the thermostat, and the other end of the outlet pipe is connected to the front opening of the topmost aquaculture tank.

[0018] Preferably, the monitoring system includes a camera, a computer, and a probe. The camera and the probe are both connected to the computer. The camera is used to monitor the culture tank in real time, observe the movement and feeding of sea urchins, and identify the shell diameter of the sea urchins. The computer is used to store the activity information of the sea urchins in the culture tank. The probe is used to detect the environmental parameters of the water in the culture tank in real time.

[0019] Preferably, the activity information includes feeding frequency, feeding time, sea urchin shell diameter, sea urchin weight, and food intake; the environmental parameters include temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and ammonia nitrogen content.

[0020] A method for evaluating the feed efficiency in sea urchin farming includes the following steps:

[0021] Set up the equipment; determine the number of breeding tanks, the number of individual breeding chambers within the breeding tanks, and the number of openings in the breeding tanks as needed;

[0022] Sea urchins are released; sea urchins are selected, weighed, and labeled, and then placed into their respective individual culture rooms in sequence.

[0023] Feed the sea urchins; cut the feed into appropriate sizes, dry and weigh the feed, and feed it to the sea urchins in turn, recording the data;

[0024] Collect the feed; collect the feed after feeding for a certain period of time, dry and weigh the feed, and record the data; calculate the feed intake based on the weight difference of the dried feed before and after feeding and the dry-wet ratio of the feed.

[0025] Sea urchin recovery; repeat the above farming operations until the sea urchins have been farmed for the required experimental time, then recover the sea urchins and measure the weight of each sea urchin.

[0026] Data computation;

[0027] Feed intake = (Weight of feed given - Weight of remaining feed) × Dry to wet weight ratio;

[0028] Growth = Weight of sea urchins at the time of retrieval - Weight of sea urchins at the time of release;

[0029] Feed efficiency = feed intake / growth.

[0030] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages and technical effects:

[0031] This invention provides a tiered, isolated sea urchin farming device that offers a non-competitive, isolated environment for the cultured organisms. It ensures water renewal in each individual tank, providing ample dissolved oxygen, inorganic salts, and fresh water, while removing waste, impurities, and dissolved ammonia. The tiered design breaks away from the closed nature of traditional vertical farming devices through a staggered, layered layout. Oxygen supply relies on gravity-driven operation and equipment regulation, reducing mechanical energy consumption while optimizing dissolved oxygen gradients. Sunlight utilization is achieved through gradient distribution and intelligent adaptation, avoiding light obstruction and waste. Sea urchins prefer flowing water environments, growing significantly faster in flowing water than in still water. By combining natural mechanisms with intelligent regulation, this device provides a microenvironment closer to natural growth, fundamentally improving farming efficiency and ecological benefits. Compared to traditional large-scale, intensive farming methods, this device accelerates sea urchin growth, shortens the farming cycle, and achieves a significantly higher growth rate than factory farming. This device can be used for refined, rapid sea urchin farming, such as cultivating high-quality broodstock, accelerating the production of sea urchin seedlings. Attached Figure Description

[0032] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0033] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the single-unit isolated stepped sea urchin farming device of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the aquaculture tank of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 3 This is a side view of the aquaculture tank of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the partition of the present invention;

[0037] In the diagram: 1. Breeding tank; 101. Front opening; 102. Back opening; 103. Fixing port; 2. Support plate; 3. Partition; 301. Hollowed-out section; 302. Covering section; 401. Filter; 402. Water pump; 403. Thermostat; 404. Water inlet pipe; 405. Water outlet pipe; 501. Water replenishment pipe; 502. Water drain pipe; 6. Camera; 7. Computer; 8. Probe. Detailed Implementation

[0038] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this invention can be combined with each other. The described embodiments are merely some, not all, of the embodiments of this invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this invention. The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0039] This invention provides a single-unit isolated stepped sea urchin farming device, comprising:

[0040] Multiple breeding tanks 1 are arranged in a stepped manner; the interior of each breeding tank 1 is equipped with a partition 3, which divides the breeding tank 1 into multiple individual breeding chambers. The partition 3 is provided with a perforated part 301 and a shielding part 302, and two adjacent individual breeding chambers are connected through the perforated part 301.

[0041] The circulating water system has multiple front openings 101 and multiple back openings 102 on opposite sides of the breeding tank 1. The inlet of the circulating water system is connected to the front opening 101 of the bottom breeding tank 1, and the outlet of the circulating water system is connected to the front opening 101 of the top breeding tank 1. The circulating water system is used to filter and control the temperature of the water in the breeding tank 1.

[0042] The monitoring system is used to monitor the shell diameter, feeding, and aquaculture environment of sea urchins in aquaculture tank 1.

[0043] Further optimizations to the plan include:

[0044] Support plate 2 is set at both ends of the breeding tank 1. Both ends of the breeding tank 1 are provided with fixing port 103. The breeding tank 1 and the support plate 2 are connected and fixed by screws and fixing port 103. The breeding tank 1 is arranged in a stepped manner through the support plates 2 at both ends.

[0045] The design is further optimized so that the front opening 101 is located at three-quarters of the height of the side wall of the breeding tank 1, and the back opening 102 is located at the bottom of the side wall of the breeding tank 1. Valves are installed on both the front opening 101 and the back opening 102.

[0046] The design was further optimized so that both the front opening 101 and the back opening 102 are tubular structures.

[0047] It can be used as a diversion device to allow water to flow smoothly into the lower breeding tank 1, or as a pipe connector.

[0048] The design was further optimized so that both the breeding tank 1 and the support plate 2 are made of polypropylene acrylic sheet.

[0049] Polypropylene acrylic sheets offer high structural strength, low cost, and effective protection against seawater corrosion. Transparent or light-blocking materials can be selected based on specific needs. Furthermore, light-blocking covers can be installed on each aquaculture tank layer to create a shaded environment.

[0050] Choose light-transmitting or light-blocking materials according to actual needs. Light-blocking covers can be installed on each layer of the culture tank to achieve a light-proof environment. Through the "staggered layer difference" stepped design, the problem of uneven light distribution (too strong on the top and too weak on the bottom) caused by the complete overlap of multiple layers in traditional vertical culture devices can be avoided. This ensures that each culture unit has sufficient light-receiving area, making full use of natural light and avoiding the decrease in sea urchin feeding activity caused by complete light blocking.

[0051] The design is further optimized so that the front opening 101 of the topmost breeding tank 1 is connected to a water supply pipe 501, and the back openings 102 of multiple breeding tanks 1 are all connected to a drain pipe 502.

[0052] The water supply pipe 501 is used to replenish the water lost due to natural evaporation or water changes, and the drain pipe 502 is used to discharge aquaculture wastewater. At the same time, the drainage can remove the feces accumulated in the aquaculture tank.

[0053] The scheme is further optimized. The circulating water system includes a filter 401, a water pump 402, a thermostat 403, an inlet pipe 404, and an outlet pipe 405. One end of the inlet pipe 404 is connected to the front opening 101 of the bottommost aquaculture tank 1. The filter 401, water pump 402, and thermostat 403 are installed sequentially at the other end of the inlet pipe 404. One end of the outlet pipe 405 is connected to the outlet end of the thermostat 403, and the other end of the outlet pipe 405 is connected to the front opening 101 of the topmost aquaculture tank 1.

[0054] The solution has been further optimized. Filter 401 adsorbs impurities and oil stains in the aquaculture water. The thermostat 403 can detect the temperature of the aquaculture water in real time. When the water temperature exceeds the set range, the thermostat 403 starts temperature regulation to control the water temperature to the set temperature.

[0055] Further optimization of the scheme involves a water circulation system built based on the height difference of the steps. Filter screens can be installed at the front opening of the breeding tank 1 or on the top of the lower individual breeding chamber. Drainage is initially filtered by the filter screen (intercepting large particles such as uneaten food and feces) before flowing into the lower unit. Each breeding tank 1 can be divided into several rows of individual breeding tanks by partitions 3. The last row serves as a biological filter, filled with coral sand, zeolite, etc. The upper water flow flows into this biological filter to purify the water and remove harmful substances such as ammonia nitrogen and nitrite. Finally, the wastewater is pumped by water pump 402 to filter 401 for treatment and then returned to the upper layer, forming a closed-loop system. This reduces the working pressure of filter 401, and filter 401 can be removed when the number of breeding tanks is small to save costs.

[0056] The scheme was further optimized. The monitoring system includes a camera 6, a computer 7, and a probe 8. Both the camera 6 and the probe 8 are connected to the computer 7. The camera 6 is used to monitor the culture tank 1 in real time, observe the movement and feeding of sea urchins, and identify the shell diameter of sea urchins. The computer 7 is used to store the activity information of sea urchins in the culture tank 1. The probe 8 is used to detect the environmental parameters of the water in the culture tank 1 in real time.

[0057] The plan was further optimized, and the activity information included feeding frequency, feeding time, sea urchin shell diameter, sea urchin weight, and food intake; environmental parameters included temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and ammonia nitrogen content.

[0058] Further optimizing the design, this device employs a gravity-driven flowing water oxygenation circulation system. Traditional aquaculture relies on mechanical pumps for forced water circulation, resulting in high energy consumption and uneven oxygen distribution. The stepped design utilizes the height difference between the levels to create a gravity-flow oxygen circulation system. By creating "cascading oxygenation zones" through the stepped design, the water flows from the upper to the lower levels, ensuring ample contact with air and naturally increasing dissolved oxygen levels. This reduces the consumption of oxygenation equipment and meets the oxygen requirements for normal-density sea urchin farming. If this device is used to farm large quantities of sea urchins, oxygen pumps and air stones can be added to any individual farming chamber to further increase dissolved oxygen.

[0059] To further optimize the design and save space, the aquaculture device adopts a multi-level three-dimensional layout, arranging the aquaculture units in layers with a vertical height difference of 100-150mm, forming a stepped distribution of "upper layer - middle layer - lower layer". This integrates the aquaculture units with supporting equipment (circulating water system, monitoring system, etc.). Each layer of individual aquaculture chambers can be used for aquaculture as well as to place various detection probes and filter materials. The space at the bottom of the device can accommodate equipment such as water pump 402 and constant temperature machine 403, thereby increasing the overlap and utilization rate of equipment and aquaculture space. This design can break through the spatial limitations of traditional planar aquaculture, improve the aquaculture capacity and space utilization per unit area, avoid the problem of equipment occupying space separately in traditional layouts, and achieve intensive spatial configuration of "aquaculture-monitoring-control".

[0060] The present invention provides a single-unit isolated stepped sea urchin farming device, wherein the farming tank 1 is rectangular; each farming tank 1 is arranged in a stepped manner through side support plates 2; each farming tank 1 has an opening on the front and back; the front opening 101 of the farming tank 1 allows the farming water to flow to the farming tank 1 of the next layer; the removal of farming wastewater and deposited feces is achieved through the back opening 102 at the bottom of the farming tank 1 and the drain pipe 502; water replenishment is achieved through the front opening 101 of the farming tank 1 and the water inlet pipe 501; the partition 3 is two rectangular plates of the same width but different lengths, including a blocking part 302 and a hollow part 301, which can be combined with each other; the partition 3 is set perpendicular to the direction of the farming tank 1 and can be locked to the inner side wall of the farming tank 1; the farming tank 1 The tank is divided into multiple individual aquaculture chambers by partition 3; each individual aquaculture chamber is connected by a perforated section 301 to facilitate water circulation and waste removal; the inlet pipe 404 of the circulating water system is connected to the front opening 101 of the bottom aquaculture tank 1, and the outlet pipe 405 is connected to the front opening 101 of the top aquaculture tank 1, which can realize water filtration, temperature control and self-circulation; the monitoring system can analyze the sea urchin shell diameter and feed consumption through image comparison; the probe 8 can detect important aquaculture indicators such as temperature, salinity and ammonia nitrogen in the sea urchin aquaculture environment in real time; the monitoring system can also record images of sea urchin activity and feeding, record feeding time, judge the amount of feed remaining, and remind in time to collect decayed feed and add new feed.

[0061] This invention provides a tiered, isolated sea urchin farming device that offers a non-competitive, isolated environment for the cultured organisms. It ensures water renewal in each individual tank, providing ample dissolved oxygen, inorganic salts, and fresh water, while removing waste, impurities, and dissolved ammonia. The tiered design breaks away from the closed nature of traditional vertical farming devices through a staggered, layered layout. Oxygen supply relies on gravity-driven operation and equipment regulation, reducing mechanical energy consumption while optimizing dissolved oxygen gradients. Sunlight utilization is achieved through gradient distribution and intelligent adaptation, avoiding light obstruction and waste. Sea urchins prefer flowing water environments, growing significantly faster in flowing water than in still water. By combining natural mechanisms with intelligent regulation, this device provides a microenvironment closer to natural growth, fundamentally improving farming efficiency and ecological benefits. Compared to traditional large-scale, intensive farming methods, this device accelerates sea urchin growth, shortens the farming cycle, and achieves a significantly higher growth rate than factory farming. This device can be used for refined, rapid sea urchin farming, such as cultivating high-quality broodstock, accelerating the production of sea urchin seedlings.

[0062] A method for evaluating the feed efficiency in sea urchin farming includes the following steps:

[0063] Set up the equipment; determine the number of breeding tanks 1, the number of individual breeding chambers in breeding tank 1, and the number of openings in breeding tank 1 as needed;

[0064] Sea urchins are released; sea urchins are selected, weighed, and labeled, and then placed into their respective individual culture rooms in sequence.

[0065] Feed the sea urchins; cut the feed into appropriate sizes, dry and weigh the feed, and feed it to the sea urchins in turn, recording the data;

[0066] Collect the feed; collect the feed after feeding for a certain period of time, dry and weigh the feed, and record the data; calculate the feed intake based on the weight difference of the dried feed before and after feeding and the dry-wet ratio of the feed.

[0067] Sea urchin recovery; repeat the above farming operations until the sea urchins have been farmed for the required experimental time, then recover the sea urchins and measure the weight of each sea urchin.

[0068] Data computation;

[0069] Feed intake = (Weight of feed given - Weight of remaining feed) × Dry to wet weight ratio;

[0070] Growth = Weight of sea urchins at the time of retrieval - Weight of sea urchins at the time of release;

[0071] Feed efficiency = feed intake / growth.

[0072] Feed efficiency is a crucial trait determining the quality of sea urchins. Improving feed efficiency means achieving the same or even higher production levels with less feed input, thus reducing farming costs while ensuring profitability. Furthermore, improving feed efficiency also reduces excrement, decreasing the output of eutrophic components such as nitrogen and phosphorus to the environment, which is beneficial for ecological protection and aligns with the development concept of new productivity in aquaculture.

[0073] This invention solves the problems of traditional aquaculture methods, such as the inability to isolate sea urchins, inconvenient sewage discharge, excessive density, lack of flowing water environment, and inability to monitor individual activities. The single-unit isolated tiered sea urchin aquaculture device provided by this invention integrates convenience, self-circulation, visualization, and modularity. It is easy to install, saves water, provides a suitable growth environment for sea urchins, and facilitates the measurement of data such as the growth and feeding amount of individual sea urchins, thereby enabling accurate evaluation of various traits of sea urchins.

[0074] Example 1

[0075] like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, this embodiment of the invention provides a single-unit isolated stepped sea urchin farming device, including a farming tank 1, a support plate 2, a partition 3, a circulating water system, inlet and outlet pipes, a camera 6, a computer 7, and a probe 8. This device is primarily used for farming sea urchins, but can also be used to farm other aquatic animals of suitable size.

[0076] Please see Figure 1The device is stepped; in this embodiment, a set of devices consists of three layers of breeding tanks 1. In actual use, the size of the support plate 2 can be adjusted as needed to install different numbers of breeding tanks 1; there are no gaps between each layer, and the bottom layer is placed on the table; if the user wants to improve waterproofing, tools such as a glue gun can be used to seal the gaps between adjacent breeding tanks 1.

[0077] In this embodiment, the partition 3 is placed perpendicular to the culture tank 1; the partition 3 can be clamped to the inner wall of the culture tank 1; the partition 3 is a rectangular plate with the same width but different lengths, including a blocking part 302 and a hollow part 301, which can be combined with each other; each culture tank 1 is divided into multiple individual culture chambers by the partition 3; one sea urchin is placed in each individual culture chamber; each individual culture chamber is connected by the hollow part 301 to facilitate water circulation and the removal of feces.

[0078] In this embodiment, the water supply pipe 501 is connected to the front opening 101 of the top-level breeding tank 1, and the drain pipe 502 is connected to the back opening 102 of each breeding tank 1; the water supply pipe 501 replenishes the water lost through natural evaporation and water exchange; the drain pipe 502 carries away the feces when discharging wastewater.

[0079] In this embodiment, the circulating water system includes a filter 401, a water pump 402, a thermostat 403, an inlet pipe 404, and an outlet pipe 405, which can be placed at the bottom of the aquaculture device to save space; the water pump 402 pumps water from the bottom aquaculture tank 1 to the top aquaculture tank 1; the filter 401 can filter impurities, ammonia nitrogen dissolved in the water, etc.; the thermostat 403 monitors the temperature of the aquaculture water in real time, and when the water temperature exceeds the set range, the thermostat 403 starts temperature regulation to control the water temperature to the set temperature.

[0080] In this embodiment, between two adjacent culture tanks 1, the culture water flows from the upper culture tank 1 to the lower culture tank 1 through the front opening 101. The water in the lower culture tank 1 is pumped to the top culture tank 1 by the water pump 402, thereby realizing water circulation. The water circulation speed can be adjusted by adjusting the power of the water pump 402 and the number of openings.

[0081] In this embodiment, the water circulation system achieves oxygenation through water flow, which can meet the oxygen requirements of the number of sea urchins being cultured. If the number of sea urchins is large in other embodiments, oxygen pumps and air stones can be added to any single culture chamber of culture tank 1 to increase dissolved oxygen.

[0082] In this embodiment, the camera 6, computer 7, and probe 8 constitute a monitoring system; it monitors the movement of sea urchins in the culture tank 1 in real time, analyzes the sea urchins' activity level, feeding desire, and whether there is oxygen deficiency; it monitors the feed status in real time, records the feeding time, analyzes the amount of remaining feed and the decomposition and spoilage of the feed, and reminds the user to collect the feed and refeed in time; it monitors various physical and chemical properties of the water in real time and provides key data such as dissolved oxygen.

[0083] In this embodiment, the monitoring system can calculate the sea urchin shell diameter by comparing the images of the sea urchin and the culture tank 1, so as to understand the real-time size and growth of the sea urchin and save labor costs.

[0084] In this embodiment, the main body of the aquaculture device is made of polypropylene acrylic sheet, which has high structural strength, low cost, and can effectively prevent seawater corrosion. It is understood that the device could also be made of metal with an anti-corrosion layer added to the surface to prevent seawater corrosion. However, this would increase weight and cost, and reduce corrosion resistance.

[0085] Please see Figure 2 and Figure 3 In this embodiment, the breeding tank 1 has five openings on the front and five openings on the back; the openings have extension heads, which can be used as diversion devices for the self-circulation system to prevent water from flowing down the outer wall of the breeding tank 1 and overflowing through the gaps between adjacent breeding tanks 1; the number of openings and the length of the extension heads can be adjusted according to actual production needs; the openings have valves to control opening and closing.

[0086] In this embodiment, the fixing port 103 is located on both sides of the breeding tank 1 and is connected to the support plate 2 by screws.

[0087] Please see Figure 4 In this embodiment, the partition 3 is placed perpendicular to the culture tank 1 and can be clamped to the inner wall of the culture tank 1. The partition 3 is a rectangular plate with the same width but different lengths, including a blocking part 302 and a hollow part 301, which can be combined with each other. Each culture tank 1 is divided into multiple individual culture chambers by the partition 3. One sea urchin is placed in each individual culture chamber. Each individual culture chamber is connected by the hollow part 301 to facilitate water circulation and the removal of feces.

[0088] Example 2

[0089] In this embodiment, the above-mentioned single-unit isolated stepped sea urchin farming device was used to conduct experiments on the refined farming of intermediate spherical sea urchins and the determination of feed efficiency.

[0090] I. Experimental Procedure:

[0091] S1. Equipment Setup: A total of six aquaculture systems will be constructed. Each system will consist of three layers of aquaculture tanks (1), and each tank (1) will be divided into five individual aquaculture chambers. The water temperature will be set at 20℃.

[0092] S2. Sea urchin release: Select 84 medium-sized sea urchins of similar size, weigh each individual, measure its weight, shell diameter and number, and release them into each individual culture room for culture in sequence.

[0093] S3. Feeding: Feed kelp. Cut the kelp into appropriate sizes, dry it, number it, weigh it, feed it to the animals in sequence, and record the data.

[0094] S4. Feed Recovery: 48 hours after feeding, recover the kelp, dry it, weigh it, and record the data. Calculate the feed intake based on the weight difference between the dried feed before and after feeding, and the feed's wet-dry ratio.

[0095] S5. Sea urchin recovery: After repeating the above operations for 28 days, the sea urchins showed significant growth. The sea urchins were collected, and the weight and shell diameter of each individual were measured.

[0096] S6, Data Calculation:

[0097] Since the weight gain of sea urchins is based on wet weight, the amount of food consumed is calculated using the wet weight of kelp (the dry-to-wet weight ratio is approximately 1:10).

[0098] Feed intake = (Weight of feed given - Weight of feed recovered) × 10

[0099] Growth = Sea urchin weight at recovery - Sea urchin weight at release

[0100] Feed efficiency = Feed intake (wet weight) / Growth

[0101] II. Test Results

[0102] Some sea urchin data are shown in Table 1.

[0103] Table 1

[0104]

[0105] III. Data Analysis

[0106] After 28 days of intensive cultivation using the aquaculture device provided by this invention, 84 intermediate-sized sea urchins with an initial average weight of 4g and an average shell diameter of 23.04mm showed an average weight gain of 92.5%. In typical intensive factory farming methods, achieving the same growth rate would require approximately 50 days, and the sea urchins are prone to mortality during the cultivation process, resulting in significant differences in body size at market weight. Clearly, compared to traditional farming methods, the growth advantages of using this device for sea urchin cultivation are extremely significant.

[0107] Meanwhile, using this device to culture sea urchins can accurately obtain growth and feeding data of individual sea urchins, laying the foundation for subsequent research on the feed coefficient traits of individual sea urchins and their influencing factors.

[0108] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A single-unit isolated stepped sea urchin farming device, characterized in that, include: Multiple breeding tanks (1) are arranged in a stepped manner; each breeding tank (1) is provided with a partition (3) inside, and the breeding tank (1) is divided into multiple individual breeding chambers by the partition (3). The partition (3) is provided with a hollow part (301) and a shielding part (302), and two adjacent individual breeding chambers are connected by the hollow part (301). The circulating water system has multiple front openings (101) and multiple back openings (102) on opposite sides of the breeding tank (1). The inlet of the circulating water system is connected to the front opening (101) of the bottommost breeding tank (1), and the outlet of the circulating water system is connected to the front opening (101) of the topmost breeding tank (1). The circulating water system is used to filter and control the temperature of the water in the breeding tank (1). A monitoring system is used to monitor the shell diameter, feeding and aquaculture environment of sea urchins in the culture tank (1).

2. The individually isolated stepped sea urchin farming device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: Support plate (2) is provided at both ends of the breeding tank (1). Both ends of the breeding tank (1) are provided with fixing ports (103). The breeding tank (1) and the support plate (2) are connected and fixed by screws and fixing ports (103). The breeding tank (1) is arranged in a stepped manner through the support plates (2) at both ends.

3. The individually isolated stepped sea urchin farming device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The front opening (101) is located at three-quarters of the height of the side wall of the breeding tank (1), and the back opening (102) is located at the bottom of the side wall of the breeding tank (1). Valves are installed on both the front opening (101) and the back opening (102).

4. The individually isolated stepped sea urchin farming device according to claim 3, characterized in that, Both the front opening (101) and the back opening (102) are tubular structures.

5. The individually isolated stepped sea urchin farming device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The breeding tank (1) and the support plate (2) are both made of polypropylene acrylic sheet.

6. The individually isolated stepped sea urchin farming device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The front opening (101) of the topmost breeding tank (1) is connected to a water supply pipe (501), and the back openings (102) of multiple breeding tanks (1) are all connected to a drain pipe (502).

7. The individually isolated stepped sea urchin farming device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The circulating water system includes a filter (401), a water pump (402), a thermostat (403), an inlet pipe (404), and an outlet pipe (405). One end of the inlet pipe (404) is connected to the front opening (101) of the bottommost aquaculture tank (1). The filter (401), the water pump (402), and the thermostat (403) are sequentially installed at the other end of the inlet pipe (404). One end of the outlet pipe (405) is connected to the outlet end of the thermostat (403), and the other end of the outlet pipe (405) is connected to the front opening (101) of the topmost aquaculture tank (1).

8. The individually isolated stepped sea urchin farming device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The monitoring system includes a camera (6), a computer (7), and a probe (8). The camera (6) and the probe (8) are both connected to the computer (7). The camera (6) is used to monitor the culture tank (1) in real time, observe the movement and feeding of sea urchins, and identify the shell diameter of sea urchins. The computer (7) is used to store the activity information of sea urchins in the culture tank (1). The probe (8) is used to detect the environmental parameters of the water in the culture tank (1) in real time.

9. The individually isolated stepped sea urchin farming device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The activity information includes feeding frequency, feeding time, sea urchin shell diameter, sea urchin weight, and food intake; the environmental parameters include temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and ammonia nitrogen content.

10. A method for evaluating the feed efficiency in sea urchin farming, using the individually isolated stepped sea urchin farming device as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that... Includes the following steps: Set up the equipment; determine the number of breeding tanks (1), the number of individual breeding chambers in the breeding tanks (1), and the number of openings in the breeding tanks (1) as needed; Sea urchins are released; sea urchins are selected, weighed, and labeled, and then placed into their respective individual culture rooms in sequence. Feed the sea urchins; cut the feed into appropriate sizes, dry and weigh the feed, and feed it to the sea urchins in turn, recording the data; Collect the feed; collect the feed after feeding for a certain period of time, dry and weigh the feed, and record the data; calculate the feed intake based on the weight difference of the dried feed before and after feeding and the dry-wet ratio of the feed. Sea urchin recovery; repeat the above farming operations until the sea urchins have been farmed for the required experimental time, then recover the sea urchins and measure the weight of each sea urchin. Data computation; Feed intake = (Weight of feed given - Weight of feed recovered) × Dry to wet weight ratio; Growth = Weight of sea urchins at the time of retrieval - Weight of sea urchins at the time of release; Feed efficiency = feed intake / growth.

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