Sea grape cultivation equipment

Abstract

In sea grape cultivation, this method minimizes the impact of water temperature fluctuations caused by seasons and weather, enabling stable cultivation throughout the year while keeping environmental changes to a minimum. [Solution] The system comprises a roughly rectangular parallelepiped aquaculture tank, an aquaculture shelf holding mechanism capable of holding aquaculture shelves within the tank, a water supply member for supplying seawater, and a drainage member for draining seawater. The aquaculture shelf holding mechanism includes an aquaculture shelf support section, a first member, and a second member, and the holding height of the aquaculture shelves can be changed by changing the connection position or destination of the first member and the second member. The water supply member and the drainage member are arranged diagonally, and an aeration member is placed along the long side to form a constant water flow within the tank.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cultivation device used for cultivating sea grapes (Caulerpa lentillifera), and particularly to a cultivation device for sea grapes capable of changing the holding height of a cultivation shelf while maintaining a constant amount of water in a cultivation tank.

Background Art

[0002] In the current land-based cultivation of sea grapes in warm regions, it is possible to produce sea grapes throughout the year. As shown in prior literature, land-based cultivation of sea grapes is carried out by setting sea grape seedlings on a sheet-shaped seedbed, horizontally placing them in a cultivation tank, and circulating seawater.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] One of the most important things in land-based cultivation of sea grapes is the stability of the environment in the cultivation tank. Sea grapes are very delicate, and for example, changes in water temperature, water flow, solar radiation amount, salinity concentration, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, etc. will immediately lead to deterioration in quality. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a cultivation device that can maintain the environment in the cultivation tank constant and uniform and cultivate sea grapes stably.

[0005] Furthermore, when cultivating sea grapes throughout the year, there are significant differences in sunlight and temperature between summer and winter, requiring appropriate adjustments to the growing environment. Specifically, in summer, the sunlight is strong, so if the sea grape seedlings are too close to the water surface, they will get sunburned, resulting in discoloration and poor quality. Therefore, the distance from the water surface must be greater than in winter. For this reason, conventionally, the amount of water (storage water level) stored in the cultivation tanks has been changed between summer and winter. However, the inventors have found that changes in water volume (water level) cause significant changes in the environment within the cultivation tank, such as flow, dissolved oxygen, and temperature distribution, leading to instability in the color, luster, and size of the sea grapes, and making it impossible to maintain quality. Therefore, in view of the above circumstances, the present invention further aims to provide a cultivation device that can stably cultivate sea grapes while keeping the water volume in the cultivation tank constant. Furthermore, the objective is to provide a cultivation system that contributes to improving the quality of sea grapes by appropriately setting the relative positions of water supply, drainage, and aeration to create a stable water flow within the cultivation tank. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a cultivation apparatus for sea grapes, comprising a cultivation tank having a bottom wall and side walls erected vertically from the bottom wall and having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole, a cultivation rack holding mechanism capable of holding cultivation racks in the cultivation tank, a water supply member for supplying seawater, and a drainage member for draining seawater. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] Sea grapes produced using the cultivation apparatus according to the present invention have high quality in terms of grain size, density, color, flavor, and firmness, with little variation and a good yield. Furthermore, when dehydrated with saltwater and stored for a long period, they have a longer shelf life than sea grapes produced using other cultivation apparatuses. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the general configuration of the aquaculture equipment. [Figure 2]This is a schematic diagram of the aquaculture apparatus viewed from above in a plan view. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view of an aquaculture apparatus. [Figure 4] This is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an embodiment of the aquaculture shelf holding mechanism. [Figure 5] This is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating another embodiment of the aquaculture shelf holding mechanism. [Figure 6] This is a diagram illustrating the corner of a fish farming tank. [Figure 7] This diagram illustrates the arrangement of the water supply member 4, the drainage member 5, and the aeration member 6. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims.

[0010] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the aquaculture apparatus, Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the aquaculture apparatus viewed from above, and Figure 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the aquaculture apparatus. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the aquaculture apparatus 1 comprises an aquaculture tank 2, an aquaculture shelf holding mechanism 3 capable of holding aquaculture shelves within the aquaculture tank 2, a water supply member 4 for supplying seawater, and a drainage member 5 for draining seawater. An aeration member 6 is provided as needed. In Figures 2 and 3, a part of the aquaculture shelf holding mechanism 3 is omitted for simplification.

[0011] The aquaculture tank 2 has a bottom wall and side walls erected vertically from the bottom wall (counterclockwise from the first side wall 21, which is the short side wall, to the second side wall 22, third side wall 23, and fourth side wall 24), and as a whole it has a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape. The material of the aquaculture tank 2 is not particularly limited as long as it has water resistance and durability and is suitable for storing seawater. For example, the aquaculture tank 2 may be made of concrete blocks, but is not limited to this, and may be made of any other material that performs the same function, such as resin, metal, FRP, wooden frame + waterproof sheet, etc.

[0012] The dimensions of the aquaculture tank 2 are set appropriately according to the intended use, but as an example, the height of the aquaculture tank 2 is 50 cm to 150 cm, preferably 65 cm to 100 cm, and more preferably 80 cm to 95 cm. In addition, the length of the longer side in a plan view is approximately 2 m to 7 m, and the length of the shorter side is approximately 1 m to 2.5 m. These dimensional ranges are selected considering factors such as installation space, stocking density, workability, and mitigation of temperature fluctuations.

[0013] The aquaculture shelf holding mechanism 3 includes an aquaculture shelf support section 31 capable of horizontally supporting the aquaculture shelf, a first member 32 that holds the aquaculture shelf support section 31, and a second member 33 that can be connected to the first member 32 and is provided in the aquaculture tank 2. The aquaculture shelf holding mechanism 3 allows the holding height of the aquaculture shelf to be arbitrarily changed while maintaining a constant water volume in the aquaculture tank 2.

[0014] The form of the aquaculture shelf support section 31 is not particularly limited, as long as it is configured to horizontally support the aquaculture shelf and maintain it at a predetermined height within the aquaculture tank 2. For example, as shown in Figure 2, two slender pipes or other members may be arranged along the long side of the aquaculture tank 2 and two along the short side, and these may be intersected to form a grid or frame structure. The material of the aquaculture shelf support section 31 is not particularly limited, as long as it does not adversely affect sea grape cultivation. Examples include plastic pipes, resin rods, and corrosion-resistant metal pipes. The length and width of the aquaculture shelf support section 31 can be appropriately set according to the dimensions of the aquaculture shelf.

[0015] The first member 32 is a member that can be connected to the aquaculture shelf support 31 and the second member 33, respectively. The form of the first member 32 is not limited, but for example, a chain, a strip, a rope, a wire, etc. can be used. The connection between the first member 32 and the aquaculture shelf support 31 may be direct, or it may be done via a separate connecting part (clip, fastener, clamp, etc.). The first member 32 has a second member connecting part that can be connected to the second member 33. The second member connecting part is not particularly limited as long as it has a structure or mechanism that can be connected to the second member, and for example, a ring, a hook, a carabiner, etc. can be used.

[0016] The second member 33 is a locking member for fixing the first member 32 to any location, and can be configured as a protruding or locking part such as a nail, projection pin, screw, hook, ring, or eyebolt. The second member 33 is, for example, connected to the side wall of the aquaculture tank 2 by any means. The second member 33 may also be directly attached to the side wall of the aquaculture tank 2. Alternatively, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, an auxiliary mounting member 7 for the second member 33 may be provided on the side wall of the aquaculture tank 2, and the second member 33 may be connected to the auxiliary mounting member 7. The material of the auxiliary mounting member 7 is not limited, and for example, rod-shaped members, plate-shaped members, etc., made of wood, resin, or metal can be used. With this configuration, compared to the case where the second member 33 is directly connected to the side wall of the aquaculture tank 2 (for example, a concrete block), damage to the side wall can be suppressed and the risk of water leakage can be reduced. The second member 33 can be installed anywhere as long as the first member 32 can be fixed in place, and may be installed on the floor, walls, ceiling of the aquaculture farm, or on intermediate structures fixed to them.

[0017] The aquaculture shelf holding mechanism 3 is configured to allow the holding height of the aquaculture shelf to be changed arbitrarily. In one embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, it is preferable that the first member 32 has multiple second member connecting parts. For example, a chain ring may function as multiple second member connecting parts. This allows the height of the aquaculture shelf to be lowered by connecting it to the second member 33 using the connecting part that is further away from the aquaculture shelf, as shown in Figure 4(a), and conversely, the height of the aquaculture shelf to be maintained at a higher level by connecting it to the second member 33 using the connecting part that is closer to the aquaculture shelf, as shown in Figure 4(b). In this way, the holding height of the aquaculture shelf can be arbitrarily adjusted by having the first member 32 have multiple second member connecting parts and selecting the second member connecting part to connect to the second member 33.

[0018] As another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, it is preferable that a plurality of second members 33 are provided in order to enable the holding height of the cultivation shelf to be changed. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, a first second member 33 may be provided on the outer surface of the side wall, and a second second member 33 may be further provided on the upper surface of the side wall. As shown in FIG. 5(a), when the first member 32 is coupled to the second member 33 located on the upper surface of the side wall, the height of the cultivation shelf can be lowered. As shown in FIG. 5(b), by hooking the first member 32 on the second member 33 on the outer surface of the side wall, the holding height can be made higher than when hooking on the upper surface side.

[0019] When the second member 33 is attached to the side wall of the cultivation tank, its position is not particularly limited. It may be attached to the outer surface and the upper surface of the side wall as shown in FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b), or may be attached at two locations on the outer side of the side wall as shown in FIG. 5(c), or may be attached to both the outer surface and the inner surface as shown in FIG. 5(d). It is preferable to install the second member 33 on the outer surface of the side wall because it is less likely to rust.

[0020] The holding height of the cultivation shelf is appropriately set according to environmental changes such as seasons. For example, in summer, it can be set so that the cultivation shelf is at a position a certain distance away from the water surface, and in winter, it can be set so that the cultivation shelf is at a position relatively close to the water surface. Thereby, while keeping the water volume (storage water level) of the cultivation tank 2 constant, only the position of the cultivation shelf can be adjusted to mitigate the influence of solar radiation amount, temperature fluctuations, etc.

[0021] The cultivation shelf may have an arbitrary configuration. For example, it may be configured such that sea grape seedlings are evenly arranged on a resin mesh sheet, and then a similar mesh sheet is covered from above and sandwiched and fixed. Since sea grapes grow through the holes of the mesh, it becomes easy to position and disperse-hold the seedlings, contributing to uniform growth.

[0022] The water supply component 4 is a component for supplying seawater to the aquaculture tanks 2. As shown in Figure 3, for example, the configuration may involve drawing seawater pumped from the sea into a storage tank, running pipes (such as water pipes), and distributing and supplying it to each aquaculture tank 2. The water supply component 4 comprises at least a pipe for supplying seawater and a valve (not shown) that can adjust the amount of water supplied. A water receiving section (such as a tray or box) may also be provided to receive the seawater flowing in from the water inlet. A filtration component (such as cotton, a filter, a net, or a sponge) can be provided in the water receiving section to capture impurities such as sand, suspended matter, and attached organisms in the seawater, thereby preventing these impurities from flowing into the aquaculture tanks 2. For example, it can capture impurities such as sand in the seawater and prevent them from flowing into the aquaculture tanks 2.

[0023] The drainage member 5 is a component for draining seawater from the aquaculture tank 2. The drainage method of the drainage member 5 is arbitrary; for example, it may be configured as an overflow pipe or similar to allow the excess water that exceeds a certain level in the tank to be discharged.

[0024] From the viewpoint of forming a constant flow within the aquaculture tank 2, it is preferable that the water supply member 4 and the drainage member 5 be arranged approximately diagonally in a top-down plan view. Here, as explained in Figure 6, if the four corner points of the aquaculture tank 2 are designated as the first corner point, second corner point, third corner point, and fourth corner point, then the "corner" is not limited to the exact same location as the corner point, but can be a location that is approximately close to the corner point. Furthermore, the "corner" may be a location (shaded area in Figure 6) where the radius (L1, L2) from the corner point is within a predetermined range. The radius may be, for example, within 60 cm, or within 50 cm, 40 cm, or 30 cm. In addition, whether the water supply member 4 and the drainage member 5 are located in a predetermined "corner" can be determined by whether the center points of the water inlet of the water supply member 4 and the drain outlet of the drainage member 5 fall within the range of the predetermined corner.

[0025] The water supply member 4 and the drainage member 5 only need to be in a positional relationship that is approximately diagonal. For example, as shown in Figure 2, the water supply member 4 is provided at the first corner between the first side wall 21 and the second side wall 22, and the drainage member 5 is provided at the third corner between the third side wall 23 and the fourth side wall 24. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 7(a), the water supply member 4 may be provided at the fourth corner and the drainage member 5 at the second corner. Furthermore, as mentioned above, a corner refers to a certain range from an corner point, so as shown in Figure 7(b), the water supply member 4 may be placed at a location that is somewhat far from the first corner point, and the drainage member 5 may also be placed at a location that is somewhat far from the third corner point. In addition, the distance of the water supply member 4 from the first corner point and the distance of the drainage member 5 from the third corner point do not necessarily need to be the same, but it is preferable that they be approximately the same.

[0026] The aeration member 6 can be configured as a long, slender pipe-shaped member and is preferably placed on the bottom surface of the aquaculture tank 2, along the longitudinal side wall. The aeration member 6 has multiple outlets for discharging air, and a predetermined amount of air can be continuously released by supplying air from an external blower or the like. The outlets are preferably facing upward. This promotes stirring and water flow formation in the tank by rising bubbles, and in combination with the water supply member 4 and the drainage member 5, a stable flow of water can be formed throughout the tank.

[0027] It is preferable that the aeration member 6 be installed along at least the same longitudinal side wall as the water supply member 4. For example, if the water supply member 4 is installed at the first corner as shown in Figure 2, the aeration member 6 is installed along the second side wall 22. Also, if the water supply member 4 is installed at the fourth corner as shown in Figure 7(a), the aeration member 6 can be installed along the fourth side wall 24. By arranging the aeration member 6 along the same longitudinal side wall as the water supply member 4 in this way, the water flow due to aeration does not obstruct the water flow from water supply to drainage, and the water flow in the aquaculture tank 2 becomes constant, thereby improving the quality of sea grapes. Furthermore, the aeration member can also be installed on both of the two opposing longitudinal side walls. When the water temperature rises, such as in the summer, the water temperature can be adjusted by operating both aeration members 6.

[0028] In addition to the aquaculture apparatus 1 described above, the aquaculture farm may be equipped with any other facilities such as a roof and shading members as appropriate. [Examples]

[0029] Sea grapes were cultivated using the configuration shown in Figures 1 and 2. Specifically, a roughly rectangular parallelepiped cultivation tank 2 was prepared as shown in Figures 1 and 2, with a water supply member 4 at the first corner and an overflow pipe as a drainage member 5 at the third corner, and an aeration member 6 placed at the bottom along the second side wall 22 and the fourth side wall 24. The cultivation rack holding mechanism 3 was configured as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4, with the first member 32 being a chain-like member and the second member 33 being a screw, and a piece of wood fixed to the upper surface of the side wall as a mounting auxiliary member 7, and the rack was fixed to the mounting auxiliary member 7.

[0030] In the aforementioned aquaculture tank 2, seawater was added so that the water level was approximately 80 cm from the bottom of the tank. The aquaculture shelf holding mechanism 3 was adjusted so that the height of the aquaculture shelves was lower in the summer and higher in the winter. The seawater level was kept constant at all times.

[0031] The harvested sea grapes were all fresh, dark green, firm, and had excellent flavor. Furthermore, consistent quality was maintained throughout the year. (Comparative Example 1)

[0032] In Comparative Example 1, the same aquaculture apparatus as in Example 1 was prepared. In the aquaculture tank, the holding position of the aquaculture racks was kept constant, and the amount of water stored was increased in the summer to raise the water level, and decreased in the winter to lower the water level.

[0033] The harvested sea grapes, especially during seasonal transitions, showed signs of discoloration, lack of firmness, and inconsistent production, resulting in a poor yield. Comparative Example 2

[0034] In Comparative Example 2, the same aquaculture apparatus as in Example 1 was prepared, except that the water supply member 4 and the drainage member 5 were placed approximately in the center of the short side wall of the aquaculture tank (that is, the water supply member 4 was placed in the center of the first side wall 21 and the drainage member 5 was placed in the center of the third side wall 23). The water volume was kept constant and the holding height of the aquaculture racks was adjusted in the same manner as in Example 1.

[0035] The harvested sea grapes showed variations in overall quality. Some of the sea grapes were pale in color, lacked firmness, and exhibited uneven texture, resulting in a lower yield. Comparative Example 3

[0036] In Comparative Example 3, the same aquaculture apparatus as in Example 1 was prepared, except that one aeration member 6 was placed approximately in the center of the aquaculture tank 2 (that is, it was placed at a position where the distance from the second side wall 22 and the distance from the fourth side wall 24 were approximately the same), and the water volume was kept constant while the holding height of the aquaculture rack was adjusted in the same manner as in Example 1.

[0037] The harvested sea grapes showed inconsistent quality. Some of the sea grapes were pale in color, lacked firmness, and exhibited uneven texture, resulting in a lower yield.

[0038] According to the sea grape cultivation apparatus 1 of the present invention, the environment inside the cultivation tank 2 can be made uniformly stable, improving the quality of sea grapes in terms of color intensity, luster, density of grains, grain size, flavor, and aroma. The cultivation shelf holding mechanism 3 allows the distance of the cultivation shelf from the water surface to be changed without changing the amount of water, so the environment inside the cultivation tank is less likely to change even with seasonal or weather changes. In addition, since the water supply member 4 and the drainage member 5 are arranged on approximately opposite sides, turbulence is less likely to occur inside the cultivation tank, and the water flow becomes uniform. Furthermore, by arranging the aeration member 6 on the same side as the water supply member 4, aeration does not obstruct the water flow from water supply to drainage, and the water flow becomes stable.

[0039] The sea grapes produced using the cultivation apparatus 1 of the present invention are of high quality, making them delicious to eat as is, and they are also visually appealing. Furthermore, while there is a known technique for long-term preservation by dehydrating and shrinking the sea grapes with saltwater and then filling them into vacuum packs, the sea grapes produced using the cultivation apparatus 1 of the present invention exhibit significantly better recovery of firmness and flavor upon regeneration, and can be stored for a longer period compared to sea grapes produced using other cultivation apparatuses that have undergone the same processing. This is thought to be because the cell tissue of the sea grapes produced using the cultivation apparatus of the present invention is healthy and robust, and damage during production is minimized. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 1 Aquaculture equipment 2 Aquaculture tanks 21 First side wall 22 Second side wall 23 Third side wall 24 Fourth side wall 3 Aquaculture shelf holding mechanism 31 Aquaculture rack support part 32 First component 33 Second component 4. Water supply components 5 Drainage member 6. Aeration component

Claims

1. This is a sea grape cultivation device, A cultivation tank having a bottom wall and side walls erected vertically from the bottom wall, and having a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape, A farming shelf holding mechanism capable of holding the farming shelf in the farming tank, A water supply component that supplies seawater, It has a drainage member for draining seawater, The aforementioned aquaculture shelf holding mechanism is A support section for aquaculture shelves capable of supporting the aforementioned aquaculture shelves, The first member that holds the aquaculture shelf support section, The first member includes a second member that can be fixed in a predetermined location, The first member has a plurality of second member connecting portions that can be connected to the second member, An aquaculture apparatus in which the holding height of the aquaculture rack can be changed by selecting a second member connecting part to which the second member is connected.

2. This is a sea grape cultivation device, A cultivation tank having a bottom wall and side walls erected vertically from the bottom wall, and having a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape, A farming shelf holding mechanism capable of holding the farming shelf in the farming tank, A water supply component that supplies seawater, It has a drainage member for draining seawater, The aforementioned aquaculture shelf holding mechanism is A farming shelf support section capable of supporting the aforementioned farming shelves, The first member that holds the aquaculture shelf support section, The first member includes a second member that can be fixed in a predetermined location, An aquaculture apparatus comprising multiple second members, wherein the holding height of the aquaculture rack can be changed by selecting the second members to which the first members are connected.

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